Ceili of the Week: The Three Tunes

Before we get to into all the ceili fun, please don't forget to comment on the previous post {click here} to vote for On My Toes in the Top Dance Blog 2013 Contest! Thanks! Now, onto the fun stuff... 

As the new year begins, the dance classes at the studio where I teach are beginning to learn their dances for the spring recital. Recital dances, as they're called, are really looked forward to by all the dancers. My beloved "Ceili Club" will be performing The Three Tunes this year, and the dancers are SO excited!

The 1996 Minor Ceili World Champions

Dancing The Three Tunes {1st dance of this video}

Weren't those dancers phenomenal?! Their energy, precision, and lines are definately qualities all ceili dancers should strive for... which is probably while I'll have the Ceili Club watch this video too! 

The Three Tunes is ...
-- An eight-hand Figure dance, from County Armagh
-- Danced to three tunes: Haste to the Wedding (jig), Leslie's Hornpipe, & The German Beau (reel)

Movements of the Dance
Formation: Eight dancers in ring, holding hands
          {a} Sides (jig)
          {b} Rings (jig)
          {c} Lead Around (reel)
          {d} Stamp and Clap (reel)
          {e} See-Saw (hornpipe)
          {f} Roly-Poly (hornpipe)
          {g} Hook and Chain (jig)
          {h} Rings (jig)
          {i} Sides under Arms (reel)
          {j} Stamp and Clap (reel)
          {k} Thread the Needle (hornpipe)
          {i} Roly-Poly (hornpipe)

Why do I {love} this Ceili? 

Originally, the Ceili Club & I debated between performing the Sweets of May vs. The Three Tunes in the recital this year. After watching both dances on video, we decided that The Three Tunes was more appealing to an audience, because of the music changes and lack of repetition throughout the dance! We love that this figure dance doesn't have a body that repeats between figures, so the dance remains exciting to watch.  Plus, this dance has lots of stamping, clapping, roly-polies {is that the plural of roly-poly?!}, and even threatening fist shaking! Yes, Ar Rince Foirne actually says to shake fist "in a threatening manner." Only in Irish dance...

Have you danced The Three Tunes, or even competed in a feis with this dance? What do you like about The Three Tunes? 

Keep Dancing,
Moira

Ceili of the Week: Bonfire Dance

The Bonfire Dance is ...
         --  A round dance
         --  For any number of couples [preferably not less than six]
         -- A dance traditionally danced on St. John's Eve, around a bonfire [hence the name!]

Movements of the Dance
         (a) Advance & Retire
         (b) Rings
         (c) Advance & Retire
         (d) Rings
         (e) Side-step In & Out
         (f) Link Arms
         (g) Side-step In & Out
         (h) Link Arms
         (i) The Rose
         (j) Swing and Exchange Partners

The Bonfire Dance performed by Cumann Ceili Vin, an Irish dancing group in Vienna, Austria

[Anyone else get warm fuzzies knowing how many people love Irish dance worldwide? LOVE.]

Why do I like this Ceili?
          Learning the Bonfire Dance is one of my first ceili memories as a beginning Irish dancer. I remember thinking "The Rose" was SO fun. This ceili requires dancers to stand with one hand on hip & one toe pointed during The Rose... so for some reason, that was a blast for my beginning Irish dancer, 6th grade self!
           From a teaching standpoint, this dance can be a lot of fun as well! My ceili class learned this dance on Halloween. I used it as an opportunity to talk about how the ancient Celts used to celebrate the festival of Samhain [from which our modern Halloween evolved]. My dancers also loved making a fake "bonfire" out of tutus we had at the studio, and dancing this ceili around the "flames."

Like I said in my last post, Halloween's Ceili Club was a costume class... and yes, that included the teachers! Here are Mrs. Sarah & I dressed in our costumes, a ballerina and a Lord of the Dance star! 

How was your Halloween? Did you school do anything special for the holiday? Have you danced the Bonfire Dance?

