Elbow Grip
The Elbow grip is an informal Hold, used in Quick tempo dances but never in Strathspeys, as an alternative to the formal Quick turn grip; it gives better control in, for example, Corner, Partner, Corner, Partner, though the final Turn by the left with Partner is usually less than halfway and so would need an Open grip.The hand should be cupped round the other Scottish Country Dancer's elbow, with the thumb, as well as the fingers, tucked behind the elbow. Any other position of the thumb is potentially injurious (see various letters in The Lancet, p1191, 23 November and p1440, 21 December 1985).
Here are examples of those Scottish Country Dances for which we have instructions on this site and in which the term, Elbow grip, 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:
Airdrie Lassies
Buchan Eightsome Reel
Gavin's Reel
Phantom Piper
Links To Pages Related To 'Holds'
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