Irish Dance - Irish Set Dancing

Irish Set Dancing

Irish set dancing (also referred to as "country set dancing") are dances based on French quadrilles that were adapted by the Irish by integrating their sean-nós steps and Irish music. The distinguishing characteristics of Irish set dancing is that it is danced in square sets of four couples (eight people), and consist of several "figures," each of which has a number of parts, frequently repeated throughout the set. Each part of the set dance (figure) is danced to a music tempo, mostly reels, jigs, polkas, hornpipes and slides. The sets come from various parts of Ireland and are often named for their place of origin; examples are the Corofin Plain Set, the South Galway Set and the Clare Lancers Set.

The organisation Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann promotes and hosts many set dance events.

Read more about this topic:  Irish Dance

Famous quotes containing the words irish, set and/or dancing:

    Hindered characters
    seldom have mothers
    in Irish stories, but they all have grandmothers.
    Marianne Moore (1887–1972)

    It is not unkind to say, from the standpoint of scenery alone, that if many, and indeed most, of our American national parks were to be set down on the continent of Europe thousands of Americans would journey all the way across the ocean in order to see their beauties.
    Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)

    “Do you like being a parent—you know, being a father, having children and all?” Linnet once asked me. “Yes,” I said, after a moment. “It’s like dancing with a partner. It takes a lot of effort to do it well. But when it’s done well it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
    Gerald Early (20th century)