connemara jig

	CONNEMARA JIG SET
	© 2008 Larry E. Taylor
	This set, also known as Frères Nantais, is from County Galway, Ireland.
	Gents begin forward on the left foot and ladies begin forward on the right foot.
	Bar counts (measures quantity) for patterns are shown in bold.
	The total bar count for each Figure includes an eight-bar introduction of music.
	First side couple is on the right of the first top couple.
	Hug: a couple faces and grasps one another on the outside upper body; the left hand
	is to be on the upper right arm of the other and the right hand may be
	underneath on the left side of the torso or on the upper left arm.
	Tug: a couple faces one another, usually holding crossed-hands, lean toward one
	another then gently pull-back from one another then lean toward one another
	again; move the feet in-rhythm but move forward and back very little.
	Swing in Hug hold.
	The set flows best (is less frantic) with music of a moderate to moderately-slow tempo.
	Pull-the-hand: during the final part of a pattern, gents will either pull the lady’s hand
	up from waist-level in front for a hold at the lady’s shoulder or pull the hand up
	from the shoulder then down to a waist-level hold.
	Documentation is based upon a workshop taught by Mary Friel in Dublin, Ireland in
	January 2001 and upon a Come Dance With Me In Ireland video workshop.
	Edition of November 3, 2006 — Contact larryetaylor@hotmail.com

FIGURE 1 -- JIGS (288 BARS)

	*Dance an ordinary jig step – down-2-3.*
All couples:	take hands in a circle (gents’ hands on top) and advance and retire twice;
	partners take hands when retiring the second time -- with the gent’s right
	hand in the lady’s left, pull-the-hand up to the lady’s right shoulder (lady’s
	arm should be diagonally across her upper torso) and take the other
	hands in front8;
	lead around * anticlockwise 6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder
	as partners face one another at home2;
	tug (see heading)2; swing (see heading)6;
Top couples:	holding crossed-hands (rights on top), advance facing-in2; turn in to one another,
	still holding crossed-hands, and retire facing-out2;
	repeat the advance and retire4;
	lead around inside the set, (pull-the-hand) holding right hands at the lady’s
	shoulder and left hands in front8;
	tug then change places, dancing clockwise2; tug and change places again,
	dancing clockwise, and dance to near-corner partner2;
	swing with near-corner partner4;
	with left couples:
	holding crossed-hands (rights on top), advance facing-in2;
	turn in to one another, still holding crossed-hands, and
	retire facing-out2;
	repeat the advance and retire4;
	pull-the-hand lead around (diagonally instead of inside the set), holding right
	at the lady’s shoulder and left hands in front8;
	tug with near-corner partner and dance back (gents on the inside) to original
	hands partner2; swing6.
Side couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front64.
Top couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front64.
Side couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front64.
All couples:	lead around anticlockwise6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder as
	partners face one another at home2;
	tug2; swing6.

FIGURE 2 -- JIGS (256 BARS)

	*Dance an ordinary jig step – down-2-3.*
All couples:	take hands in a circle (gents’ hands on top) and advance and retire twice;
	partners take hands when retiring the second time -- with the gent’s right
	hand in the lady’s left, pull-the-hand up to the lady’s right shoulder (lady’s
	arm should be diagonally across her upper torso) and take the other
	hands in front8;
	lead around* anticlockwise6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder
	as partners face one another at home2;
	tug2; swing6;
Top couples:	ladies chain to the opposite gent -- right-to-right in the center, left-to-left to
	the gent and he dances around her and they take right hands at her right
	shoulder also4;
	lead around to the ladies’ original position (pull-the-hand)4;
	repeat the three lines above, ending with top ladies at home8;
	holding crossed-hands, advance facing-in and retire facing-out twice
	(pull-the-hand to the lady's shoulder)8;
	lead around anticlockwise6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder as
	couples face one another at home2;
	tug2; swing6.
Side couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front56.
Top couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front56.
Side couples:	repeat from -- except for the initial lead around of the repeat*, couples
	hold right hands at the lady’s shoulder and lefts in front56.
All couples:	lead around anticlockwise6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder as
	partners face one another at home2;
	tug2; swing6.

FIGURE 3 -- SINGLE JIGS (264 BARS)

	*Dance an ordinary jig step – down-2-3.*
Top couples:	holding crossed-hands, advance facing-in and retire facing-out twice8;
	ladies chain: rights in the center (waist level), lefts to the opposite gent (waist
	level) for a full turn, rights to the center, then lefts to her partner as he
	dances around her and they take right hands at her right shoulder while
	still holding left hands8;
	lead around inside the set (pull-the-hand)8;
	tug2; swing6.
Side couples:	repeat from 32.
Top couples:	holding right-hand-in-right, advance facing-in and retire facing-out once4;
	cross anticlockwise turning the lady clockwise under the gents right hand
	once (note hand-change next)4;
	holding left-hand-in-left, advance facing-in and retire facing-out once4;
	dance anticlockwise to the center turning the lady clockwise under the
	gents left hand once and form a circle-of-four (ladies place hands on
	the gents’ shoulders)4;
	little Christmas8;
	ladies chain (gents dance around original partner and take right-hand-in-right
	at her shoulder)8;
	lead around anticlockwise6; gents pull-the-hand from the lady’s shoulder as
	couples face one another at home2;
	tug2; swing6.
Side couples:	repeat from 48.
Top couples:	repeat from 48.
Side couples:	repeat from 48.

FIGURE 4 -- HORNPIPES (184 BARS)

	*For advance and retire, dance – step, step, 3-4-5;*
	*otherwise dance an ordinary hornpipe step – lift-2-3-4.*
All couples:	take hands in a circle (gents’ hands on bottom) and advance and retire twice8;
	full house in waltz hold8;
1st top couple:	right-hand-in-right, dance anticlockwise around inside the set, turning the lady
	four times under the gent’s arm; the lady originally on the couple’s left joins
	(her right to his left; she backs into place) as the dancing couple passes
	her position – end with a trio holding inside hands low, facing-in,
	at the first top position8;
Trio:	advance and retire twice (low-hold – arms extended at dancers’ sides)8;
	high gates :
	with the gents following each time, the visiting lady, the first top lady,
	the visiting lady and then the first top lady dances under the arch8.
All couples:	repeat from with the first side couple, second top couple, then the
	second side couple leading in-turn120;
	take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice8;
	full house in waltz hold8.

FIGURE 5 -- POLKAS (144 BARS)

	*Dance an ordinary polka step – down-2-3.*
All couples:	take hands in a circle (gents’ hands on bottom) and advance and retire twice8;
	in waltz hold, lead around anticlockwise, without turning8;
	dance at home, turning twice8;
	take hands in a circle and advance, retire, advance and each gent turns
	anticlockwise to the lady on his left, puts his arm around her waist and
	both dance to the gent’s home and the new couple take waltz hold8;
	in waltz hold with new partners, lead around anticlockwise, without turning8;
	dance at home as new partners, turning twice8;
	repeat from until original partners dance at home72;
	take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice8;
	swing in hug hold (no tug)8.

SET FORMATION