This dance was recently invented by Capt. Andy Colquhoun and Lt. Rob
Colquhoun while in Afghanistan (hence the name). It follows in the
tradition of dances like <<ddd:The Reel of the 51st Division>> which were
created by soldiers with time on their hands. At least this time no
POW camp was involved.

The dance is superficially simple but requires great presence of mind,
good technique, and perfect teamwork if it is supposed to look
good. Legend claims that the one-and-a-half-times-round hands across
stand for both the big rotors of a Chinook helicopter and the fact
that soldiers are constantly exhorted to give 150% of what is expected
from them. The end involves a little cheating but, given the
situation, this probably ought to be forgiven.

Unusually for a dance involving four couples, the Kandahar Reel was
originally choreographed for a five-couple set, but that, too, follows
the »Reel of the 51st«. One could say with some justification that the
dancing couple have earned their little 32-bar break after their turn.
