The Kerry Set

The Kerry Set. Copyright © 1984, 1999 Brooks Academy.
Learned from Joe O'Donovan.

The Kerry Set - Figure 1

Figure 1 Polka - 152 bars

Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.

A Body All couples dance together one bar into the centre and one bar back to their own positions. They then dace two bars around to go to the position of the couple on their right, turning clockwise as they go. The four couples repeat this movement three more times until they end up back in their original places. 16 bars

B Figure a) Hands Around. The four dancers of the 1st tops and 2nd tops join hands in the centre and wheel around clockwise (4 bars), then turn, join left hands in the centre and wheel anti-clockwise back to their starting positions (4 bars).
b) Swing. Top couples swing in place.
16 bars

C Body All four couples dance the Body as in A. 16 bars

D Figure Side couples repeat B. 16 bars

E Body All four couples dance the Body as in A. 16 bars

F Figure Top couples repeat B. 16 bars

G Body All four couples dance the Body as in A. 16 bars

H Figure Side couples repeat B. 16 bars

I Body All four couples dance the Body as in A. 16 bars

The Kerry Set - Figure 2

Figure 2

Polka - 152 bars

Opening Position:

Couples adopt the standard position.

A	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in Figure 1.	16 bars
B	Figure	a) House. 1st tops dance around the house inside. b) Home. 1st tops side step into the centre (1 bar) and dance on the spot (1 bar), side step back to their position (1 bar) and dance on the spot (1 bar). Then they dance around at home (4 bars).	16 bars
C	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
D	Figure	1st sides repeat B.	16 bars
E	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
F	Figure	2nd tops repeat B.	16 bars
G	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
H	Figure	2nd sides repeat B.	16 bars
I	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars

The Kerry Set - Figure 3

Figure 3

Polka - 184 bars

Opening Position:

Couples adopt the standard position.

A	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in Figure 1.	16 bars
B	Figure	a) Slide. Top couples side step towards each other in the centre (2 bars), and then side step back to their own positions (2 bars). b) Change. Top couples dance half-way around the house to each other's position (4 bars). c) Slide. Top couples repeat (a). d) Change. Top coules repeat (b) to bring them back to their original position again.	24 bars
C	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
D	Figure	Side couples repeat B.	24 bars
E	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
F	Figure	Top couples repeat B.	24 bars
G	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
H	Figure	Side couples repeat B.	24 bars
I	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars

The Kerry Set - Figure 4

Figure 4

Polka - 88 bars

Opening Position:

Couples adopt the standard position.

A	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in Figure 1.	16 bars
B	Figure	a) Ladies Right Hand In. The four ladies join right hands in the centre and wheel clockwise half-way around the opposite gents. Each lady joins left hands with the opposite gents left hands and turns clockwise under his left arm, dances around behind him and comes back again on his right saide. The four ladies again join right hands in the centre and wheel clockwise back to their own partners. b) Swing. All four couples swing in place.	16 bars
C	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars
D	Figure	Repeat B.	16 bars
E	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in A.	16 bars

The Kerry Set - Figure 5

Figure 5

Polka - 128 bars

Opening Position:

Couples adopt the standard position.

A	Body	All four couples dance the Body as in Figure 1 to the hornpipe step. As the couples dance to the centre, instead of hopping to commence the bar that will bring them out again they stamp instead, ladies with the left foot, and gents with the right.	16 bars
B	House	All four couples dance house around.	8 bars
C	Change & Body	The Body is danced again, as above, but with a change of partner. For the first two bars the gents dance in and out on their own, while the ladies dance around to the next position as they would if they were dancing around the house with their partners. When the gents dance back out again they join up with the new partners and complete the body with them.	16 bars
D	House	All four couples dance house around.	8 bars
E	Change & Body	Repeat C.	16 bars
F	Figure	Top couples repeat B.	8 bars
G	Change & Body	Repeat C.	16 bars
H	Figure	Side couples repeat B.	8 bars
I	Body	Repeat C. The ladies move one place around again to rejoin their original partners.	16 bars
J	House	All four couples dance house around, doubling the last two bars	8 bars