Chains

In most of these Figures, the Dancers Start Facing alternately clockwise and anticlockwise around either the circle of a Circular set or a rectangle or other quadrilateral forming part of a Longwise set, Take hands (conventionally By the right to start) with the Facing Dancer and Turn halfway so as to Exchange positions, Finishing still Facing in the original direction and repeating this with alternating hands as they proceed round; Right and lefts as well as Grand chain are typical though Right and lefts for 3 couples and for more than 3 Couples are somewhat different in that the path is folded.

Some Scottish Country Dance Figures which include Chain in the name are performed along a line and have a full Turn rather than a Turn halfway at the end of the line so that the Dancers return along the same path; Corners' Chain, Ladies' chain and the similar Men's chain are of this type.

Here are examples of those Scottish Country Dances for which we have instructions on this site and in which the term, Chains, either appears explicitly or is implied; note that for a common term these will be a small selection; for a rare term, these may be all that exist:

Auchindoun Castle
Brooch Of Lorne
Copycat Fugue
Diamond Jubilee Medley
Drumheller
Dunivard Reel
Hope Little's Strathspey
Man's A Man For A' That (Wilson)
New Scotland Strathspey
Tiptoe Jig

Links To Pages Related To 'Chains'

Figures

Arches
Casting
Chains

Corners Chain
Drop Out Chain
Grand Chain
Grand Chain Halfway
Ladies' Chain
Ladies' Chain Halfway
Men's Chain
Men's Chain Halfway
Pick Up Chain
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
Rights And Lefts In A Triangular Set
Snowball Chain

Chasing
Cross And Cast
Cross, Cast And Half Figures Of Eight
Crossing
Dance
Drop
Exchange Places
Exchange Positions
Figure Of Eight
Figures Of Eight
Hands Across
Hands Round
On The Spot
Petronella Movements
Polite Turn
Poussette Movements
Pull Left Shoulder Back
Pull Right Shoulder Back
Reel
Reel(s) Of Three
Reel(s) Of Four
Reel(s) Of Five
Reel(s) Of Six
Set And Cast
Set And Cross
Setting
Standing
Step Down
Step Up
Tandem
Travelling
Turn And Cast
Turning
While

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