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Ladies' Chain
Ian Thomson
Jan. 22, 2002, 3:21 a.m. (Message 29213)
With regard to this topic, I'd like to share this with you: When I was a
very new dancer I attended my first social, and one of the dances had a
Ladies' Chain in it. In a panic I turned to the gentleman next to me, (who
was aged about 80) and asked him how it was done.
"Easy", he replied. "Just wander round in a circle and turn whoever comes
to you!" Not quite how Miss Milligan would have described it but it worked
for me. I've never had any problems with it since then.
Happy dancing,
Ian
Ian Thomson,
"Braeburn",
27 Thomas Place,
Upper Kedron,
Queensland 4055, Australia.
Ph. (07) 3851 1164
E-mail: x.xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
or xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx
Greetings all, >Is it that the ladies just dance it? Helen That is just the trouble - they do not! >The women already know that they have to find a man and, having just left one, they do not have a lot of options. At the same time, the men, having just lost a partner, are left with whomever, they can find. The figure is so logical that it works without analysis. Richard Unfortunately, it does not! I have been in far too many sets where the women have got lost and have no idea where to go. >I dance the ladies' chain in contra dances all the time. There is never any discussion about how to do the figure, what is the correct form. The ladies cross giving right hands, the men turn then, they repeat back to place. There are lots of variations, mostly of the spin and twirl variety, and these are tolerated as long as they do not interfere with the timing of the figure. Sylvia We are dancing Scottish country dancing NOT contra dancing. Spins and twirls might be acceptable in contra dancing but, generally, they are not acceptable in Scottish country dancing. Iain Boyd Wellington New Zealand
Iain
<< We are dancing Scottish country dancing NOT contra dancing. ‘Spins and
twirls’ might
be acceptable in contra dancing but, generally, they are not acceptable in
Scottish
country dancing.
>>
I must agree that spins and twirls take away some of the beauty of SCD.
Because there is no formal footwork in Contra, the twirls and spins can be
executed easy enough. In my experience some of these twirls interrupt the
flow of the dance, enough to compromise the other dancers beginning the next
phrase. I can enjoy both forms of dancing but rather like the clean
uncluttered look of SCD. I write my own dances with no extraneous figures to
infringe on the flow and enjoyment of the dance.
I do not think that one can compare Contra Ladies Chain to SCD Ladies
Chain with too much success. They are similar only in the execution of
getting women to one side and then back. Enjoy each type as you will, but it
would be unfair to say they should both be the same.
Bob Mc Murtry
Felton, Calif
In a message dated 24/1/02 8:00:36 pm, xxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xx.xx writes: >We are dancing Scottish country dancing NOT contra dancing. ‘Spins and >twirls’ might be acceptable in contra dancing but, generally, they are not acceptable >in Scottish country dancing. >Iain Boyd There are plenty of Scottish country dancers outwith the RSCDS to whom extra spins and twirls are perfectly acceptable. Nicolas B., Lanark, Scotland.
I was not advocating spins and twirls. I was trying to point out that this same figure in a different genre (contra dance) is danced with variations from the strict traditional form and people just dance and enjoy it, they do not micromanage it. It is one of the more common figures found in contra dancing and one can expect to do it 4 or 5 times in an evening. Cheers, Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH USA