Hi Jonathan, It depends on how you interpret "push your partner back". People could actually be quite close to their partners if they allow their arms to bend, so then the "Ladies, go back" might be worthwhile. I call it regularly and have always interpreted it as "Take two hands with your partner, as in a Poussette; make a nice firm rectangle with your arms and maintain that frame throughout the move" (but not necessarily with those words when addressing the dancers!). In this case you will end up in the right relative position to start the Box the Gnat, so the only instruction I give is "As you move away from the centre change to a right-to-right hold". Note, with a small number of dancers it is often better to reverse the directions - Men push first. Or you can just enjoy the crashes in the middle and make a joke about the ability of the ladies to steer! (As long as you are sure that no-one will be offended by such non-PC humour!) Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent From: Jonathan Sivier <jsivier(a)illinois.edu> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] question about Disturbed By Insects Message-ID: <5304FC78.7060807(a)illinois.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; format=flowed I'm planning to call the circle mixer Disturbed By Insects on Friday (in part in honor of the 31st annual Insect Fear Film Festival being held this weekend here in Champaign-Urbana) and I've got a question about one of the instructions. The instructions I have are Disturbed by Insects Inga Morton mixer Formation: circle of couples, all facing counterclockwise A1 Promenade (with inside hands joined) California twirl Promenade back California twirl (then join both hands) A2 Ladies, push your partner to the center Gents, push your partner back Ladies, push your partner to the center Ladies, go back B1 With your partner box the gnat With your opposite to the left swat the flea With your opposite to the right box the gnat With your opposite to the left swat the flea B2 With your opposite to the right balance and swing This all makes sense except at the end of A2. If the ladies go back, and the gents stay put, then they will be separated by a gap and won't be able to reach their partner for the "box the gnat" at the beginning of B2. So it seems to me that it should say either "Ladies, go back and the gents follow" or "Gents, push your partner back again" or something similar. Does anyone have any advice on this? Thanks. Jonathan