The general figure: - Dancers are in a line (facing down) - Two dancers make an arch - One side goes through the arch, the other side goes around (to face back up) (Dancers end up in the same order left-to-right, but facing up instead of down. It's like the line rotates 180 degrees.)
In a line of 3, it's usually "right hand high, left hand low" (left side goes through). In a line of 4, Dixie twirl is most common (middle 2 arch, right side goes through). But I've found "left 2 arch, right side goes through" also works well and is easy to teach (I've called this "thread the needle", by analogy with dances where this kind of figure happens for a larger number of people in a line). Maybe that's closer to what you mean when you say "everybody" goes under? Yoyo Zhou On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM Elizabeth Bloom Albert via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > Very cool. > Thank you! > > On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 10:19 AM John Sweeney via Contra Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Elizabeth, >> >> Yes, it is called a Dixie Twirl – here is how to do it: >> https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm >> >> >> >> There are lots in Caller’s Box. Here is an easy one of >> mine: https://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/DixieDoo-Dah.html >> >> >> >> You need to emphasise that the end people need to get to the >> OTHER end of their line! >> >> >> >> Did you know that the three-person version goes back to >> 1651: https://playforddances.com/dances/peppers-black/ ? It is the last >> figure. :-) >> >> >> >> Happy dancing, >> >> John >> >> >> >> John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected] 01233 625 362 & >> 07802 940 574 >> >> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent >> >> >> >> >> *From:* Elizabeth Bloom Albert via Contra Callers < >> [email protected]> >> *Sent:* 10 November 2025 16:08 >> *To:* Shared Weight callers list <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* [Callers] Right hand high and left hand low figure >> >> >> >> Dear callers and fellow dance writers, >> >> I am writing a new contra dance and I have a question: >> >> Has there ever been an instance where, during a “Right hand high and >> left hand low,” everybody in a line of FOUR snakes under the raised arms >> (i.e., no one turns alone) in order to come back up the hall? >> >> Caller’s Box explains the move as “A way for a line of three to face the >> other direction and swap ends without dropping hands.” I want it to be a >> line of four. Will that work? >> >> Thank you! >> >> >> >> -- >> >> *Elizabeth Bloom Albert * >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> > > > -- > > * Elizabeth Bloom Albert * > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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