Follies Sean Nos jig

Hmmmmm? 😏

Stepping in the kitchen, while hand grinding coffee, thinking about single jigs (wanting an easier way to find them all on site here), and stepping, and this is what came out in that mix… The coffee is now brewed and needs the attention of my lips and tongue… 😎 Ahhhhh!!!

Discussion: The Phrost is All Over - - - 4 bar second endings…
# Posted on February 3rd 2005 by ceolachan
https://thesession.org/discussions/5739

I might as well throw a couple of steps in the mix ~ jig time, 6 count, right underneath you, flat footed except for the shuffle ~
(L) is with weight and L on its own is without giving weight ~

Repeat step
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
(L) (R) (L) (R) L-shuf L-fle | (L) (R) (L) (R) L-shuf L-fle |
or
(R) (L) (R) (L) R-shuf R-fle | (R) (L) (R) (L) R-shuf R-fle |

Change step
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
(L) R (R) (L) R-shuf R-fle | (R) L (L) (R) L-shuf L-fle |

The shuffle can be ‘toe’ both ways, "ball-ball", on the ball of the foot,
or it can be heel-toe / heel-ball ~ catching the heel with a slight forward motion and the ball of the foot coming back,
relaxed and without any exaggeration of movement, such as in the ankle…
Dancing ‘neat’, something respected in the ‘old days’, means without any high lifts, loud steps or moving in a large area…

Also respected was, and is, dancing to the music, accompanying it, instead of trampling all over it…

Moving the ‘change step’ ~ some options, starting with the one already given above:

Change step
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
(L) R (R) (L) R-shuf R-fle | (R) L (L) (R) L-shuf L-fle | ~
(L) (R) L (L) R-shuf R-fle | (R) (L) R (R) L-shuf L-fle | ~
(L) (R) (L) R R-shuf R-fle | (R) (L) (R) L L-shuf L-fle | ~
L (L) (R) (L) R-shuf R-fle | R (R) (L) (R) L-shuf L-fle | ~

Change step (‘shuf-fle’ = ball-ball or heel-ball)
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
(L) R-shuf R-fle (R) L-shuf L-fle | ~
(1) 2 3 (4) 5 6 | ~

Repeat step
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
(L) R-shuf (R-ball) (L) R-shuf (R-ball) | ~
~ or ~
(R) L-shuf (L-ball) (R) L-shuf (L-ball) | ~
(1) 2 (3) (4) 5 (6) | ~

Putting it together ~ 4-bars
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
|: (L) R-shuf (R-ball) (L) R-shuf (R-ball) | (L) R-shuf (R-ball) (L) R-shuf R-fle |
(R) L-shuf (L-ball) (R) L-shuf (L-ball) | (R) L-shuf (L-ball) (R) L-shuf L-fle :|
(1) shuf-(ball) (2) shuf-(ball) | (3) shuf-(ball) (4) shuf-fle | ~

Putting it together ~ 2-bars
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
|: (L) R-shuf (R-ball) (L) R-shuf R-fle | (R) L-shuf (L-ball) (R) L-shuf L-fle :|
(1) shuf-(ball) (2) shuf-fle | (1) shuf-(ball) (2) shuf-fle | ~

(ball) is giving your weight on the ball of the foot instead of ‘fle’ which finishes the second tap of the shuf-fle without giving weight…

how is "R (R)" accomplished exactly? is it a toe or heel for the first - or does it matter?

R or L ~ is without weight and in a shuf-fle is usually either heel or ball on the ‘shuf-’ going forward, and toe on the ‘-fle’ coming back…

(R) or (L) ~ means a weight change, with weight given on the R-foot. There is some variety here too. If you’re doing a repeat and the weight is being made forward, it is usually on the ball, the second part of the shuf-fle, or, for example (R-fle), giving weight.

(R) or (L) ~ on the step back or step in place it tends to be predominantly flat footed. For toe dancers, those that prefer a shuf-fle that is toe-toe (=ball-ball) there is a tendency to dance with the heel off the ground, so, toes/balls all around… 😀

Also, using the ball (toe), heel and flat of the foot represent the primary tones of stepping, then there’s the side and hitting shoe against shoe for other tone colours… There are numerous steps, including 7-count, that can use either or use them alternately… Simple examples of this are the old heel & toe and all its many variations…

Here’s another trick for getting relaxed with using your feet like as percussive accompaniment to the music ~ if there’s no Zimmerframe around ~ grab a couple of chairs, bring one either side, and with the seated bit aiming out, support yourself between with your hands on the backs of the chairs to practice your dancing with support…

‘Neat’ was an old complement which referred to dancing in a small space, no big leaps or travelling all over the place or loud bangs, just nice neat stepping, with respect for the music, which could exist in complement to each other before there were amplifiers and big speakers in plenty… 😉

Of course, you can also do it sitting down on one or the other of your pair of chairs…