Calls

Question 1

Motivate

Answer 1

From waves:

1) All Circulate
2a) The centers of each wave Cast Off 3/4
2b) The ends Circulate 1/2, to create a star between two mini-waves.
3) The star turns half, while those in the mini-waves Trade.
4) Those who meet Cast Off 3/4, while the others move up (as in Chain Reaction) to become the ends of parallel waves.

Question 2

Out Roll Circulate

Answer 2

From general lines, with the ends forming a tandem:
1a) The end facing out in each line Circulates
1b) Each of the other dancers, in a single, smooth motion, faces the
vacated spot, takes a step forward, and turns another 1/4 in the same direction he first
turned.

Ends back in parallel waves or lines.
The non-circulators’ part is a single motion, rather than a 3-part move.

This call can be fractionalized into halves, leaving a central wave with mini waves on each side and a center column of six.

Question 3

All 4 Couples Chase Right

Answer 3

From a static square with everyone facing out:
those at the head position Chase Right while
those at the side position also Chase Right. All action is clockwise around the outside of the
set.

Ends on static square spots with dancers in right-hand mini-waves.

Question 4

All 4 Couples Right and Left Thru

Answer 4

From a static square or circle:

1) All pass corners right shoulders
2) Right Pull By with opposite
3) Pass the next dancer left shoulders
4) Courtesy Turn with partner, to end facing the center of the set

Question 5

All 4 Couples Star Thru

Answer 5

From a square or circle:

1) All pass corner right shoulders
2) Star Thru

Question 6

All 8 Dixie Style To A Wave

Answer 6

From a static square:

1) Right hand dancers step forward and to the left to become the lead dancer in a tandem. Lead dancers join right hands in a star and Pull By. All Left Touch 1/4.

Ends in a Thar Star.

Question 7

All 8 Mix

Answer 7

From a Thar or Wrong Way Thar:

1) Centers cross run, by turning their star 1/2 and sliding nose-to-nose with the outsides (Slide).
2) The new centers trade, by turning their star 1/2.

Ends in a Thar or Wrong Way Thar.

Question 8

All 8 Swing Thru.

Answer 8

From a Wrong Way Thar, all arm turn 1/2 by the right. Center 4 star 1/2 by the left.

Ends in a Wrong Way Thar.

Question 9

All 8 Walk and Dodge

Answer 9

From a static square with everyone in a mini-wave:

1a) Those facing in walk forward across the set to take the place of the dancer who was directly in front of him.
1b) Those facing out step sideways into the position vacated by the “walker”.

Ends in a static square with everyone facing out.

If all the “walkers” move at the same rate, there will be a momentary star 1/2 way through the call.

Question 10

Checkmate the Column

Answer 10

From columns:

1a) The first and second dancers in each column Circulate four times and Face In.
1b) The third and fourth dancers in each column Circulate twice, Face In to form a couple, then individually circulate.

Ends in parallel two-faced lines.

Question 11

Diamond Chain Thru

Answer 11

From diamonds:

All Diamond Circulate
The very centers Trade, and Cast Off 3/4 with the adjacent ends of the wave.

Ends in parallel waves or lines.

Question 12

Cut the Hourglass

Answer 12

From an Hourglass:

1a) Points slide together and Trade
1b) Others Hourglass Circulate

Ends in parallel lines or waves.

Question 13

Flip the Hourglass

Answer 13

From an hourglass:

1a) Points Run to the nearest center (Flip in as for Flip the Diamond)
1b) Others Hourglass Circulate.

Question 14

In Roll Circulate

Answer 14

From general lines, with the ends forming a tandem:

1a) The end of each line facing in Circulates
1b) The other dancers (in a single, smooth motion) face the vacated spot, step forward, and turn another 1/4 the same way they first turned

Ends back in parallel lines or waves.

The non-circulators’ part is a single motion, rather than a 3-part move. This call can be
fractionalized into halves ending in a sausage.

