Callerlab Basic & Mainstream Definitions
BASIC MOVEMENTS 10-19
10. PASS THRU: Starting formation -facing dancers. Dancers move forward, passing
right shoulders with each other. Each ends in the other's starting position but neither
dancer changes facing direction.
STYLING: Man's right shoulder slightly forward as right shoulders pass. Arms in natural
dance position. Ladies work skirts with hands, right hand leading as right shoulders pass.
TIMING: From a static square (SS), heads or sides passing thru across the set, 4; Box, 2.
11. SPLIT THE OUTSIDE COUPLE: Starting
formation -facing couples. The active or directed couple moves forward between the outside
couple who sidesteps slightly to let them through then sidesteps back together again.
STYLING: Men's arms in natural dance position; ladies may work skirts. The couple that
is separated by the active couple simply moves out of the way so that the active couple
may move between them. Once the active couple has moved through and is out of the way, the
couple who separated will move together once again. TIMING: SS, heads or sides pass thru
around one to a line, 8; around two to a line, 10; to home, 12. From a Box, insides split
the outsides to a line, 4 steps; to home position, 6.
12. HALF SASHAY FAMILY: (a) HALF SASHAY. Starting
formation -couple. Partners exchange places without changing facing directions. Dancer on
the right sidesteps to the left, while the other dancer on the left steps back, sidesteps
to the right, then steps forward to rejoin partner. (b) ROLLAWAY. Starting formation
-couple. The directed dancer, or if not specified the dancer on the right, rolls across a
full turn (360°) in front of the dancer on the left, as he sidesteps to the right -to
exchange places. From a circle, unless otherwise directed, the ladies roll left across in
front of the men. (c) LADIES IN, MEN SASHAY: Starting formation -circle or line with
alternating men and ladies. With all dancers facing in, the ladies step forward and pause,
while the men move to the left behind and past one lady. Ladies step back and rejoin hands
with the men. If the circle is moving to the right, the men sashay to the right.
STYLING: Hands held in normal couple handhold. Man and lady each use a slight pulling
motion toward each other as they initiate the sashay movement. Rollaway: Handhold same as
joined couples. Man should slightly pull lady as both man and lady reach to join hands and
continue pulling motion with outside hand. Man steps back with left foot, to the side and
across. Ladies In, Men Sashay: Men's hands in slightly up position ready to rejoin the
ladies in the circle. Ladies should have both hands on skirt when moving to the center and
momentarily bunch skirts before returning to the circle. TIMING: Half sashay, 4 steps;
Rollaway, 4; Ladies in, men sashay, 4.
13. TURN BACK FAMILY: (a) U TURN BACK: Starting
formation -single dancer. The dancer does an in-place about-face turn (180°), turning
toward partner unless the body flow dictates otherwise. If alone (i.e. no partner), the
dancer turns toward the center of the set. If the dancer is facing directly toward or away
from the center of the set, he may turn in either direction. (b) GENTS OR LADIES
BACKTRACK: Starting formation -single dancer. The dancer does a U turn back by stepping
out and turning away from partner or the center of the set.
STYLING: Arms in natural dance position. TIMING: 2 steps.
14. SEPARATE: Starting formation -couple. The dancers in
the couple turn back to back with each other and walk forward around the outside of the
square. The distance traveled is determined by the next call.
STYLING: Those not active will move forward to get out of the way so that those moving
will not have so far to go. Men's arms in natural dance position; ladies' skirt work
optional. TIMING: 2 steps.
15. COURTESY TURN: Starting formation -couple,
facing dancers. (Limited at Mainstream to couples with man on left, woman on right.) The
man (left hand dancer) takes the lady's (right hand dancer) left hand (palm down) in his
left (palm up) and places his right hand in the small of the lady's back. Working as a
unit, the couple turns around with the left hand dancer backing up and right hand dancer
walking forward. Unless otherwise specified, the couple faces the center of the set or the
center of the formation in which it is working.
STYLING: Men, the extended left hand serves as a direction indicator and the man uses
his left hand to lead, not pull. Place the right hand in the small of the lady's back.
Ladies use the right hand to work the skirt. The call courtesy turn is limited to turning
a woman on the man's right. TIMING: 4 steps.
16. LADIES CHAIN FAMILY: (a) TWO LADIES CHAIN:
Starting formation -facing couples (man on left, lady on right). The ladies step forward,
extend right hands to each other and pull by. Each man steps forward and to the right,
turning left to face the same direction as the lady beside him. The lady extends a left
hand to the man for a courtesy turn. Couples end facing each other. (b) FOUR LADIES CHAIN:
Starting formation -square or circle of 8 dancers. Similar to two ladies chain except that
all four ladies step to the center and form a right hand star. They turn the star halfway
around to their opposite men. All courtesy turn to face the center of the set. NOTE: TWO
(or FOUR) LADIES CHAIN THREE QUARTERS: Starting formation -facing couples, a square or
circle of 8 dancers. The directed ladies step to the center, form a right hand star and
turn the star three quarters. All courtesy turn to face the center of the set. (c) CHAIN
DOWN THE LINE: From a right hand line or left hand ocean wave, centers trade while ends
adjust as necessary. Then the ends courtesy turn the centers. Ending formation is facing
couples.
STYLING: Men release partner then turn right shoulder slightly toward the center of the
square to begin the courtesy turn portion of the call, step back with the left foot.
Ladies use handshake pull by for two ladies chain. No skirt work except as part of the
courtesy turn. Three quarter and four ladies chain, ladies use the hands up palm star,
touching right hands in the star pattern. It is important that the man clears a path for
receiving the lady after the chain by moving slightly to the right and starting the
courtesy turn motion before the lady arrives. TIMING: SS, two ladies across set, 8 steps;
three quarters, 10; four ladies across set, 8; three quarters, 10; down the line, 8.
17. DO PASO: Starting formation -circle of two or more
couples. Each dancer faces partner or directed dancer and does a left arm turn half
(180°) to face in the opposite direction. Releasing armholds and moving forward, each
dancer goes to the corner for a right arm turn half (180°). Each returns to the starting
partner to courtesy turn to face the center of the set or to follow the next call.
STYLING: All dancers' hands in position for forearm turns, alternating left and right.
When the courtesy turn portion of the do paso is replaced by a different logical basic,
then the styling reverts to that basic. TIMING: SS from start to finish of courtesy turn,
16 steps; to the next call, 12.
18. LEAD RIGHT: Starting formation -couple. Directed
couple(s) take a step forward, and as a unit turn to the right 90° and move forward.
STYLING: Normal couple handhold between the man and lady, outside hands in normal dance
position. TIMING: 4 steps.
19. RIGHT AND LEFT THRU: Starting formation
-facing couples. Dancers step forward, join right hands with the dancer directly ahead and
pull by. Each couple then does a courtesy turn to face the other couple.
STYLING: Each dancer takes regular handshake hold (right hands) with opposite as they
move by each other. They release hands immediately as they pull by. For courtesy turn
styling, refer to Basic #15.
TIMING: SS, heads or sides across the set, 8 steps; Box (couples standing close together),
6; OW (within an ocean wave -a formation that appears in Basic #34
), 6 steps.
![[Company Logo Image]](images/falcon.gif)
SILVER
GEM Country Dances 
