Circle Left / Circle Right

Case 1: 8 dancers

Starting formations

Squared Set,Infacing Circle Of 8

Command examples

Circle Left

Circle to the Left

Join Hands, Circle Left

Circle Right, The Other Way Back

(while circling left) Reverse, and Circle Right the other way back

Circle

Dance action

Dancers join hands with adjacent dancers to form a circle and move the circle in the indicated direction, or to the left if no direction was given. The amount to circle may be a specified distance (for example, Circle Left 1/2 Way) or until the next command is given (for example, Circle Left ... Circle Right).

Ending formation

Infacing Circle Of 8. On the command "Stop At Home", the ending formation is a Squared Set.

Timing

¼: 4, ½: 8, ¾: 12, Full: 16

Styling

As dancers join hands (couple handhold) to form a circle, they face slightly left or right as directed. All dancers walk forward with joined hands, elbows bent comfortably so that hands are above the elbow.

Couple handhold in circles: In circles with alternating men and women, men's palms are up and women's palms are down. In other circles (for example, BBGG), everyone has the right-hand palm up and the left-hand palm down.

Some regions dance 8-dancer circles with a walking step with no turning motion of the body. Other regions dance 8-dancer circles with a grapevine step, with the body and arms turning left and right, in synchrony with this step, allowing the dancers to make eye contact with their Corners and Partners successively.

Comments

The command "Circle", without a direction, is a shorthand for Circle Left. It is mainly used in Singing Calls when required by the timing of the lyrics.

When circling, "Reverse" or "Go The Other Way" can be used to tell the dancers to stop and circle in the other direction. It is usually followed with a "Circle Right (or Left)".

Case 2: 4 dancers

Starting formation

Facing Couples

Command examples

Circle Left 1/2 Way

Circle Four, 1/2 Way Around

Circle Right 3/4

In Groups of 4, Circle Left 3/4 of the Way Around

Dance action

Same as above. When dancing in a circle of 4, the dancers end as the same facing couples rotated by the appropriate amount.

Ending formation

Facing Couples

Timing

½: 4, ¾: 6, Full: 8

Styling

Same as above. The grapevine step is not recommended in 4-dancer circles.

Comments

From Facing Lines, the caller should indicate clearly whether to make one 8-dancer circle, two 4-dancer circles, or four 2-dancer circles. A wider variety of Command Examples are often used when calling to English-speaking dancers (for example, “Circle up 4, go 3/4 round; Right and Left Thru”).

Case 3: 2 dancers

Starting formation

Facing Dancers

Command examples

Single Circle Full Around

Single Circle Left Halfway

Single Circle Left 1/2; Pass Thru

Head Ladies Single Circle full around and back out at home

Those facing join both hands, Single Circle Left three-quarters

To the Right, Single Circle 3/4

Heads Square Thru 4; with your Corner Dosado; then Single Circle half, and Star Thru

Heads Lead Left; Single Circle Right 3/4; Step to a Left-Hand Ocean Wave

Dance action

The facing dancers join both hands and move around the center point between them in the indicated direction, or to the left if no direction was given. The amount to move is specified as a fraction of a full circle (there is no default).

Ending formation

Facing Dancers

Timing

1/4: 2, 1/2: 4, 3/4: 5, Full: 7

Styling

Dancers join right hand to left hand and left hand to right hand. In the case of a man facing a woman, they join hands with the man holding both palms up and the women holding both palms down. In all other cases, both dancers hold right hand palm up and left hand palm down. Some regions always use the latter styling. At the end of the call, dancers drop hands or adjust the handhold depending on the next call.

Comments

"Single Circle" is a historical name for this action and is consistent with other calls where a larger action is reduced to just two dancers. A wider variety of Command Examples are often used when calling to English-speaking dancers (for example, “Circle up 2, go halfway round”).

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