Bonfire Dance

Name: Bonfire Dance / Rince Mór na Tine
Time: Reel
Form: Everyone in one circle, partner stands next to you

1. Advance and Retire
Dance 4 Threes forward
Dance 4 Threes back

2. Rings
Dance Seven to the Right and 2 Threes in place
Dance Seven to the Left and 2 Threes in place

3. Advance and Retire again

4. Rings
Dance Seven to the Left and 2 Threes in place
Dance Seven to the Right and 2 Threes in place

5. Step In and Out
Face partner
Everyone dances Seven to the Right and immediate Seven back to Left
Turn partner half turn by the Right Hand into partner's spot
Turn partner half turn by the Left Hand back into your spot

Everyone dances Seven to the Left and immediate Seven back to Right
Turn partner half turn by the Left Hand back into partner's spot
Turn partner half turn by the Right Hand into your spot

6. The Rose
Ladies dance into the center and hold hands to make a smaller circle
Ladies dance Seven to the Right
Ladies dance 2 Threes while turning so they are facing out from the circle
Ladies rejoin hands and dance Seven to the Right and 2 Threes in place
Ladies dance out to partner and turn him by Right Hand

Gents dance into the center and hold hands to make a smaller circle
Gents dance Seven to the Left
Gents dance 2 Threes while turning so they are facing out from the circle
Gents rejoin hands and dance Seven to the Left and 2 Threes in place
Gents dance out to partner and turn her by Right Hand

7. Swing and Exchange
Couples now take crossed hands and swing each other around for about 4 bars
Gent drops Lady off on his Left side
Couples bow to each other, and bow to person on the other side of them who is now
their new partner

8. Repeat
Everyone is now back in one big circle, but with a new partner next to them
Repeat entire dance

This dance is sometimes called "The Bonfire Reel."

Some communities Advance and Retire doing 2 Threes forward and back twice instead of 4 Threes forward and back once, FYI. Either way it comes out to the same amount of time/bars of music.

More refined people dance the last swing slowly and take time to drop off their partner politely. The "real" way people dance it at parties, at least around here, is to spin like mad 'til you're good and dizzy.

Haymaker's Jig

Name: Haymaker's Jig / Baint an Fheir
Time: Double Jig
Form: Line of Gents facing Line of Ladies, partner across from you
Dance is ideally done with 5 couples, although it can be done with any number

1. Advance & Retire
Dance 2 Threes Forward, 2 Threes Back
Dance 2 Threes Forward, 2 Threes Back again
Dance 2 Jig Steps
Dance 2 Threes Forward, 2 Threes Back one more time

2. Turn in the Center
Top Gent and Bottom Lady turn by Right Hand
Top Lady and Bottom Gent turn by Right Hand
Top Gent and Bottom Lady turn by Left Hand
Top Lady and Bottom Gent turn by Left Hand
Top Gent and Bottom Lady turn with a Long Swing
Top Lady and Bottom Gent turn with a Long Swing

3. Link Arms
Top Couple turn with Right Hand
Top Lady turns next Gent in Line with Left Hand, Top Gent does same with Lady Line
Top Couple continues Right Hand to each other, Left to the next in Line until
they reach the bottom
Top Couple swing each other back to the top of the set

4. Cast Off
Gents dance Threes to the Left, Ladies dance Threes to the Right
Top Couple meet at the bottom and make a bridge
Everyone goes through the bridge

5. Repeat
Everyone is lined back up, the Top Couple is now the Bottom Couple
Entire dance is repeated

Bridge of Athlone

Name: Bridge of Athlone / Droichead Atha Luain
Time: Double Jig
Form: Line of Gents facing Line of Ladies, Partner is Across from You

1. Rising Step, Advance & Retire
Two jig steps
Advance and Retire
Two jig steps
Advance and Pass Through the other line

Two jig steps
Advance and Retire
Two jig steps
Advance and Pass Through the other line

2. Down the Center
First 1, 3 or 5 couples (caller's choice)
Dance Seven down the Center, two Threes in place
Dance Seven back up the Center, two Threes in place

3. Cast Off
Gents line dance Threes to the Left, Ladies dance Threes to the Right

4. The Bridge
Top Couple(s) make a bridge and everyone else goes through the bridge
Everyone else makes a brige
Top Ladies go up under bridge while Gents go up to the left of Briddge
Top Gents go down under bridge while Ladies go down to the right of Bridge

5. Start over
Everyone should be back in 2 lines, the former Top Couple(s) now at the bottom
Repeat entire dance

Irish Dance - Faking It

I've been involved with Irish dance in some capacity for over 15 years. In that time I've seen just about every variation on steps, figures and ceili dances. Some good, some not so much.

But allow me to vent a brief moment on "faking it."

There seems to be a proliferation of teachers and online posters putting up faked or dumbed-down versions of dances. This is ridiculous, and I'll tell you why: people always start faking it when they are tired regardless of what you teach them.

So why not teach it correctly from the start? There's no need to teach a ceili dance taking out all the jig steps or more vigorous footwork simply because you think it's over the heads of the dancers or beyond their stamina and coordination. They will, they always do, replace the harder steps with simple walking or skipping as it suits them...even when you encourage them not to wimp out.

I have no issue with people doing less strenuous steps or simpler figures - sometimes time doesn't allow to teach a dance fully. Sometimes, after 2 hours of dancing, doing more Rise & Grind steps are way too much to ask. But if things are posted for others' education, they should be noted when they are not the full version, and that they are a modified version. Otherwise, we have ceili groups popping up (and I've witnessed this) who are self-taught incorrectly.