[Callers] Hole in the Wall Crossing

[John Sweeney]

Hi Angela,
	“Hole in the Wall” isn’t a move.  It is a dance from 1695.

	The “Hole in the Wall Crossing” is not a new move.  It is a stylised version of a normal Cross Over.

	You can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=TUxbcJIOHNY

	There are countless contra dances already with moves like: Balance the Ring; Ladies Cross.

	You just do the crossing in that style and you are doing a “Hole in the Wall Crossing”.  You don’t need to write new dances, just give the dancers that stylistic option.

	Notes: 
They almost certainly didn’t cross over like that in 1695.  That style was added by someone, probably in the middle of the 20th century, and it became so popular in that dance that when people wanted that style in other dances they started referring to it as the “Hole in the Wall Crossing”.

While the video of them dancing The Hole in the Wall is very nice, it was extremely unlikely to have been danced in Jane Austen’s time.  It was over 100 years old, and they didn’t dance old dances in the way that we do today.

	I hope that helps to clarify things! 😊

Happy dancing,
John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England john at modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent