Top Tips
A left hand star - one of the most common folk dance figures...find out more about other figures in the 'Links' section'...
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Like many areas of life, folk dancing has its very own language that
can baffle the uninitiated. A good caller will explain these phrases to
a new crowd but where there are novices and experienced dancers
together the temptation is to cater for the latter and ‘expect’ the
former to know instinctively what is being said. I know this because I was that
novice once! Now that I am a caller I occasionally fall into the same
trap.
Find below some of the more
common terms used that will help you navigate your way onto the dance
floor (hopefully) frown-free. From there you will quickly pick up some of the more common 'moves' or figures.
I am a great believer in not reinventing the wheel. There are some great websites out there which explain in greater detail other terms commonly used – check them out from my ‘links’ section.
A group of dancers on a dance floor is called a set.
A set may consist of one large mass of dancers (e.g. one large circle)
or several distinct sub-groups (e.g. square sets). There are many set formations, some of the more common ones are listed below. To assist understanding I have included a few diagrams to illustrate these, using the key (right) to help you. Our man/lady is you/your partner whilst Another man/lady is eveyone else!
This is a 4-couple longways set. It comprises of dancers facing across the set with their partner opposite them. Note that the top of the set is always nearest the band, and the bottom is furthest away.
A longways set may consist of a limited number of dancers eg. 3, 4 or 5 couples or may be unlimited with as many as want to dance joining the line.
Gentlemen traditionally stand on the left hand side as they face the band.
Often in large longways sets, couples will only dance in groups of 2 couples all the way through the dance (i.e. sub-sets will form with groups of 4 people). To achieve this, at the start of the dance the caller will announce “take hands 4 from the top” meaning the top 2 couples join hands to form a 4 person sub-set. Other couples follow their lead all the way down the line. This initial hand holding only serves the purpose of identifying which couple you are dancing with! The couple in each sub-set nearest the band are usually called ‘Couple 1’, those furthest away from the band are ‘Couple 2’.
In the set pictured, every other couple in the line has swapped sides with their partner – the set is now described as ‘improper’. To further complicate things, some longways formations will have couple facing couple up and down the line rather than across the set
- your caller will explain all this to you!
Another set formation is the square. Four couples position
themselves around an imaginary square, one couple on each side of the square.
The man always stands to the left of the lady.
Each couple usually has a label.
‘Head’ couples either face to or away from the band, ‘side’ couples face
across. If each couple is numbered, couple 1 usually has their backs to the
band, numbering then passes anti-clockwise around the set.
The person standing alongside you (on the opposite side of you to your partner) is called your 'corner'. Your 'opposite' is the person standing directly opposite you.
A circle dance is one of the easiest dance formations for us to imagine
– everyone has danced the Hokey Cokey before! Couples form one large circle
facing inwards. As usual, the gentlemen has the lady on their right.
However, things cant remain that easy for long! Here comes the Sicilian circle….
Strictly speaking this is a double circle dance. Each couple faces another couple around the circle. Those facing clockwise are couple 1, couple 2’s face anticlockwise. The gentlemen stands to the left of his partner and once again the person standing opposite you is your opposite !
You progress through the dance in the direction you face, always meeting a new couple coming in the opposite direction.
There
are many different set formations using double circles, even triple
circles - your caller will explain them fully before hand.
Sicilian circles are some of the most enjoyable set formations one can have in polite society!
Having got ourselves into a set, its time to actually do some dancing.
Each dance is split into several defined movements called figures. Spinning your partner is a figure, as is the most well recognised folk dance figure of them all - the do-si-do (the one where you pass back to back with your partner, remember?).
There
are literally hundreds of figures, some easy, some more difficult - all
explained on various websites (see the ‘Links’ section). But the best
advice I can give is to get out and actually learn them by doing them!
Far more fun.
Talking of advice, here are my...
Top 10 Tips for novice dancers...
| 1. |
Never be afraid to ask someone to dance – that’s what they’re there for silly! |
| 2. |
When the next dance is announced, always join a set of dancers away from the top couple - it is considered rude to push in at the top unless invited! |
| 3. |
Always enjoy the dance and never be afraid of making mistakes – that’s all part of the fun! Far too many dancers take ceilidhs far too seriously. Lighten up folks! |
| 4. |
By the same token, be aware that constantly ‘fooling around’ during a
dance may irritate those more serious dancers who want to enjoy the
dance for its flowing choreography |
| 5. |
Never
be afraid to ask the caller if you don’t understand – they will always
be too happy to go over it one more time (and you wont be the only
confused one in the room I promise you) |
| 6. |
If you’re anxious about making a mistake in a dance, nominate yourself as the ‘top’ couple – that way you benefit from the walk through… cunning |
| 7. |
Always stay well hydrated – non-stop dancing is thirsty work (and I don’t just mean ‘Ale’ here fellers!) |
| 8. |
Always listen to the music and the caller. A common mistake novice
dancers make is insisting on dancing all of the figures exactly as they
were explained in the walk through. Most dances and music is written in 8 beat segments (listen to some music and you’ll know what I mean). If during the dance you haven’t quite finished a figure when the 8 beats is up (and the caller shouts the next figure), ‘abandon ship’ – don’t try to finish the figure or you wont have time for the next one! Listening to the rhythm of the music will help you dance with flowing ease – others will wonder where you got your private lessons from! |
| 9. |
Thank the caller and band at the end of the evening- if they were the best thing you have ever heard, ask them where their next gig is! |
| 10. |
Finally; consider joining your local folk club. You will learn many
traditional dances, meet new friends and keep fit - all at the same
time. What value for money. |
Ben Moore 2009