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Set dancing classes on Thursday nights in Marino, North Dublin, Ireland


Thursdays 8pm - 10 pm, in:
The Edmund Hall, Marino Institute of Education
Charlemont, Griffith Avenue
Dublin 9

Everyone Welcome!

Thursday night dance classes in Marino, North Dublin:

Dublin Northside Set Dancing Class starts on Thursday, 10th September 2009, at 8pm in Marino Institute of Education

Classes will run from the second Thursday in September each year until the last Thursday in May the following year, so the 2009/20010 season kicks off on Thursday, 10th September 2009. If you've been thinking about starting set dancing, the ideal time to join us would be Thursday 10th September 2009, or as soon as you can thereafter.

Also,
Dublin Southside class starts on Tuesday, 8th September 2009, at 8pm upstairs in The Glenside Pub, Landscape Road, Churchtown, Dublin 14

Northside Dublin: Set Dancing Class, Thursdays 8pm

Learn set dancing, join in the Ceili and enjoy the craic!

The class is held in the Edmund Hall, a lovely old stone building, located in the central courtyard of the Marino Institute of Education campus. The venue is easy to find, has lots of parking and good public transport. For directions on how to get there by car or by public transport, please see the directions section below, which includes a link to an online map (opens in a new window).

When you arrive at the Marino Institute of Education, follow the signs for Reception, where you will be directed to the Edmund Hall, where the set dancing takes place.

Set Dancing Classes

Thursday nights at 8 - 10 pm, in Edmund Hall,

Marino Institute of Education, Charlemont, Griffith Avenue, Marino, Northside Dublin

Learn/practice the steps, figures & time of the popular sets and enjoy the fun of the ceili

Partner not required, no need to book - just come along

Guaranteed fun!

Join us alone, with a partner, or with friends

The class will be mainly of interest to people who live in or near Dublin. However, if you are visiting Dublin any Thursday night, whether from abroad or from elsewhere in Ireland, you are very welcome to join us - you will be made very welcome and we guarantee a good night's craic!

During the break at 9pm we have a bit of fun with Sean Nos dancing. Some basic sean nos steps will be covered and dancers are encouraged to take these, or other, steps and "make their own of them".

Set dancing has become very popular in recent years - it's great fun, good exercise and a great way to meet people. Set dancing classes are held in Marino on Thursdays at 8pm throughout the year, except during July/August - see Class Schedule section below. The class caters for both experienced dancers and beginners and you can join in at any stage, simply by going along any Thursday night at 8pm. It is not necessary to have a partner, but couples may of course dance together if they wish.

The class provides detailed instructions on the steps, figures and timing for the popular sets and there is ample opportunity for participants to put into practice what has been learned in class. The main emphasis is on dancing for enjoyment class participants can meet up at ceili and festival events throughout the year, at home and abroad, should they wish to do so.

Beginners and experienced dancers are welcome at any time.

It is not necessary to book in advance, just come along any Thursday night.

Clothing and Shoes:

No special clothing is required, just wear whatever you are comfortable in. Although leather-soled shoes are easiest to dance in, your choice of footwear is totally up to you.

Admission:

Admission is 10 Euro, payable on the night.

Other Nights:

Set dancing classes are held on the south side of Dublin city on Tuesday nights and on the north side on Thursday nights. You are very welcome to join us either night, or indeed on both nights, if you'd like to dance more then one night a week. For details of Northside/Southside classes, please select below and click "Go":



Class Schedule:

The aim of the class is to teach the steps, figures and timing for the popular sets, such that dancers who attend regularly will be able to dance a set, without calling.

The dancing year is broken into modules/terms, as follows:
  • Autumn: Steps
  • Winter: Figures
  • Spring: Timing
  • Summer: Break, no classes during July or August

New dancers, whether first time beginners, or experienced dancers, can join in at any time throughout the year. While sets will be danced through at every class, the main emphasis will be on steps for the Steps Module, figures (movements) for the Figures Module and timing the Timing Module. It is not necessary to attend these modules in sequence.
  • Steps:

    Steps will include:
    Clare Reel Step: a step for dancing the reel figures of Clare sets
    Clare Jig Step: a step for the jig figure of a Clare set
    Clare Hornpipe Step: a step for the hornpipe figure of a Clare set
    Cork/Kerry Polka Step: a polka step for dancing Cork/Kerry sets
    Cork/Kerry Hornpipe Step: a step for the hornpipe figure of Cork/Kerry sets
    Connemara Reel Step: a step for dancing the reel figures of the Connemara Set
    Cashel Hornpipe Step: a step for the hornpipe figure of the Cashel Set
    Sean Nos Dancing: a bit of fun with some solo steps in the Sean Nos style

    In much the same way that we all have individual accents, everyone has their own unique style of dancing (even though some people may not know it yet!). When teaching steps, the emphasis is on encouraging individual style. The basic steps will be explained, demonstrated and practiced in class. Dancers who already have steps are encouraged to keep and develop their own way of dancing, while beginners are encouraged to take these basic steps and "make their own of them".
  • Figures (Movements):

    The dance movements of each figure of each set will be explained and practiced in class. Typically, once the set has been taught, the full set will then be danced through.
  • Timing:

    Dancing in time with the music is one of the main factors which makes set dancing so enjoyable. However, be warned, this is also the point at which set dancing becomes addictive! During this term, the emphasis is on dancing in time to the music. We will practice the steps and movements of selected figures from various sets, focusing on timing. Dancers who are already comfortable with the steps can work on timing, or maybe throw in an occasional flutter of battering steps, while other dancers, who wish to do so, can learn and use the basic steps.
  • Summer Break:

    We take a break during the Summer, so that dancers who wish to do so can attend some of the many festivals which take place throughout Ireland and abroad. The final class before the Summer break is on the last Thursday in May.
All modules are suitable for both beginners and experienced dancers and it is not necessary to attend the modules in sequence - you can join in at any time throughout the year. While of course, we'd love if you could attend every class, we realise that this is not always possible. You are always welcome to join us whenever you are available, whether you are an experienced or inexperienced dancer, even if it's only for a single night.

