MELLERAY LANCERS SET | |
© 2008
Larry E. Taylor |
|
This set, also known as WATERFORD LANCERS, is from County Waterford, Ireland. | |
Ladies Chain: with all contacts at waist-level, ladies give right hands to one another | |
in the center then left hands to the opposite gent (who has danced into his | |
partner's position); dance around the gent (no arch) and then give right hands to | |
one another when returning home. | |
Swing in ceili hold. | |
Steps: dance lively in-place right-left-right1, then left-right-left1, then right down and | |
left up/across the right then left down and right up/across the left1, then | |
right-left-right1. Otherwise dance an ordinary polka step (down-2-3). | |
Gents dance forward on the left foot and ladies begin forward on the right foot -- except | |
when dancing THE STEPS. | |
Bar counts (quantities of measures) 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. | |
Documentation is based upon a workshop taught by Pat Murphy at Milwaukee, | |
Wisconsin USA in July 1997. | |
Edition of December 25, 2008 Contact larryetaylor@hotmail.com | |
FIGURE 1 -- POLKAS (200 BARS) |
Top couples: | as their partners dance in-place, the first top gent and the second top lady |
advance, swing in the center and reverse to-place8. | |
swing in ceili hold8; | |
ladies chain (see heading)8; | |
swing in ceili hold8; | |
All couples: | steps and circle: face corner partner, take right-hand-in-right and dance |
the steps (see heading)4; | |
same partners swing in ceili hold3; all take hands in a circle with ladies facing | |
out of the set and gents facing into the set (right-hand-in-right-hand | |
with original partner and left-hand-in-left-hand with corner partner)1; | |
dance the steps4; | |
original partners swing in ceili hold4. | |
repeat from with the second top gent/first top lady then the first side | |
gent/second side lady then the second side gent/first side lady leading144. |
FIGURE 2 -- POLKAS (168 BARS) |
First top couple: | take ceili hold and advance and retire once4; |
still in ceili hold, dance at home (one revolution)4; | |
take right-hand-in-right and dance the steps4; swing in ceili hold4. | |
Top couples: | ladies chain8; |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
All couples: | in ceili hold, full house8. |
repeat from with second top couple, first side couple then second | |
side couple leading120. |
FIGURE 3 -- POLKAS [sometimes SLIDES] (200 BARS) |
Top couples: | first top gent and second top lady: dance to the center, kiss and retire4; |
top couples swing original partner in ceili hold4; | |
repeat the two lines above8; | |
ladies chain8; | |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
All couples: | steps and circle as in Figure One16. |
repeat from with second top couple, first side couple then second side | |
couple leading144. |
FIGURE 4 -- POLKAS (256 BARS) |
All couples: | chain (gents dance anticlockwise, ladies dance clockwise); meet partner at |
opposite, take right-hand-in-right and, in-place, dance down right, left | |
then down right-left-right; continue chain in the same directions to | |
home and there again dance down right, left then down right-left-right16; | |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
Top couples: | ladies chain8; |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
All couples: | cast-off; first top gent dances to the left (followed by first side gent, second side |
gent then second top gent) and ladies dance to the right (followed by first | |
side lady, second side lady then second top lady); meet partner | |
right-hand-in-right-hand and dance up the center then face partner8; | |
still holding right hands, partners dance the steps4; | |
swing to home in ceili hold4. | |
repeat from with second top couple, first side couple then second side | |
couple leading168. | |
chain, as above16; | |
swing in ceili hold8. |
FIGURE 5 -- JIGS (200 BARS) |
Top couples | interlacing crossovers (gents hands on the ladys waist and the ladys hands |
on the gents shoulders or upper arms); first top couple: gallop | |
from their right corner diagonally to the opposite corner2; | |
second top couple gallop from their left corner diagonally to the | |
opposite corner2; | |
repeat the preceding four-bar pattern to home4; | |
repeat the interlacing crossovers of the preceding six lines8; | |
ladies chain8; | |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
All couples: | steps and circle as in Figure One16. |
repeat from with second top couple, first side couple then second side | |
couple leading (leading couple begin the gallop in their right corner)144. |
FIGURE 6 -- POLKAS (264 BARS) |
First top couple: | take ceili hold and dance in and out once (1-2,1-2)4; |
still in ceili hold, dance one anticlockwise turn to face the next couple on the right4; | |
take right-hand-in-right with opposite partner of the couple on the right and | |
dance the steps4; swing the opposite partner4; | |
repeat the preceding sixteen-bar pattern twice with the gent dancing with a | |
new partner each time (he dances to a new position)32; | |
with the final new lady, the first top gent dances in and out once and | |
turns once to his home8. | |
All couples: | in ceili hold, full house with new partners in ceili hold8. |
repeat from with first side couple, second top couple then second side | |
couple leading192. |
FIGURE 7 -- POLKAS (88 BARS) |
All couples: | take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice8; |
swing in ceili hold8. | |
take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice; during the second retire, | |
ladies dance inside the set to the next gent on the right8; | |
new partners swing in ceili hold8. | |
repeat from until original partners again swing64. |