Hi Amy,

              “Hand Cast”, “Gate”, “Wheel Around” (which I am surprised is not in https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm),  and “Turn As A Couple” are all fundamentally the same move.

              Two people stand side by side, facing the same way, and hold the nearest hand. They rotate staying in line with each other.

              The only questions are where the pivot point is and how far you turn.  Wheel Around and Turn As A Couple usually mean that the pivot point is the joined hands and that you turn 180 degrees.  Hand Cast and Gate usually mean that the pivot point is one of the dancers and the rotation can be 180, 270 or 360 degrees, depending on the dance.

              Of course, nowadays most contra dancers told to Turn As A Couple will do a California Twirl instead.

              And “Hand Cast” can be done with arms around each other’s waists, or by, for example, #2s facing up and offering an elbow for the #1s to hook into so that they can be whirled around the corner – more likely when the #1s are galloping up the set and need help to redirect their momentum!

            Happy dancing,

                   John                      

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent