The Two Hand Dances of Ireland & The Old Philadelphia Set

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The Two-Hand Dances of Ireland

The Old Philadelphia Set

Index

Two Hand Dance History

Two Hand Reel

Two Hand Hornpipe (Corn Ricks)

Stack of Barley

Gay Gordons

Katy Conner

Shoe the Donkey

Clap Dance

The Old Philadelphia Set - History

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Music for the last part of the set

The Two Hand Dance History

Donegal was the two-hand dance center of Ireland , though many of those dances were Scottish in origin. One might then question how these dances survived in Philadelphia. The answer to this is rather evident in that Donegal's the predominant immigrant in the Philadelphia area. When most musicians, dancers and dance teachers are Donegalers, this result is inevitable.

Old Ed Reavy told me that Donegal people told him that the interchange of music, song and dance with Scotland came about mainly due to clandestine affinity. The gaelic dialect in Donegal, the Highlands and Hebrides was similar. Therefore, in the Gaelic era, Donegal, people were soughtfor harvest. Consequently, the musicians , singers and dancers who were among these harvesters were often invited for future harvests. due to this, friendships, vacation interchanges and inter-marriage often resulted.

This undocumented word of mouth account being what it may, we dancers are happy with the subsequent result. We recently realized, however that these dances are in jeopardy. Therefore, we resolved to submit them to video and written instruction. At the worst, we feel that the archives will preserve these little gems.

Danced to reels. Direction: Counter-clockwise around outside of the floor.
Man on the inside of the hall face to face holding right hands with lady.

1st Part

Man hops on right foot, lady on left and step off to man's left doing side steps hop, 2,3,4,5,6,7. Hop1,2,3; Hop 1,2,3 (basic 7's and 3's). Both stamp left feet and kick high with right followed with 1,2,3's in place. Then lady passes under man's arm as both switch sides doing two 1,2,3's (the deodorant turn).

Repeat. Stamp kick and switch sequences as above back to original position.

2nd Part - Around the House

Man takes lady's hands left to left right to right in front and dances eight 1,2,3's around the floor on alternating rounds. Repeat 1st Part, then do elbow swing for eight bars instead of 1,2,3's around the house on alternating rounds.

Repeat from Part 1 until music stops.

Two Hand Hornpipe - The Corn Ricks

Danced to a hornpipe, lady on right man on the inside of floor. Facing partner holding right hands. Initial move is to man's left. The first part of this dance is balanced to both sides of center point of dance. The second part is danced off to the one side of the center point of this dance to man's left ad lady's right.

1st Part

Man hops on right foot. Lady on left foot and side step to man's left hopping on man's right and ladies left foot with hop 2,3,4. then return hopping on man's left and ladies right foot with hop 2,3,4 then hop on man's left , ladies right with back skip step, 1 skip, 2 skip then three rock steps at ankles (at knees or rear end will suffice). Repeat sequence to other side (to man's right and lady's left).

2nd Part

This part of dance has all action to man's left of center point of dance. Hopping on man's left and lady's right doing hop 2,3,4. Then lady moves under man's arm to switch sides (otherwise known as the deodorant turn) doing hop 2,3,4 then return to center point of dance doing hop 2,3,4. Repeat hope 2,3,4 then return to center point of dance doing hop 2,3,4. Repeat switching sides with under arm move hop 2,3,4 then move again to man's left and lady's right hop 2,3,4. then return to center point of dance hop 2,3,4. Then two clockwise spins doing 1 skip, 2 skip, 3 skip and stand on last step.

Repeat from part 1 until music stops.

As in Highland, lady on right man's right arm around lady's waist. Lady's left arm around man's waist. Inside foot hops and both step off on outside foot. Direction of dance, counter-clockwise around the floor.

1st Part

Hop on inside foot then side step 2,3,4,5,6 step and hop on 7 man passing in front of lady to outside of floor. Repeat: hop then side step 2,3,4,5,6 stepping and hopping on 7 Lady passing in front of man to outsie of hall.

