< Main Definitions

Mainstream Definitions

From Tech Squares Class MIT

Click on the title to see a video demonstration of the call

ALLEMANDE LEFT TO AN ALLEMANDE THAR: Typical starting formation - squared set. Dancers allemande left, right pull by with the next, and left arm turn with the next until the men are in the center. The men make a star while maintaining forearm grips with the ladies. This is an allemande thar. Centers back up slowly while the outsides walk forward.

DO PASO: Typical starting formation - squared set. Dancers face their partners, left arm turn with their partners until they are facing their corners, right arm turn with their corners until they are facing back towards their partner, and left arm turn with their partner, blending into a courtesy turn to end facing in as a couple. Ends in squared set.

LEFT-HAND STAR/RIGHT-HAND STAR: Typical starting formation - facing couples. Dancers place the designated hands into the center of the box to form a star. They walk forward turning the star as far as directed. The ending facing direction is dependent on the next call.

PASS THE OCEAN: Typical starting formation - facing couples.

  1. Pass thru.
  2. Face in (90° turn)
  3. Step to a right-hand wave.

SHOOT THE STAR: Typical starting formation - thar. Dancers arm turn 1/2 and step forward. On Shoot the Star to Another Thar, dancers shoot the star, right pull by with the next, and left arm turn 1/2 with the next to end in a thar. On Shoot the Star Full Turn Around, dancers arm turn all the way around (360°) and step forward.

STAR PROMENADE: Typical starting formation - 4-person star in the center and 4 people on the outside. Centers retain the star handhold and promenade with the designated dancers. Instead of joining hands with their partner, each dancer places an arm around their partner's waist.

TRADE BY: Typical starting formation - trade by. Centers pass thru while the ends trade. Ends in eight chain.

WALK AROUND YOUR CORNER: Typical starting formation - squared set. Dancers face their corners and walk in a circle around their corners, with their right shoulders into the center of the circle.

SEE SAW: Typical starting formation - dancers facing their partners. Dancers face their partners if necessary and walk around their partners passing left shoulders until they are facing their corners.

WHEEL AROUND: Typical starting formation - couple. Each couple works as a unit to turn 180° to the left to end on the same positions they started on. On Reverse Wheel Around couples turn 180° to the right.

Four Ladies Chain 3/4 is the same, except ladies turn the star 3/4.

CROSS RUN: Typical starting formation - wave or line. Designated dancers run toward the center of the line to end in the position two away from where they started. Ends cross run into the far center position; centers cross run into the far end position. Non-designated dancers move without turning into the nearest vacated position, as on Run. Ends in a wave or line.

EXTEND: Typical starting formation - 1/4 tag or parallel waves.

  • From a beginning double pass thru (zero tag), the centers step to a wave. Ends in a 1/4 tag.
  • From a 1/4 tag, centers step forward to make waves of the same handedness with the outsides. Ends in parallel waves (1/2 tag).
  • From parallel waves (1/2 tag), the leaders step thru to make couples, and the trailers step forward to make a new wave of the same handedness. Ends in 3/4 tag.
  • From a 3/4 tag, centers step thru to make couples. Ends in a completed double pass thru.

FERRIS WHEEL: Typical starting formation - two-faced lines. Leaders do their part of Wheel and Deal while the trailers step forward to form a momentary two-faced line and wheel and deal in the center. Ends in a beginning double pass thru.

FLUTTERWHEEL/REVERSE FLUTTERWHEEL: Typical starting formation - facing couples. On Flutterwheel, the right-hand dancers make a two-person right-hand star and turn halfway while the left-hand dancers slide left. Centers join their left hands with the other dancers' right hands. Dancers turn the star another half to end as couples. On Reverse Flutterwheel, the roles are reversed; the left-hand dancers make a two-person left-hand star, join their right hands with the other dancers' left hands, and finish turning the star.

SCOOT BACK: Typical starting formation - mini-wave box. Leaders flip over into the position next to them (as on run or trade). Trailers extend, trade, and extend. Ends in a mini-wave box.

SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE: Typical starting formation - mini-wave box. Leaders flip over into the position next to them (as on run or trade). Trailers walk forward into the vacant position ahead of them. Ends in a mini-wave box.

SWEEP A QUARTER: Typical starting formation - facing couples. Sweep a Quarter may be called after a call that ended with all dancers moving in the same direction around the center of their box. Couples continue circling 1/4 in the same direction they were previously moving. Ends in facing couples.

TURN THRU: Typical starting formation - facing dancers or right-hand mini-wave. Dancers step to a wave, right arm turn 1/2, and step thru to end back to back with each other. From a mini-wave, dancers omit stepping to a wave as they already have right hands joined. Ends in dancers back to back.