Question 15

Mini-Busy

Answer 15

From parallel two-faced lines:

1a) The trailers As Couples Extend, have the center two Hinge, and Flip the Diamond.
1b) The lead couples (working around the outside) Face In, step forward one spot, and Face In.

Ends in a quarter-tag formation.

This call has three parts.

Question 16

Pass and Roll

Answer 16

From single eight chain thru:
1) All Pass Thru
2a) Centers Turn Thru
2b) Outsides do a right-face U-Turn Back
3) All Pass Thru,
4a) Centers Pass Thru
4b) Outsides do a Right Roll to a Wave to meet the centers

Ends in parallel mini-waves.

Question 17

Pass and Roll Your Neighbor

Answer 17

From single eight chain thru:

All Pass Thru.

1a) The centers Turn Thru
1b) The outsides do a right-face U-Turn Back.
2) All Pass Thru
3a) The centers Touch 3/4
3b) The outsides finish as in Follow Your Neighbor (Fold right, Roll, and step slightly forward).

Ends in a left-hand wave.

Question 18

Peel and Trail

Answer 18

Starting formation: Tandem Couples, Box Circulate, or Tandem Dancers in a Z (e.g. from a wave after the Ends Fold)

1a) Lead dancers do their part of a Peel Off turning away from the center of the formation and walking in an approximate semicircle to become the ends of a four-dancer line or wave.
1b) Trailing dancers do their part of a Trail Off stepping forward as necessary and walking in a small semicircle around the center point to become the centers of the forming line or wave.

When the trailers are a Couple and must cross paths, the dancer on the right has the right-of-way so the Beau allows the Belle to cross in front (Half Sashay).

When the trailers are facing opposite directions they step forward as necessary to the centerline and Trade with each other (using the same hand as the handedness of the formation).

As in Peel Off and Trail Off, always adjust to end in a four-dancer line or wave with each dancer having turned half (180 degrees).

Peel and Trail, including all necessary adjustments, is danced as one continuous motion that cannot be fractionalized.

Peel and Trail from Tandem Couples will end in a One-Faced line.
Peel and Trail from a Box Circulate or from a Right or Left Hand Z will end in an opposite-handed Wave.

Everyone can Roll after a Peel and Trail.

For the four dancers, the center of the ending formation is the same as the center of the
starting formation; however, square breathing adjustments may reposition the whole line or
wave.

When the trailers start facing in the same direction, their dance action feels like a Left
Shoulder Partner Trade.

Question 19

Facing Couples Recycle

Answer 19

From facing couples only:

1a) The beaus step forward until they are side-by-side, while doing a U-Turn Back, turning toward each other.
1b) The belles Veer Left and join right hands with the original beaus. Ends in a right-hand wave; the beaus finish as centers of the wave, and the belles finish as ends.

Question 20

Remake

Answer 20

From a right hand mini-wave box, or a left-hand facing diamond:

1) Those who can Turn 1/4 by the Right.
2) Those who can Turn 1/2 by the Left.
3) Those who can Turn 3/4 by the Right.

For each part of the call, there must be a dancer performing this part and the immediately preceding or following one. For example, the call is not proper from an Inverted Box.

The left-hand version of Remake is called “Left Remake”.

The name of the formation may be added at the end of the call (e.g., Remake The Wave) as a help to the dancers but doing so is optional.

If there are two side-by-side formations, each of which can do the call, dancers don’t move from one to the other. From right-hand columns, for example, each of the two box circulate formations does the call independently.

Question 21

Grand Remake

Answer 21

From right-hand columns (of 6 or 8):
1) Those who can Turn 1/4 by the Right
2) Those who can Turn 1/2 by the Left
3) Those who can Turn 3/4 by the Right

For each part of the call, there must be a dancer performing this part and the immediately
preceding or following one. For example, the call is not proper from Magic Columns.

The left-hand version of Grand Remake is called “Left Grand Remake”.

