Set Dances

[Alan Caffrey]

Hi to all,

quick question here: can anyone (dancer or musician) explain the format of a set dance tune?I'm looking at two tunes, 'The Blackbird' and 'St Patrick's Day',

they are in different times but both have a regular first part which is repeated then a longer second part which is also repeated. I guess this must do with the dancing, thanks for info,

Alan Caffrey.

[JimLucas]

...can anyone (dancer or musician) explain the format of a set dance tune?I'm looking at two tunes, 'The Blackbird' and 'St Patrick's Day', they are in different times but both have a regular first part which is repeated then a longer second part which is also repeated. I guess this must do with the dancing, thanks for info,...

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The old "set dances" are very different in form from the modern "sets".

 

They are also known as "long dances", because of the characteristic you describe. In fact, in O'Neill's collection the section for those tunes is titled "Long Dances".

 

But I understand that they're known as "set dances" because each has its own specific fixed -- or "set" -- choreography, something that's pretty much necessary because of the "irregular" length.

[David Barnert]

Sorry for the late reply. It's been over a week since I've had time to check in here.

 

I'm not familiar with either of the dances you mention, but I certainly know the form. I would add to Jim's response that there are usually "figures" and a "chorus," just as a song might have "verses" and a "chorus." That is, When the A music is playing, the dancers do a figure that is different each time through (for example, the first figure might be "up a double and back," the second figure, "siding," and the third, "arming"). When the B music is playing, the dancers do a "chorus" figure that might or might not remain constant throughout all the iterations of the dance.

[JimLucas]

I'm not familiar with either of the dances you mention, but I certainly know the form. I would add to Jim's response that there are usually "figures" and a "chorus," just as a song might have "verses" and a "chorus." That is, When the A music is playing, the dancers do a figure that is different each time through (for example, the first figure might be "up a double and back," the second figure, "siding," and the third, "arming"). When the B music is playing, the dancers do a "chorus" figure that might or might not remain constant throughout all the iterations of the dance.

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David, you seem to be describing English set dances. But the tunes Alan mentioned, and the associated dances, are Irish. If I recall correctly, the dancers don't form up in a geometrical "set". Instead, it's step dancing, not a couple dance, and it doesn't have a repeating "chorus", but a "set" choreography of fancy stepping.