A set dance is a particular tune, in either a hornpipe or jig rhythm, which has a corresponding solo step dance choreography. There are at least 40 of these tunes in the Irish tradition. Set dances …
- are in hornpipe or in jig time. Half of all set dances are hornpipes, half are in jig time.
- are longer than typical Irish dance tunes. Irish traditional dance tunes usually have 2 parts of 8 bars each. However, out of the 40 set dances on my list, 39 of them have at least one part that is longer than 8 bars.*
- tend to have asymmetrical form, e.g. the B part of the tune is longer than the A part. 34 of the 40 set dances have a B part that is longer than the A part.**
If you’re an Irish dancer, here’s a list of all 30 set dances (allowed by An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha, no less) with all relevant data, so you can make an informed decision on the best dance for you to learn next.
Rince Seit Traidisiúnta An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha
Traditional Set Dances permitted by Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, with minimum speed, time signature, bars in step, bars in set, and total bar count. Designed to help dance students choose their optimal set dance for performance.| Teideal: Gaeilge | Title: English | Minimum Speed | Time Signature | Bars In Step | Bars In Set | Total Bars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cúlú Bonaparte | Bonaparte's Retreat | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 20 | 28 |
| Gairdín Na Nóiníní | Garden Of Daisies | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Cuir Thart An Crúsca | Hurry The Jug | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Bhfuil An Fear Mór Istigh? | Is The Big Man Within? | 66 | 9/8 & 6/8 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| An Greas Giúrnála | Job Of Journeywork | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| An Marcach Chuig An Aonach | Jockey To The Fair | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Rásaí Chill Choinnigh | Kilkenny Races | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 24 | 32 |
| Rí Na Siog | King Of The Fairies | 76 | 2/4 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Madam Bonaparte | Madam Bonaparte | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Rogha Iníon De Brún | Miss Brown's Fancy | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Plancstaí Daibhéis | Planxty Davis | 76 | 2/4 | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| Plancstaí Drúirí | Planxty Drury | 66 | 6/8 | 12 | 16 | 28 |
| Plancstaí Aodh Ó Domhnaill | Planxty Hugh O'Donnell | 66 | 6/8 | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| Glóir Rodney | Rodney's Glory | 76 | 2/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Cuimil An Mála | Rub The Bag | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Lá Fhéile Pádraig | St. Patrick's Day | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Aon Agus Dó Na Píobaireachta | Ace And Deuce Of Pipering | 76 | 4/4 | 12 | 12 | 24 |
| An Londubh | Blackbird | 76 | 2/4 | 15 | 30 | 45 |
| An Maide Droighneán | Blackthorn Stick | 66 | 6/8 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
| Cladhaire Na Súile Gorma | Blue-Eyed Rascal | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Bean An Ghlantacháin | Charlady | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 24 | 32 |
| Titim Paris | Downfall Of Paris | 76 | 2/4 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| An Bheidhleadóir Ag An Crann Sí | Fiddler Around The Fairy Tree | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Na Ceithre Máistrí | Four Masters | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| An Gaueger Meisceach | Funny Tailor / Drunken Gauger | 66 | 6/8 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
| Pléaracha na Bandan | Humours Of Bandon | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| An Fiach | Hunt | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Na Buachaillí Báire | Hurling Boys | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| Bóthar An Lóiste | Lodge Road | 76 | 2/4 | 8 | 20 | 28 |
| An Rógaire Buí | Orange Rogue | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| An Píobaire | Piper | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| An Réice Fáin | Rambling Rake | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| An Mangaire Fáin | Roving Pedlar | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 14 | 22 |
| An Geag Síléaladh | Sprig Of Shillelagh | 66 | 6/8 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| An Scéalaí | Storyteller | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| Na Trí Captéin Mara | Three Sea Captains | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 20 | 28 |
| Loch An Rith Amach | Vanishing Lake | 66 | 6/8 | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| An Ceoltóir Fáin | Twandering Musician | 66 | 6/8 | 8 | 16 | 24 |
| An Súisín Bán | White Blanket | 76 | 4/4 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| Cuan Eochaille | Youghal Harbour | 76 | 4/4 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
*For the record, the only set dance with the standard form of 2 x 8-bar parts is ‘Bhfuil An Fear Mór Istigh? / Is The Big Man Within? But this tune is a total outlier in terms of rhythm – the A part is in 9/8, the B part is in 6/8! So my summary is: set dances are just weird. Even if they’re normal in one way, watch out, because they will be weird in another. !
**to add evidence to my ‘set dances are just weird’ theory, the 5 following set dances, which have symmetrical form, do not have a typical 8 bars per part:
The Ace & Deuce Of Pipering – 12 bars per part
Blackthorn Stick, Drunken Gauger – 15 bars per part
Planxty Davis, Planxty Hugh O’Donnell – 16 bars per part