Mailing List:

If you would like to receive class email messages, such as a reminder when a new term is about to start, please enter you email address at the top of this page and click "Subscribe" - you can unsubscribe at any time by replying to any message, indicating that you wish to unsubscribe.

Visiting Dublin:

If you are visiting Dublin, whether from abroad or elsewhere in Ireland, you are very welcome to join us any Thursday night. The class provides a relaxed, friendly and camera-free environment in which to enjoy the fun of Irish set dancing. The last class before the Summer break is on the last Thursday in May and classes resume on the second Thursday in September.

Sets:

The aim of the class is to cover the figures, steps and timing for the set dances commonly danced at ceili events throughout Ireland, including:

Clare:
  • The Caledonian Set
  • The Mazurka Set
  • The Plain Set
  • The Labasheeda Reel Set
  • The Clare Lancers Set
  • The Corofin Plain Set
  • The Kilfenora Set
Cork/Kerry:
  • The Ballyvourney Jig Set
  • The North Kerry Set
  • The Sliabh Luachra Set
  • The Borlin Set
  • The West Kerry Set
Tipperary:
  • The Cashel Set, also known as The Castle Set
Galway/Meath:
  • The Connemara Set

Other Dances:

While the emphasis is on the popular set dances, other types of Irish dancing will also be covered at some stage during the year, including:

Sean Nos Step Dancing
  • A bit of fun with Sean Nos dancing:
    Several solo dancing steps will be taught and dancers are encouraged to take these, or other, steps and "make their own of them".
Ceili Dances
  • The High-Cauled Cap (Cadhp an Chuil Aird)
  • The Walls of Limerick (Ballai Luimni)
  • The Siege of Ennis (Ionsai na hInse)
Two-Hand Dances
  • The Stack of Barley
  • Shoe the Donkey
Throughout the year, the figures (movements), timing and steps of the popular sets are explained and practiced. While experienced dancers are very welcome, no prior knowledge of set dancing is assumed. The emphasis is on social dancing and many of the class participants meet up regularly at local ceili events and at festivals at home and abroad.

Above all else, the primary objective is to have fun!

Why not give it a try by coming along any Thursday night at 8pm - you will be very welcome.

Leaflet:

If you know of someone who you think might be interested in attending the class, we would greatly appreciate if you would print our leaflet and pass it on. Or, if you live in the Dublin area and you would be willing to help us to get out the message, please print our leaflet and post it, if allowed, in your local shop window, work noticeboard, etc. - many thanks.
If you have problems accessing the leaflet via the above link, please click here instead.

See you at the Ceili
We plan to hold the occasional ceili on a Sunday afternoon throughout the year. If you wish to be informed when events are scheduled, please subscribe your email address above.

Latest News:
If you would like to be kept up to date with latest news, please enter your email address in the box at the top of this page and click "Subscribe".



Directions - how to get there:

The Marino Institute of Education can be easily reached by car (there are over 300 car parking spaces in the parkland-style car park), or public transport.

click here for an online map (opens in a new window).
  • By car:

    From M50:
    Travel northbound on the M50 as far as the Airport/M1 exit (Junction 3)
    Exit at Junction 3 onto the M1, direction City Centre
    Travel southbound on the M1/N1 and after the Regency Hotel, turn left onto Griffith Avenue
    At the fourth set of traffic lights on Griffith Avenue, take a left into the Charlemont Estate
    The entrance to the Marino Institute of Education is on your right

    From Dublin City Centre
    From the city, follows signs for N1/M1/Airport/Belfast
    Travel northbound on the N1 to Upper Drumcondra Road
    After the Skylon Hotel (which is on your left), take a right at the next large crossroads onto Griffith Avenue
    At the fourth set of traffic lights on Griffith Avenue, take a left into the Charlemont Estate
    The entrance to the Marino Institute of Education is on your right

  • By bus:
    The Number 123 Bus stops outside McDonalds at the bottom of O’Connell Street (bridge end)
    Drops outside the gates of the Marino Institute of Education

  • Online Map:
    Click here for Google Maps (opens in a new window)

When you arrive at the Marino Institute of Education campus, follow the signs for Reception, which is at the back of a block of buildings, where you will be directed to the Edmund Hall.

The Edmund Hall

Edmund Hall

This is the hall we'll be dancing in. When this photo was taken it was set up for a conference - the chairs will of course be cleared away for dancing. It's a nice bright room, with tall windows on each side, a high ceiling and solid wood floor.

More Information:

Well, there isn't really any more information about the dancing class - we've put everything we can think of here on this website, which is up to date as of today, 3rd July 2009. But, if you have read everything on this page and you still do not have enough information to make a decision on whether to come along, then we have forgotten something. In this case, please click here to contact us and we will get back to you by email as soon as possible. If your do not have access to email, please come along any Thursday night at 8pm and we will answer your questions then. You can find more information about the venue here: Marino Institute of Education Conference Centre


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Irish Dance Class Dublin Ireland: Set Dancing Sean Nos and Ceili