2nd Part

Hop then side step 2,3 then both hop on 4 man passing in front of lady to outside of floor repeat hop, side step 2,3 both hop on 4 lady passing to outside of floor. Then two complete clockwise spins with 1 hop, 2 hop, 3 hop then both stand on 4 with outside foot.

Repeat sequences until music stops.

Danced to the Highland fling tunes. Lady on right, man's arm around ladies' waist. Lady's left arm arund man's waist. Inside foot hops and both step off on outside foot. Direction of dance is counter -clockwise.

1st Part

Step off both hop on inside foot and tap on outside foot. Heel, toe, heal, toe then hop on inside foot and both step off forward with outside foot hop 2,3 hopping on 4 and switching sides man passing in front of lady to ouside of floor.

Repeat seqence with lady shifting to outsdie of floor
Repeat seqence with man shifting to outsdie of floor
Repeat seqence with lady shifting to outsdie of floor

2nd Part

Both hop on inside foot then step off with outside foot side stepping. Hop 2,3, and both hop on 4 with man shifting in front of lady to outside of floor. Repeat five more times (total of 6) with lady and then man in turn shifting to outside of floor. This comprises six bars of music. Then both spin for last two bars (two Clockwise spins) 1 skip, 2, skip, 3 skip then stamp 4 an outside foot.

Repeat from part one until music stops.

Dance to hornpipe type music (poor man's hornpipe) Lady on right, left hand in front, right hand to right hand over lady's right sholder direction of the dance counter clockwise around floor. Start on left foot with three hops (essentially skips) 1 hop, 2 hop, 3 hop both stamp on 4. Then walk backwards with left, right, left, right. Lady then does side step to left passing in front of man with left, right, left then back with right left right (body wieght on right). Then both walk forward with left, right, left, right.

Repeat from top until music stops.

Scottish dance danced to any march. Left hand to left hand in front of couple right hand of man to right of lady over her right shoulder. Direction of dance counter clockwise around hall. Basically a walking dance with four spins by lady.

1st Part

Start forward on left foot with left, right, left and then shift on with walking backwards. Continuing in same direction (though walking backwards) , with left, right, left, then shift on right and walk forward with left, right, left, right.

2nd Part

Lady spins holding man's hand over head, right hand to right hand, 4 spins eight bars of music, two bars to each spin, ends with weight of each on right foot. Start part 1 sequence again on left foot.

Continue until music stops.

Danced to a march. Man's right arm around lady 's waist and lady's left arm around man's waist. As in Highland and Stack of Barley. Inside foot hops outside foot is step off foot. Direction, counter-clockwise around the floor.

1st Part

Outside foot of each does a heel, toe, heel, toe then step off with the outside foot with slight hop on inside foot, then 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, then hop and turn on the 7 step foot to return to the original position. Repeating heel, toe and step-off sequence.

2nd Part

Using waltz spin step slight hop on inside foot, then 1,2,3, spin 1,2,3, spin 1,2,3, spin 1,2,3, spin, 1,2,3 spin, 1,2,3 spin (six bars of music). Then walking backwards with 1,2,3,4. (Two bars of music)

Repeat from part 1 until music ends.

Shoe the Donkey - (Verse of Vennia)

Lady on right. Holds left hand to left, right to right in front direction counter clockwise around floor. This is a forward, turn and return dance. All action is on outside foot (lifting and stamping). Inside foot hops continually.

1st Part

Hop 2-3, hope 2-3, hop-turn-2-3 Stamp on 4 outside foot (note all hops are on inside foot). Note, having turned, inside and outside feet are now reversed. Repeat sequence three times more. Total of four turns. Total eight bars of music.

2nd Part

Hop-turn 2-3 stamp on 4 on outside foot. This sequence is repeated seven more times. total of eight turns. Total eight bars of music.

Repeat part 1 and 2 until music stops.

Line dance. Men opposite lady partners, danced to Irish Polka. Dance was done originally one on one.

Five Basic Claps

Both hands clap thigh
Each person claps own right and left hand together in from of neck
Two hand clap partner's hands left to left, right to right, straight ahead.
Two hands clap to left, right hitting partner's right left hitting left hand of person to left of your partner.
Two hands clap to right, left hitting partner's left with right hand hiting persons right hand to right of your partner.

