Ladies' Chain Halfway
The Ladies' chain halfway (Sometimes called 'half ladies' chain') Figure takes 4 bars and is exactly half of the full Ladies' chain.
On the first 2 bars, the Ladies Cross By the right, each Finishing Facing Outwards in the Opposite Man's Place While each Man Casts anticlockwise to Face Inwards in the adjacent Lady's Place.
On the next 2 bars, the Scottish Country Dancers Turn halfway on the Sides, the Men Finishing back in their Starting Positions, the Ladies on Opposite Sides, all Facing Inwards unless the next Figure requires otherwise.
Diagram 31 and Diagram 32 show an example as it occurs in bars 17-20 of Rothesay Rant. The Couples are initially stationary, Facing their Partners Across The set; the Ladies Finish beside their Partners.
When the previous Figure leaves the Men Facing Out and the Ladies in, the simpler form of Casting would apply (i.e., with no Turn on the spot halfway to start). This is the situation in bars 9-12 of Rothesay Rant for the Side Couples (the 1s and the 3s) but only in the alternative version in which the dancers change Places By the left on bars 1-2 and By the right on bars 5-6; in the standard version, both the Men and the Ladies find themselves Facing the wrong way at the end of the preceding Figure and so both Couples need to Turn on the spot halfway on bar 9.
For example, here are some Scottish Country Dances in which the term, Ladies' chain halfway, is used in either the Minicrib or the Maxicrib Dance instructions or both -
Auld Acquaintance
Autumn In Appin.
Glen Orrin Strathspey
Heatherbrae
Le Moulin Rouge
Macgregor's Gathering
Rothesay Country Dance
Royal Visit
Shene Gate
Teviot Bridge
Welcome Aboard
- Figures
- Chains
- Corners Chain
Grand Chain
Grand Chain Halfway
Ladies' Chain
Ladies' Chain Halfway
Men's Chain
Men's Chain Halfway
Progressive Chain
Rights and Lefts
Rights And Lefts Diagonally
Rights And Lefts For 3 Couples
Rights And Lefts For 5 Couples
Rights And Lefts Halfway
Rights And Lefts Halfway Diagonally
Snowball Chain
Additional search terms; ½ Ladies Chain (In Minicrib).
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