This came up at my dance (Orlando) last week, so it’s not just an across-the-pond issue.

With some newer dances having left-hand chains for robins and both right-hand and left-hand chains for larks, an emerging default seems to be the fewest words possible while still being clear about it. That could be, for example, “larks chain” if it’s coming from a circle or star or just “chain” if it’s coming from a hey and involves the obvious people. For positional calling, use some other way to identify the dancers involved, if that’s needed.

Since the three new chains are still unusual, it’s common to say more than necessary just to give the assurance that, yes, that’s the intention: “larks, left-hand chain”, or just “left-hand chain” for the robins. I anticipate that this will decrease over time.

If the dancer doing the move starts on the left and it’s a right-hand move, or vice versa, I would not call that a chain, that’s a pull-by, maybe with a courtesy turn that must be called separately.

If there is no courtesy turn, it’s not a chain, it’s just a pull-by.

In some communities, it’s still necessary to walk the new chains explicitly, name the hands being used, name the direction of the courtesy turn or demo it, and even walk them more than once.  Again, this should decrease over time and is already unnecessary in many communities.

—jh—

Joe Harrington

Orlando, Florida