Clap Sequence - Using Claps as noted above

1st Part

1,2,3

1,2,3,2,3,2,3

2nd Part

1,2, left (see 4 above)
1,2, right (see 5 above)
1,2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)
2, right (see 5 above)
2, left (see 4 above)

Step off Sequence

All turn to left, ladies followin men at the end of line and men following ladies at other end of line forming oval. Stepping off four 1,2,3's turning and returning to original position stepping off four 1,2,3's.

Hands Across Sequence

Right hands across with partners passing right shoulders left hands back with partners passing left shoulders.

Repeat over and back twice more (total 4 turns)

Repeat sequences starting as above with clap sequence.

The Old Philadelphia Set

This old set differs from most sets today in that the third part is laced with reels and marches. The first part is danced to reels and the second to jigs. However, unless the musicians know the correct number of musical measures to the third part, he or she cannot play for this set.

Since no written history exists to determine its origin, we must consider the county immigrant makeup of the Philadelphia Irish community. The predominant immigrant is from Donegal, with Mayo a respectable second. However, Donegal was not set dance country whereas, Mayo was. I can only surmise that this is a Mayo set. Furthermore, Connie Ryan the great set dance teacher commented when the set was explained to him, "That samcks of Mayo". Also, three part sets are common to Mayo, whereas most sets comprise four, five or six parts.

When Ed Reavy arrived in Philadelphia from Cavan in 1912 with his fiddle under his arm, he was told by the old musicians at the house parties that the set had been played for dancing by the old musicians who taught them. This would indicaate that it could have been danced from the mid 1800's.

The last time this was danced was at Devine's Pub in Upper Darby, just outside West Phildelphia fourteen years ago (1988). the last time it was taught was at Pete Brett's classes in 1984. In the declining years, the last knowledgeable musicians to play the set were: Tommy Moffit, Kevin McGillian, Pat Collins, Pat Cambell and Mike Gallagher.

No dance was more exhilarating than the set in our time. We are hoping that a revival will afford future dancers the same thrill.

Part 1

Reels to 176 bars

(A) Introduction - 8 bars

(B) All join hands Advance-Retreat (2 times) - 8 bars

(D) Tops cross (men back to back) and turn into position - 4 bars

(E) Tops dance to partner - 4 bars

(F) Tops cross back - 4 bars

(G) Tops swing (2 turns) - 4 bars

(H) Top ladies chain - right to right - 4 bars

(I) New tops swing - elbow hold - 4 bars

(J) Top Ladies chain to home - 4 bars

(K) Tops swing - 4 bars

Total: 56 bars

Sides repeat (C) to (K) 40 bars
Tops repeat (C) to (K) 40 bars
Sides repeat (C) to (K) 40 bars

Total: 176 bars

Part 2

Jigs - "The Knot" 136 bars

(A) Introduction 8 bars

(B) Tops cross and give right hands to opposite, turning back, holding onto right hand, take left hand of partner going back, drop right hands, Ladies pass right hand over left arm to partners' right hand. All move counter clockwise in knot of four. 8 bars

(C)All swing their corners for six (6) bars (3 turns), Men use remaining 2 bars (7 & 8) to go home. Ladies use (7 & 8) dancing in place, facing into set.

(D) Top Ladies chain - (4 bars)
Swing opposite man (4 bars)
Top Ladies chain back (4 bars)
Tops swing (4 bars)
16 bars total

Sides repeat 32 bars
Tops repeat 32 bars
Sides repeat 32 bars

Total 136 bars

Part 3

Reels - Marches 352 Bars

(A) Introduction (reel) - 8 bars

(B) All circle advance and Retreat twice - 8 bars

(D) New couples dance face to face - 8 bars

(E) Swing to 8 except top man and new lady who swing for 6 again and use 7 & 8 to face opposite tops - 8 bars

(F) New couples dance face to face - 8 bars

(G) Swing for 8 except top man and new lady who swing for 6 again and use 7 & 8 to face 2nd sides- 8 bars

(H) New couples dance face to face - 8 bars