Question 22

Remake The Thar

Answer 22

From a Thar or Wrong-Way Thar:

1) End and adjacent center Arm Turn one-quarter (90 degrees) to form a momentary Alamo ring.
2) In a continuously flowing movement, everyone releases holds with the dancer they just turned, and with the other hand, turn the next dancer one-half (180 degrees) to form another momentary Alamo ring.
3) Without stopping, they release holds at the completion of the half turn and, with the other arm, turn the next dancer three-quarters (270 degrees) to form another Thar or Wrong-Way Thar.

Question 23

Scoot and Weave

Answer 23

From right-(left-)hand box circulate only:
1) Scoot Back. Those facing in Left (Right) Touch 1/4 with each other, while those facing out Quarter Right (Left). Ends in a wave.
From single quarter tag: Extend, Trade, and then Weave the same way you would from box circulate.

Question 24

Scoot Chain Thru

Answer 24

From waves only:

Those facing out do a Scoot Back, while those facing in Extend, Swing, Slip, Swing, and Extend.

Ends in waves.
From quarter tag: All Extend, Swing, Slip, Swing, and Extend. Ends in three quarter tag

Question 25

Single Wheel

Answer 25

From a couple or mini-wave only:

1) With each dancer taking the part of an entire couple, do a Wheel and Deal.

This call cannot be fractionalized.

For teaching: You can think of this as a Hinge and Roll. However, this call has only one part—it cannot be fractionalized.

Question 26

Slip

Answer 26

From a general line with the centers forming a mini-wave only:

1) Centers Arm Turn 1/2 by the hand they have joined.

Question 27

Slide

Answer 27

From a general line in which each end and the adjacent center form a mini-wave only:

1) Each end and the adjacent center slide nose-to-nose to take each other’s place.

Question 28

Slither

Answer 28

From a general line with centers in a mini-wave only:

1) The centers slide past each other nose-to-nose, to take each other’s place.

Question 29

Swing

Answer 29

From a general line with each end and the adjacent center in a mini-wave only: Each end
and the adjacent center Arm Turn 1/2 by the hand they have joined.

Question 30

Spin the Windmill

Answer 30

From anywhere with a center wave or center facing couples (e.g., 3/4 Tag, Trade By):

1) Centers Swing, Slip, and Cast Off 3/4
2) Outsides face as directed and Circulate two positions.

If the centers start in facing couples, they first Touch, then finish the call.

Left Spin the Windmill is the same, except that:
• It may only be used with the centers in facing couples or a left-hand wave.
• If the centers are in facing couples, they Left Touch before doing the Swing, Slip, and Cast Off 3/4.

Question 31

Box Counter Rotate

Answer 31

From any 4-dancer formation with no dancers facing the flagpole center [At Advanced, this call is used only from a 2X2 formation, e.g., Box Circulate.]:

This call may have a fraction after it, such as Box Counter Rotate 3/4. If no fraction is given, it means Box Counter Rotate 1/4.

For each 1/4 in the fraction:

1) Each dancer moves his position in the formation forward around the center of the formation 90 degrees by walking forward in a smooth arc to reach that spot.

Each dancer works independently of the other 3 dancers in his formation.

Every dancer can Roll at the end of this call.

Question 32

Split Counter Rotate

Answer 32

From any applicable formation [At Advanced, this call is proper only from applicable 2x4 formations, e.g., parallel waves, parallel columns.]:

1) Each half of the square does a Box Counter Rotate.

Question 33

Box Transfer

Answer 33

From box circulate formation, or any symmetric 2x2 formation with 2 leaders and 2 trailers:

1a) Leads Box Circulate Twice and Quarter In
1b) Trailers Extend, Arm Turn 3/4, and Extend

Question 34

Split Transfer

Answer 34

From waves or columns:

Divide the whole formation into two side-by-side box circulate formations. Each of them Box Transfer.

Question 35

Swing and Mix

Answer 35

From an ocean wave or inverted line: ends and adjacent centers Turn 1/2; Centers Cross Run;
resulting Centers Trade. The Facing Couples Rule applies to this call.
Note: There are two ways in which Swing and Mix is not simply the call Swing followed by the call
Mix. First, reflecting historical usage, Swing and Mix is a single call with three parts while (Any
Call) and Mix are two separate calls. Second, from facing couples, Swing and Mix is proper even
though Swing is improper.

