Dancing in Tournafulla.
Dancing is as important as the music in the parish and is greatly enjoyed by the locals. Jerry O'Sullivan runs set dancing classes every winter and has a large class. Step dancing teachers in the past have included: Marie & Mairead Casey, Jemma Curtin and Patsy Fitzgerald.
The Tournafulla Reel
A. Holding crossed hands, all couples dance around the house and back. (16 bars)
B. Lady and Gent of each couple change places with a side step, and return to position, likewise (8 bars)
C. All wheel (8 bars)
D. The Full Skip. Each Gent, following the Gent on his right, crosses to opposite Lady, chains with her (left hands) , right to Lady on right of his original position, crosses as before, to Lady on left of his original position, chains left with her, returning to his own partner, wheeling with her for the remaining of the 6 bars. (16 Bars)
E. Full Chain. Going anti-clockwise, Gents give right and left hands alternatively to each Lady they meet, as they chain full circle, until they arrive back with their own partners. Instead of chaining with their own partners, they wheel for the remaining 8 bars, during this the Ladies remain in their own position (8 bars)
F. Square the House. Tops gallop across, anti-clockwise, to opposite side and turn into position. Sides do likewise. Tops gallop back to their own positions, again anti-clockwise and turn into position. Sides do likewise: Now all square the house as follows: All gallop to Gent’s left, into next position on their right, right to next position, left to next position, and right back to their own positions. (8 bars)
G. The Figure. Top Gent’s turn opposite ladies with left hands, returning to their partners and wheel for the remainder of the 8 bars (8bars)
· Side Gent’s repeat (8 bars)
· Repeat movements B-G (88 bars)
· Square the house as in movement F to finish (16 bars)