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of the West and Southwest |
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as the "Four Ladies Chain"—eight beats of music for each half of the movement, sixteen beats for the complete figure. In the Western dance, each half of the "Four Gents Chain" figure is given a separate call. In the Eastern dance, the call of "Four Gents Chain," or "Four Gentlemen Grand Chain," denotes the full figure of crossing to the Opposite Ladies and then crossing back in a "star" to Partners.
General Rules of the Square Dance
The usual basic movements and figures of the Square Dance have been described in detail, with the necessary timing for the music and call. All figures in the Square Dance are simply combinations of these basic movements and the timing is the same regardless of the varying styles of calling, music, or dancing which differ in various localities and sections. The following general rules of the Square Dance apply mostly to "traffic" control and "rules of the road."
In the Western dance, the gentleman always Promenades the lady with whom he is dancing to the gentle?na?fs place in the set. The Eastern dance differs when the gentlemen "pick up" their Right Hand Ladies in a figure, whom they Promenade to the lady's position in the set. This applies only in the Eastern dance, following an old Quadrille custom which is not used in the Western dance, in which the Promenade is to the gentleman's place in all cases.
Whenever four dancers are directed to cross the set at the same time and dance with the opposite person, they do just what the call says and dance directly across the set, but, allow the person on the left to have the right of way and cross first. In such a movement do not cross in front of the person on your left and there will be no traffic difficulties or collisions. Take a direct path but observe the rule of the road that the person on your left has the right of way. Often the dancers "star" across the set in such a figure instead of dancing independently, but |
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