"Thread the Needle" seems to be a reasonable description of the move and easy to remember, especially if the caller teaches it carefully and associates the name with that move.

Regardless of the cultural/historical implications of "Dixie Twirl", the name Dixie Twirl is one more code phrase that dancers would have to remember. Whenever possible, I prefer using terminology that has visual associations with the actual dance move. (Said by someone who calls square dances with all sorts of code words at high speed.)

Regards,

Woody

On 8/8/2019 12:44 AM, jim saxe via Callers wrote:

I rather like the term Greg Frock's suggestion (not claimed to be original) of "Thread the Needle".  While I've heard "Thread the Needle" used with other meanings, I think there's little danger of confusion in the contra context, especially since that the action is rare enough that the caller will presumably need to teach it.

Ric Goldman wrote:

I’ve sometimes come across this a Paired Twirl, a Paired California Twirl, a California Four,  or an Arch and Swap (taught this way):
 
               In a line-of-4 facing all the same, middles raise an arch and, keeping hands, right-hand pair goes under the arch (led by end dancer) while left-hand pair cross over to the other side (led by the end dancer).
               End result is the same line-of-4, facing back the other way, much as a California Twirl does for 2 dancers.
 
This description also avoids any gender-specific terms in case that’s an offense issue for others.

In modern western square dance terminology, the figure might be called "As Couples, California Twirl" though I don't know whether it actually is (since it might be claimed that that would imply the right hand pair going under the arch side-by-side--which could require quite a stretch of the arching dancers' arms--rather than with the end dancer in the lead).

Digressing for a moment from the terminology, I'll take the opportunity to opine that the action could be smoother if the two dancers nearest the left end of the line are the ones who make the arch, rather than the two center dancers.  (Anyone agree? disagree?)  Regardless of who makes the arch, it's important that the dancer on the left end of the line remember to move across the set instead standing still as if only the right hand dancers were active.

Returning to terminology, note that if the leftmost pair of dancers make the arch. then "As Couples, California Twirl" definitely will not bean accurate description, but I think "Thread the Needle" would be just fine.

--Jim

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