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American Square Dances |
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The Grand Right and Left
This movement is also called "Right and Left Grand," and "Grand Right Eight," and usually follows the Allemande Left. Partners face each other and join their right hands. They then dance past each other and join left hands with the next person in the set, and pass on to the next person with whom right hands are joined. They pass that person and take left hands with the next, then pass by and take right hands with their own Partners. As Partners meet, taking right hands, the lady pivots in place, to her right, so as to face counterclockwise, side by side with her Partner, and they join left hands over their joined right hands as the lady pivots, and then Promenade half around the set, to home place. In the Grand Right and Left, the ladies always move clockwise, while the gentlemen always move counterclockwise.
This is the usual Western figure, which is a Grand Right and Left just halfway around, with a Promenade the other half.
The Quadrille Grand Right and Left is all the way around the stt. Partners "honor" each time they meet when the figure is danced all the way around. It is used frequently in the Eastern Square Dance but seldom in the West
The Grand Right and Left requires eight beats of music to dance half around, and eight beats to Promenade the other half to place. If danced all the way around, in a full Grand Right and Left, the time required is sixteen beats.
The hands swing up naturally as the steps are taken and are touched in a gesture of greeting, but are not grasped or held, as in a hand clasp. Use the hands naturally, and do not "reach" for the next person. The Grand Right and Left is a beautiful, graceful figure, but will be ugly and awkward if the dancers "reach" in passing each other. |
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