Keep Dancing,
Moira

Ceili of the Week: The Duke Reel

[Welcome to the second installment of Ceili of the Week! Hope you learn something new, or at least enjoy reading!] 

The Duke Reel is a...

         -- Round dance

         -- For three couples

         -- Dance to any reel 

Movements of the Dance

         (a) Rings

         (b) Sides

         (c) Link Arms

         (d) Interlace

         (e) Advance & Retire

               **Parts b-e make up the body of the dance, repeated after each figure**

         (f) Figures 

               1st Figure: Figure of Eight

               2nd Figure: Right & Left Chain

        (g) Finish --  Swing Around 

This adorable video of dancers from the Kelly School of Irish Dance isn't perfect, but it's so cute! According to the video, this was their second night learning the Duke Reel... not bad!

Unanswered Questions about the Duke Reel:

        --Who was the Duke?

        -- Why does he get his own reel? :)

Why do I like this Ceili?

         The Duke Reel a unique six-hand dance. Most of the ceilis for three couples I've danced have been "long dances," or ceilis with two rows of three dancers facing each other [as in the Fairy Reel]. I also think the Interlace portion of the dance [basically, a chain with no arms] is quite pretty. My favorite aspect of this ceili is the figures. More specifically, each couple has the opportunity to perform each figure. While the repetition of both figures three times [once per couple] might be boring to watch, its fun from a dancer's standpoint. I'm all about all-inclusive dances! More fun for everyone :)

This video shows The Duke Reel, performed up through the first figure. [The video doesn't say who these dancers are, so if you know, please share!] 

Have you danced the Duke Reel? What do you like about it? 

Keep Dancing,

Moira 

Ceili of the Week: The Rakes of Mallow

[This week marks the beginning of a new series of posts: Ceili of the Week! As I'm currently studying for the TCRG exam and teaching weekly ceili classes, my life is lived from ceili to ceili :) Hope you enjoy learning more about these dances along with me.]

The Rakes of Mallow is a...

          -- Long Dance
          -- For any even number of trios [a gent with two ladies on his right]
          -- Danced to the tune of the same name, or any other reel
          -- Has nothing to do with raking leaves or eating marshmallows :)

Movements of the Dance:

         (a) Advance and Retire

         (b) Swing with Opposite Lady

         (c) Swing with Lady on Right

         (d) Link arms in Centre

         (e) Swing Out

The Rakes of Mallow
from Olive Hurley's Ceili Dancing Step by Step, Volume 2

Fun Facts:

• According to Ar Rince Foirne, this dance was "arranged by the Late Father Lorcan O Muireadhaigh, during ceilithe in the Irish College, Omeath, where the girls outnumbered the boys." 
• The village, Omeath is located in County Louth, in the province of Leinster, close to the boarder with Northern Ireland... and nowhere near Mallow!
• Rake, short for rakehell, refers to a dissolute man, usually given to vices like drinking, promiscuity, gambling, and womanizing. 
• Mallow is located in County Cork, in the province of Munster. 
• The tune, "The Rakes of Mallow," dates back to the 1780s, and is a fight song for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 
• "The Rakes of Mallow" tune has been featured in several films, including The Quiet Man (1952), 1941 (1979), and Rudy (1993).

Why do I like this ceili? 

          Unlike many ceili dances, The Rakes of Mallow doesn't have a repeating body or series of several [often intricate] figures. It's a nice, progressive long dance without too many complications. I think this ceili would be great for a community or school-wide ceili, since its simple to perform and easy to remember. My wonderful ceili class dancers had loads of fun learning this dance, and as seen in the video below, The Rakes of Mallow is fun for Irish dancers of all ages!

Have you danced The Rakes of Mallow? What do you think of this ceili? Do you think you'll still be Irish dancing when you're older [like the fantastic ceili dancers in the last video]? Did you know what "rake" meant?

Keep Dancing,

Moira