Question 36

Switch the Wave

Answer 36

From a wave:

1a) Centers Run
1b) Ends Cross Run.

Question 37

Switch to a Diamond

Answer 37

From a wave or line [At Advanced, this call may be used from waves only]:

1a) Centers Run
1b) Ends do their part of Diamond Circulate

Question 38

Switch to an Hourglass

Answer 38

From waves or lines [At Advanced, this call may be used from parallel waves only]:

1a) Centers Run and to form Box
1b) Ends do their part of Hourglass Circulate to form Diamond

Question 39

Trade Circulate

Answer 39

From waves only:

1a) Leads Trade
1b) Trailing centers Circulate to the nearest end of the other wave
1c) Trailing ends Circulate to the nearest center of the other wave

From two-faced lines only:

1a) The Leads Partner Trade
1b) The Trailers diagonal Pass Thru with each other.

Note: The right-shoulder passing rule applies to this call.

Question 40

Trail Off

Answer 40

Starting Formation: Tandem Couples, Box Circulate, or Tandem Dancers in a Z (e.g. from a wave after the Ends Fold)

1a) Lead dancers, turning toward the center of the formation, walk in an approximate wide semicircle to become the far ends of a four-dancer line.
1b) Trailing dancers step forward as necessary and walk in a small semicircles around the center point of the starting formation to become the centers of the forming line.

For Tandem Couples each couple must begin their semicircles by crossing paths. The dancer on the right has the right-of-way so the Beau allows the Belle to cross in front (Half Sashay).

For Box Circulate and Right or Left-Hand Z formations, the semicircular path of each leader goes around the other trailer. Each trailer moves forward as necessary to the centerline then Trades with the other trailer (using the same hand as the handedness of the formation).

The four dancers in each of the given starting formations always adjust to end in the same four dancer line. Each dancer will have turned half (180 degrees) to end facing the opposite direction from which they started.

Trail Off, including all necessary adjustments, is danced as one continuous motion that cannot be fractionalized.

Trail Off from Tandem Couples will end in a One-Faced line.
Trail Off from a Box Circulate or from a Right- or Left-Hand Z will end in a like-handed Two-Faced Line.

Everyone can Roll after a Trail Off.

For the four dancers, the center of the ending formation is the same as the center of the starting formation; however, square breathing adjustments may reposition the whole line.

Trail Off may be thought of as a “Cross” Peel Off. This helps motivate the Belle in front of
the Beau dance action.

When the trailers start facing in the same direction, their dance action feels like a Left
Shoulder Partner Trade.

Question 41

Transfer and (Anything)

Answer 41

From columns (or other applicable formation):

1a) The #1 and #2 dancers Transfer the Column, omitting the final Extend, ending as an in-facing couple on the outside.
1b) The other dancers walk forward to form a box (or other compact formation; this may be less than a full circulate) in the center and do the (Anything) call.

Question 42

Zig Zag / Zag Zig

Answer 42

From anywhere there are leads and trailers:

Zig means Face Right, and Zag means Face Left.

When given in a pair, as in Tag the Line Zig Zag, the call applies to a group of two dancers; each leader does the first (Zig in this case), and each trailer does the second (Zag in this case).

If only one is given, it is directed to the leaders, and the trailers do nothing. In 3/4 Tag the Line, Zig, only the outsides would Face Right.

Question 43

(Anything) and Cross

Answer 43

From any appropriate formation:

1) Do the “Anything” call.
2) Trailers diagonally Pull By with each other, using their outside hands.

For example, Touch 1/4 and Cross:
Before After Touch 1/4 After
The “Anything” call must end in a 2x2 formation with two leaders, and two trailers who are
facing each other on a diagonal (e.g., box circulate).

Question 44

(Named Dancers) Cross

Answer 44

Any formation in which the designated dancers are facing on a diagonal:

The named dancers diagonally Pull By with each other, using their outside hands.

Ending formation: various.

For example, Wheel and Deal, Beaus Cross: