I suspect that this was more willful ignorance than any actual
difficulty (they're an experienced group, I'm pretty sure they can
figure out how to do the same move they all know already with the other
hand, most of them even dance both roles already). It's not up to me to
ruin their fun of course if they just want to do "the traditional way"
for some reason, but I do wonder if just calling it something different,
over time, would get them accustomed to it and then eventually get them
doing it without thinking about it, making the dances more fun for everyone.
This is one of those places too where I like to joke "new people, I'm
going to need your help teaching the experienced dancers this move".
Since they just do what you tell them and haven't learned the bad habit
of "it must be done this one specific way" yet.
—Sam
On 2025-05-10 08:38, Jeff Kaufman via Contra Callers wrote:
"When trying a chain left with a group of experienced dancers recently
I got a lot of grumbling about how 'difficult' things were, which
seems silly, maybe I should start trying to normalize 'this is just
like any other move, sometimes you'll go one direction, sometimes the
other' "
There are a lot of moves we usually do in one direction, from "almost
always" (circle left, dosido) to "very nearly 100% of the time"
(petronella, contra corners, swing). I see chains as in between these
two groups: left hand chains are less common than circle right but
more common than left hand contra corners. But I don't see something
fundamentally silly about having moves that are only done in one
orientation, at which point it's not surprising that the mirror
version would be difficult.
Jeff
On Sat, May 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM Sam Whited via Contra Callers
<[email protected]> wrote:
On a slightly tangential note, I've called this a "chain" or a
"[right
hand role term at this dance] chain", but I kind of like the idea of
saying "chain by the right" instead to normalize that it could be in
either direction. When trying a chain left with a group of
experienced
dancers recently I got a lot of grumbling about how "difficult"
things
were, which seems silly, maybe I should start trying to normalize
"this
is just like any other move, sometimes you'll go one direction,
sometimes the other".
—Sam
On 2025-05-10 05:24, John Sweeney via Contra Callers wrote:
>
> This video demonstrates the standard Chain Figure and how to do
it well.
>
> We also teach you good technique for adding twirls, and variants
such
> as the Open Chain and the North Country Chain.
>
> While it is traditionally known as a Ladies' Chain, it is also
known
> as a Second Corner Chain, a Robins' Chain, a Right-Hand Chain,
Chain
> by the Right, Chain Across or just Chain.
>
> I hope you enjoy the video and find it useful!
>
> https://youtu.be/dS8LxpVHB3M
>
> Happy dancing,
>
> John
>
> John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected] 01233 625 362 &
> 07802 940 574
>
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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--
Sam Whited
[email protected]
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