Jigs

The jig (Irish: port) is a form of lively folk dance in compound meter, as well as the accompanying dance tune. It developed in 16th-century England, and was quickly adopted on the Continent where it eventually became the final movement of the mature Baroque dance suite (the French gigue; Italian and Spanish giga). Today it is most associated with Irish dance music, Scottish country dance and the Métis people in Canada. Jigs were originally in duple compound meter, (e.g., 12
8 time), but have been adapted to a variety of time signatures, by which they are often classified into groups, including light jigs, slip jigs, single jigs, double jigs, and treble jigs.

The term jig was probably derived from the French giguer, meaning 'to jump' or the Italian giga. It was known as a dance in 16th-century England, often in 12
8 time, and the term was used for a post-play entertainment featuring dance in early modern England, but which 'probably employed a great variety of dances, solo (suitable for jigs), paired, round, country or courtly': in Playford's Dancing Master (1651) 'the dance game in ‘Kemps Jegg’ is a typical scenario from a dramatic jig and it is likely that the combination of dance metre for steps and non-metrical passages for pantomime indicates how a solo or ensemble jig might have been danced by stage players.' Later the dance began to be associated with music particularly in 6
8 time, and with slip jigs 9
8 time.

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