10 Nov
2025
10 Nov
'25
9:19 a.m.
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 <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Very cool.
Thank you!
On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 10:19 AM John Sweeney via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> 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 john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
*From:* Elizabeth Bloom Albert via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent:* 10 November 2025 16:08
*To:* Shared Weight callers list <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*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 *
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* Elizabeth Bloom Albert *
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