Irish Set Dancing in Nova Scotia

10th anniversary poster by Jane Lombard

Our signature event is the Annual Easter Weekend Workshop with Dance Master Pat Murphy. Pat's website, Memories of a Dancer, shares experiences from his trips to Halifax. In 2010, the weekend will take place from Friday, April 2 to Monday, April 5.

Easter 2010 took place Friday, April 2 to Monday, April 5. See below for details.

Pat Murphy is a world-renowned teacher, collector and historian of dance, who has been teaching at our Easter weekend since 1996. Pat's first exposure to set dancing was right in his own home. His father, Jack, a fine accordion player, hosted and played house parties most of his life. Jack taught Pat to play the accordion, and Pat became a well-known musician on the set dancing scene. In the 1980s he was drawn into the dancing itself, and eventually started to teach classes. He worked with legendary set dancer teacher and collector, the late Connie Ryan, and soon was doing his own workshops. Due to his comprehensive knowledge and gentle instruction, Pat is in demand all over the world. Although he has been as far as Japan, New Zealand and Russia, his first foray outside Ireland was right here--in Halifax.

Where Pat teaches, he also collects. He has strengthened the set dancing revival by collecting and publishing dances from all over Ireland and throughout the Irish diaspora. The fruits of his labour can be found in the three books that are the set dancing standards: Toss the Feathers, The Flowing Tide and Apples in Winter. The latter two include dances from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, as well as articles about set dancing in Nova Scotia by our teacher, Elizabeth MacDonald. Scaip na Cleiti was delighted to host the North American launch of Apples in Winter at Easter Weekend 2009. The first two books are widely-available on the Internet. Contact Pat at pmurphysetdance@eircom.net for the third.


Easter Weekend Workshop 2010

Neither preregistration nor prepayment are required for workshops and ceilis, although we would love to hear from you! Notice is required, however, if you wish to eat lunch at the Saturday lunch and music session. Pay when you come. Contact us at setdancingns@yahoo.ca for any questions.

Venue
The Titanic House, 989 Young Avenue, Halifax. This historic mansion was bequeathed to the Local Council of Women by George Wright, the only Haligonian to perish on the Titanic. Hence the name. The elegant house has lovely wooden floors and plenty of room for dancers, musicians and refreshments. Click here for a map.

Music
All ceilis will have live music provided by our own fiddler, ECMA-nominated Kevin Roach with Jane Lombard and friends.

Schedule
Friday, April 2
Welcome Ceili, 7-11 pm

Saturday, April 3
Workshops, 9:30 am-noon & 2-4 pm

Saturday, April 3
Lunch & Trad Music Session, Noon-2pm

Saturday, April 3
Ceili Mor, 7-11 pm

Sunday, April 4
Ceili, 2-5 pm

Monday, April 5
Workshop, 7-9 pm

The Titanic House.  Photo by  Bill Lynch @ www.setdancingnews.net

Fees
Weekend package: $50 (excludes lunch)
Included six events: Friday evening ceili, Saturday morning workshop, Saturday afternoon workshop, Saturday evening ceili, Sunday afternoon ceili and Monday evening class.
Individual events cost $12, except the lunch on Saturday, which is $6.

Water
Bring a bottle, and we'll keep it filled.

Accommodation and Transportation
Please see our Nova Scotia page.

Pat taught these sets in 2009:
Moycullen
Inis Oirr Set
Boyne Set
Newmarket Messerts
East Galway Reel Set (Short Version)

Photo by  Bill Lynch @ www.setdancingnews.net