The Piper's Set

The Piper's Set.  Copyright © 1985, 1999 Brooks Academy.
Learned from Joe O'Donovan.

The Pipers’ set was commissioned by the dancers associated with Na Píobairí Uilleann and composed by Joe O’Donovan in 1985. The structure of each figure, with the circle repeatedly advancing and retiring, suggests the movement of the piper’s bag and bellows.

Piper's Set - Figure 1

Figure 1 - House to Sides Single Reels  - 128 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face in to centre, joining hands in a circle. 
A Circle All dance and retire twice.  8 bars
B Swing All four couples swing in place. 8 bars
C Figure HOUSE: 1st tops and 1st sides house around each other while 2nd tops and 2nd sides do likewise.  The dance around each other one and a half times so as to end up in each other’s place, top couples moving around in one direction and side couples in the other. 8 bars
D Repeat Repeat A to C.  At C each couple dances house around the next couple to their left or right (depending on whether they are tops or sides), and not the couple they danced around on the previous occasion.  24 bars
E Repeat Repeat A to C as above. 24 bars
F Repeat Repeat A to C as above. 24 bars
G Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
H House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars

Piper's Set - Figure 2

Figure 2 - Ladies First Jigs  - 224 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face in to centre,  joining hands in a circle. 
A Circle All dance and retire twice.  8 bars
B Swing All four couples swing in place. 8 bars
C Figure (a) ADVANCE AND RETIRE: TOP COUPLES advance to centre and retire once, gent’s right hand and lady’s left hand joined (4 bars)

(b) PASS THROUGH: TOP COUPLES advance to centre again and 1st TOPS pass through between 2nd tops. After they pass through, 1st tops, still holding hands, turn clockwise to face in to the centre again; 2nd tops release hands as they advance and after passing 1st tops the lady dances into place, the gent dances into place beside her, and they both turn to face into the centre again. Both couples now adopt the waltz hold (4 bars).

(c)  HOUSE:  TOP COUPLES dance around the house inside (8 bars).

(d) REPEAT: Repeat (a) to (c) (16 bars).

 32 bars
D Repeat Repeat A to C. This time 1ST SIDES dance through and 2nd sides dance on the outside.  48 bars
E Repeat Repeat A to C. This time 2ND TOPS dance through and 1st tops  dance on the outside.  48 bars
F Repeat Repeat A to C. This time 2ND SIDES dance through and 1st sides   dance on the outside.  48 bars
G Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
H House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars

Piper's Set - Figure 3

Figure 3 - Christmas Chain Reels  - 160 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face in to centre, joining hands in a circle. 
A Circle All dance and retire twice.  8 bars
B Swing All four couples swing in place. 8 bars
C Figure (a) CHAIN: TOPS chain right hands to opposites, i.e. 1st tops gent to 2nd tops lady, left hands to partners, right hands to opposites, left hands to partners, and finally all turn in to the centre and form a tight circle, arms around each other’s backs (8 bars).

(b) CHRISTMAS: TOPS dance around clockwise (8 bars).

 16 bars
D Repeat Repeat A to C.  SIDES dance the figure at C.  32 bars
E Repeat Repeat A to C.  TOPS dance the figure at C.  32 bars
F Repeat Repeat A to C.  SIDES dance the figure at C.  32 bars
G Repeat Repeat A and B.  16 bars
H House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars

Piper's Set - Figure 4

Figure 4 - Square the House Slip Jigs - 160 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face in to centre, joining hands in a circle. 
A Circle All dance and retire twice.  8 bars
B Home All four couples dance around at home.  8 bars
C Square All four couples dance sideways to next couple’s place, going anti-clockwise (2 bars), and then dance in that place (2 bars). These movements are repeated three more times to bring all couples back to their original places. 8 bars
D Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
E Cross Over (a) TOPS: Top couples dance sideways to each other’s places, gents back to back (2 bars), and dance in place (2 bars). They then repeat this movement to bring them back to their own places again.  8 bars. 

(b) SIDES: Side couples repeat (a).  8 bars.

 16 bars
F Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
G Square Repeat C.  16 bars
H Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
I Cross Over Repeat E, the SIDES crossing first. 16 bars
J Repeat Repeat A and B.  16 bars
K House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars

Piper's Set - Figure 5

Figure 5 - Ladies Wheel Hornpipes  - 128 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face in to centre, joining hands in a circle. 
A Circle All dance and retire twice.  8 bars
B Home All four couples dance around at home.  8 bars
C Figure LADIES WHEEL AND CHANGE PARTNERS:  All four ladies join right hands in centre and wheel around, pass own partners and give left hands to next gent. Both turn around once, drop hands and face in to centre.  Gents let four bars go by and start dancing on the fifth bar.  8 bars
D Repeat Repeat A to C. The four ladies move on one further position. 24 bars
E Repeat Repeat A to C. The four ladies move on one further position. 24 bars
F Repeat Repeat A to C. The four ladies move on one further position. 24 bars
G Repeat Repeat A and B. 16 bars
H House All four couples dance house around, doubling the last two bars.  8 bars