Irish Set Dance Instructions and Demo Videos

There are several good sources of instructions or "study notes" available on the Internet for Irish set dances. Among them are Brooks Academy Set Dance Notes (Ireland), Joe O'Hara's Set Dancing Study Notes (maintained by Set Dancing News, Ireland), and Larry Taylor's growing library of study notes (USA). The Taylors have listed out "selected dance terms" - the "abbreviations" are at the top of the list. Dancers often write out little notes to themselves in "shorthand" as a reminder of how to dance the various figures of the sets. There are not any standard abbreviations, but enough so that you could pick out the ones you are most comfortable with to make your own study notes "cheat sheets."

The Set Dances:

• Antrim Square
• Aran
• Ardgroom
• Armagh
• Auban Ginny Ling
• Ballinascarty Halfset
• Ballingeary
• Ballycastle
• Ballycommon
• Ballyvourney Jig
• Ballyvourney Reel
• Black Valley
• Borlin Jenny Reel
• Borlin Valley Polka
• Caledonian
• Caledonian- Round the House
• Camden Hornpipe
• Caragh Lake
• Castle/Cashel
• Cavan Reel
• Clare Lancers
• Clare Myserks
• Clare Orange & Green
• Clare Plain
• Cloonadiveen
• Connemara Reel
• Corofin Plain
• Derrada
• Doire Cholmcille
• Down Caledonian
• Down Lancers
• Down Quadrilles
• Durrow Threshing Set
• East Galway
• Fermanagh
• Fermanagh Quadrilles
• Foraer a Neaintin
• Glencar
• Glencorrib
• Glencree
• Hungerford Jig
• Inis Meain
• Inis Oirr
• Jenny Lind
• Kenmare
• Kildownet Halfset
• Kilfenora
• Killenaule Lancers
• Killyon
• Kilmanagh Lancers
• Labasheeda
• Leitrim Jig
• Limerick Orange & Green
• Melleray Lancers
• Monaghan
• Newmarket Mezerts
• Newport
• North Kerry
• Paris
• Polka Plain
• Portmagee Miserk
• Roscommon Lancers
• Rosscahill
• Skibbereen
• Sliabh gCua Version 1
• Sliabh gCua Version 2
• Sliabh Luachra
• Sneem
• S Galway Workshop version
• S Galway Traditional Halfset
• South Kerry
• South Sligo Lancers
• Spa Televara
• Televara
• Tory Island Lancers
• Tournafulla
• Tubbercurry Lancers
• Valentia Island Right & Left
• West Kerry
• Williamstown
• Victoria

The Figure Dances

• Eight Hand Jig
• Eight Hand Reel
• Sixteen Hand Reel
• Duke Reel
• Fairy Reel
• Harvest-time Jig
• Haymakers Jig
• The High Cauled Cap
• Hurry the Jug
• Morris Reel
• Waltz Cotillon