Central North Carolina here. In this region, wrist-grip or wagon-wheel stars are the default. Some dances specify hands-across if the choreography asks for it. 

Joy Greenwolfe
Durham, NC

On Oct 10, 2016, at 4:34 PM, Read Weaver via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

When I’m teaching, I make the point that it’s pretty much the only move in contra where you _shouldn’t_ give weight even though you could—human wrists being neither strong nor flexible in that direction. And that if someone behind you is uncomfortably giving weight, you can just let go and turn it into a single file for yourself, since you’re not giving weight to aid the circle's momentum anyway.

Read Weaver
Jamaica Plain, MA

On Oct 10, 2016, at 1:49 PM, Don Veino via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Not sure how I came by it, but I call them "pack saddle" stars when I teach beginners ("wrist-lock", no). "Raise your right hand, put it in the center and now lay it on the wrist of the person in front of you, like a pack saddle on a horse, to make a star. Notice you don't need to clamp on or even really use your thumb at all."

And yes, very much the default star form from my experience.

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