The Koninklijke Volkskunstgroep Reuzegom is an organisation that tries to continue the Flemish folk art traditions, including traditional dancing, in a contemporary way in order to preserve them for future generations. They also organise dancing events focusing on foreign dances.
So we were very happy to have found them arranging an Irish dancing weekend in Leuven, 21-22/02/2004. They invited the Cairde Dance Group from Dublin to teach Set Dancing on Saturday (dancing master being Sile Hassett, the lady in black on the picture) and Competitive Step Dancing on Sunday by Fidelma Nolan, T.C.R.G. (sitting in the middle).
Teaching was extremely well organised, the set dancing on Saturday in particular! About 100 dancers were enrolled, yet, each set got his own drill sergeant (very friendly though) helping out the dancers through difficult figures.
On Sunday, we were done a really big favour ! Fidelma seemed to know that I and my companion Sabine (the lady in blue) had some experience in Irish dancing, and proposed to teach us some advanced beginners reel steps, and the traditional set dance The Job of Journey Work (mp3; 0.6Mb), here played by accordionist Mike Shaffer and pianist Bernie Nau on a Udance records CD. Of course, we accepted this generous offer.
Here is the program of the weekend. It will be completed in the forthcoming weeks. You can already enjoy the slide show (pps; 4Mb) to have an idea of the set dancing workshop. If you don't have a Powerpoint viewer, download one through our additional links page.
Set dances
Cashel Set
This is a set from the town of Cashel in County Tipperary. It is also called the Castle Set. Some on-line descriptions (with differences!):
Music for the set can be found on the following CDs:
The set is shown on Matt Cunningham's video Come to the Ceili and The Magic of Irish Set Dancing, vol 3 by with music from The Fodhla Ceili Band and demonstrated by Dancemaster Connie Ryan with Betty McCoy & The Slievenamon Set Dancers.
Kerry Set
Please see the description we gave when reporting on the Irish Club of Belgium's Set dancing ceili in Leuven, Febr. 2004.
Plain Set
Please see the description we gave when reporting on the Irish Club of Belgium's Set dancing ceili in Leuven, Febr. 2004.
Ceili dances
Haymakers' jig
Please see the description we gave when reporting on the Irish Set Dancing Weekend in Wattrelos, January 2004. Interestingly, this time, the dance was explained with the top gent standing on the right hand side of the row instead of on the left hand side. As a result, all movements became mirrored against what I was used to.
Two Hand jig
In a generic sense, Two hand jig means a jig choreographed for two persons. Now I would call that a four hand jig. A matter of perception ? Well, I can tell you I'm rather a realist and not at all a follower of the famous Irish philosopher George Berkeley.
In a more specific sense, it is a dance danced to jigs, in the following manner:
Couples stand in a circle, gent inside, holding the lady's left hand in it's right hand, all facing in the direction of the circle, counter-clockwise
- Advance and retire twice using a 1-2-3 step (8 bars)
- 7's inwards ending in (Rising) Jig step (4 bars)
- 7's back to place ending in Jig step while turning to face opposite direction on second Jig step, gents still on the inside of the circle (4 bars)
- Advance and retire twice using a 1-2-3 step, now moving clockwise (8 bars)
- 7's inwards ending in Jig step (4 bars)
- 7's back to place ending in Jig step while turning to face opposite direction on second Jig step (4 bars)
- Advance using 1-2-3's (8 bars)
- Repeat from beginning
Competitive step dancing
Easy reel
Easy jig
Easy slip jig
Advanced beginners'/primary reel step
Have a look at this primary reel demonstration (wmv; 7Mb). The lead around, side step and first step were taught to us by Ronan McCormack. We learned the last step from Fidelma; it starts when she joins in.
Job of Journey Work
This is one of the traditional solo set dances (not to be confused with 4-couple set dances as described above). It is a necessary (but unfortunately not a sufficient) condition to be able to dance it in order to be recognised as an Irish dancer (grade exam level 8).
Here is the dance description (pdf) on sheet music, what is also convenient for musicians that want to take it up in their repertoire. Although the tune is written as a reel, it should be played in hornpipe rhythm to match with the steps, and at 138 beats per minute.
Watch out for versions that do not have the required length such as this one in which bar 10 and 11 of the set piece are missing. Another version that doesn't fit the dance is this nice transcription on the basis of a performance by Paddy Keenan on uilleann pipes. It features on the CD Paddy Keenan Solo.
The CD The Final Round by Kevin Joyce has the tune at various speeds: great for exercises ! You find it also on Sets & Solos vol 3. That CD contains the music for Olive Hurley's video Step by Step vol 3, on which the dance is explained.
