Starting formation Eight Chain Thru
Command examples
Eight Chain Thru
Eight Chain 3
Eight Chain 4
Eight Chain 1, Allemande Left
Dance actionComplete as many of these actions as appropriate:
- All Right Pull By (Eight Chain 1 has been completed)
- Centers Left Pull By while the ends Courtesy Turn (Eight Chain 2 has been completed)
- All Right Pull By (Eight Chain 3 has been completed)
- Centers Left Pull By while the ends Courtesy Turn (Eight Chain 4 has been completed)
- All Right Pull By (Eight Chain 5 has been completed)
- Centers Left Pull By while the ends Courtesy Turn (Eight Chain 6 has been completed)
- All Right Pull By (Eight Chain 7 has been completed)
- Centers Left Pull By while the ends Courtesy Turn (Eight Chain Thru has been completed)
Timing
Eight Chain Thru: 20
Eight Chain 1, 2, 3, etc.: each odd-numbered part: 2; each even-numbered part: 3
Styling
Same as Right And Left Thru. Dancers doing the Left Pull By in the center move slowly so their action takes the same time as the Courtesy Turn on the outside.
Each part of this call ends in an Eight Chain Thru or Trade By formation. Dancers should not drift into a circular formation as in Wrong Way Grand (#8c).
Starting formationEight Chain Thru
Dance action
Facing dancers join right hands and pull by (this completes an eight chain one).
The center facing dancers join left hands and pull by while the outside dancers
do a courtesy turn (this completes an eight chain two). Repeat these actions
in sequence to achieve eight chain three, eight chain four, etc.
Eight chain thru is the same as eight chain eight.
Ending formation
Even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8) end in an eight chain thru formation.
Odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7) end in a trade by formation.
Timing
8 hands, 20 steps; 4 hands, 10 steps.
Styling
Use same styling as in courtesy turn and right and left grand.
Emphasis should be placed on the courtesy turn in that portion of the
basic so that dancers can maintain an eight chain thru formation and
not be allowed to drift into a right and left grand type of movement.
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The Ocean Wave Rule applies to this call.
At Mainstream, Courtesy Turn (#15) is restricted to a man turning a woman. Therefore, at Mainstream, Eight Chain Thru is improper after Heads Square Thru 4, Sides Half Sashay. However, Eight Chain 3 would be proper.