Dancer Naming: Heads, Sides, Couple Numbers: The couple with their back to the caller is the number one couple. Each couple to the right (counter-clockwise) has each succeeding number. Couples One & Three are also the Head Couples. Two and Four are the Side Couples. Circle Left & Right; This can be done with any number of dancers 2 thru? Forward & Back: Heads (Sides) dance up to the middle & back. The designated couples will join inside hands and move forward to tap free hands with the couple they are facing. Then, instead of backing to their starting position, they ll step back one step and remain close enough to interact with the other couple. This automatically makes those two couples active and whatever is called next is intended for them. Allemande Left; A left forearm grip to the lady that is clockwise around the circle or square from each man. Turn by the left far enough to drop hand and step forward to face the partner. Right & Left Grand; Men proceeding counter-clockwise and the Ladies moving clockwise, alternating hands gently pulling each other by till you meet the 5 th person who will be your partner (regardless of who it is). Dosado; This means back to back in French. That in a nutshell is how it s done. Passing right shoulder with the person you are facing and NOT changing facing direction throughout, you walk all around each other to end up exactly where you started. Promenade; Take a walk back to the home position or as far as directed by the caller. The home position refers to the men s starting position. Pass Thru; Pass right shoulder with the person you are facing and walk straight forward. Rollaway; The directed ladies will roll left face across in front of the men and back out on his left side changing hands in the process. The men will step back to make the crossing easy and have hands available as needed. Ladies In Men Sashay; Ladies step forward and wait momentarily as the Men slide sideways behind them. The Ladies then back out and end up on the other side of the man.
Right Hand / Left Hand Star; Directed dancers raise and place specified hands palm to palm in the center of the group forming a Star. Turn the Star as far as directed. Right Hand Stars turn clockwise and Left Hand Stars turn Counter-clockwise. Square Thru, 1-5; The facing couples, all beginning with the right hands, pull each other by, alternating hands and turning one quarter to face each next dancer as far as directed by the caller. If not otherwise directed, a Square Thru is automatically 4 hands. Wheel Around; Man s Right and Ladies Left hands joined. Turning as couples, the man backs up while the lady moves forward. They will end up facing the opposite direction. Grand Square: (32 beats of music. Each individual dancer tracking the four sides of a square in their quadrant on the floor). Sides Face, Grand Square. Remember, you always turn to face someone (either partner or opposite). Walk 3 steps and turn on the 4 th. The whole movement takes 32 beats (steps) of music to complete (I ll do the counting for you). You can also clap your hands at each turn. Couples Stars: This Star Figure is typically done from a squared set and most likely used during a singing call. After an initial Square Thru, the facing couples join Right Hands to form a Star. The Star is turned about ¾ or till the original inside men can join Left Hands and form a Star between the original outside couples. This inside Star is turned a full turn and a little bit more till the inside dancers are once again facing the same outside couple. At this point dancers wait for the next command. Star Thru Man s right hand and ladies left hand (inside hands) form a momentary arch. The Lady ducks through the arch while the man slides past the lady crossing behind her. Each turn a quarter in the direction of the joined hands Veer Left (Right) Typically done by facing couples. Each couple while holding their partners hand, slide as a couple to the left or right (as directed). At this point the two couples are standing end to end facing in opposite directions. Courtesy Turn: Proper handholds have the left hands joined in front and the right hands joined in the small of the lady s back. From this position you do a Wheel Around. The Wheel Around will be half or full around, depending on the movement called.
2 Ladies Chain From facing couples, the ladies join right hands and moving straight forward pass each other. As the ladies move forward, their partners (men) slide sideways (right) into the ladies vacated position and reach with their left hands to the approaching ladies. The ladies join their free left hand with the man and place their right hands in the small of their back for a Courtesy Turn (full turn around for the man). 4 Ladies Chain (Grand Chain): All 4 ladies step into the center raising right hands to form a Right Hand Star. They then turn the star halfway to the opposite man giving him their left hand for a Courtesy Turn (full around for the man). Bend The Line Much like folding a piece of paper, the end of each line moves forward to meet the other end of its own line. The centers may need to back up a little to accommodate. This creates new lines. This applies to lines where everyone is facing the same direction and lines where the two couples are facing opposite directions. California Twirl Starting formation - couple (man and lady). Partners join hands (man's right with lady's left) and raise them to form an arch. The lady walks forward and under their joined hands making a one half (180 ) left-face turn while the man walks around the lady in a clockwise direction one half (180 ). Dancers have exchanged places and are both facing in the opposite direction from which they started. Dive Thru: Facing couples where one can be called the inside couple and the other the outside couple; Inside couple forms an arch, outside couple ducks under the arch and moves forward to become insides. The couple making the arch steps forward as the outside dives in and then, automatically does a California Twirl to face the center. Flutter Wheel: The right hand dancer of each couple (the girl) turns by the right hand picking up the opposite dancer (man) and returns with him as a partner to her starting position. Sweep 1/4: Moving as a couple, continue moving in the same direction a quarter more than has already been turned. Circle To A Line: Typically called from a squared set. Heads (or sides) Lead Right and face the couple to the right of them. Circle four half way. The new outside man releases handhold with the girl he s facing. Then he and his partner Veer Left While the other couple does a California Twirl to end in Facing Lines.
Split & Separate (Around 1 & 2) To Lines or Middle: Split is passing between a couple of dancers. Separate is leaving your partner by turning your back on and moving around the outside. Proceeding as far as the caller directs. Heads or Sides Lead Right: Directed couples move as a couple forward and to the right (90 degree turn). From a squared set, the couples will move forward and to the right to face a side couple. Chain Down The Line: It s a Two Ladies Chain within your own 2-faced line of four dancers. The girls Trade while the boys turn to face in and take her left hand for a Courtesy Turn. Ocean Wave: From Facing Couples, each dancer steps up and joins right hands with the one they are facing. Those that can, join Left Hands in the center to form an alternate-facing line of 4 dancers. Dosado To A Wave: Do a standard Dosado and immediately step and join right hands to form a wave. Right & Left Thru: Facing couples give a right hand to the opposite and pull each other by. As they do so, they take their partner (adjacent dancer) by the left hand and finish with a Courtesy Turn to face the other active couple. Swing Thru While in an Alamo Style Wave, Those that can, Trade by the Right. Then, Those that can, Trade by the Left (Swing Thru is always two moves). In any kind of Wave It s still the two moves (Those that can, Trade by the Right. Then, Those that can, Trade by the Left) but sometimes only two can make the second Trade. Boys (Men) Run Right: Moving forward and to the right, the men will run around the nearest girl and wind up facing the opposite of their starting direction. While the girls slide to the side and fill the vacated spot. Boys Trade / Girls Trade / Couples Trade Using joined hands or move forward to exchange places with the directed dancers. If meeting another dancer along the way, Pass Right Shoulders. Circulates (Boys, Girls, Ends Centers, Couples): In a nutshell Circulate means to move forward to the next forward position. You might be in Ocean Waves. You might be as couples in Two Faced Lines. Regardless of the formation you are in, move to the next forward position. Ends Remain ends. Centers remain centers. Girls remain girls and boys remain. Well, you get the idea.
Couples Stars: This Star Figure is typically done from a squared set and most likely used during a singing call. After an initial Square Thru, the facing couples join Right Hands to form a Star. The Star is turned about ¾ or till the original inside men can join Left Hands and form a Star between the original outside couples. This inside Star is turned a full turn and a little bit more till the dancers face the "same two" on the outside.