Various moves that have seeped in from American dancing or international dancing. These are probably not very useful in a typical English barn dance (unless the cultural seepage gets more pronounced in the future, and why shouldn't it?), but here they are anyway because I've met them all on the dance floor. The definitions are mostly taken from Hugh Stewart's Elements of English Country Dance and/or from John Meechan's Tanglefoot.
Box the Gnat
A couple meet offering right hands, they change places with the woman going under their joint raised arms, and turn to face each other still holding right hands.
California Twirl
Starting with a couple facing in the same direction holding inside hands (man's right, woman's left), she turns left and moves into his place under their raised hands, while he moves a step forward and then turns right and moves into her place. The couple ends up facing in the opposite direction from where they started, still holding inside hands.
Crosstrail
Facing couples pass through, but women cross in front of partner to change sides.
Flutterwheel
Similar to a half ladies chain. Starting from two facing couples the women do a half right hand turn, and then complete the turn after collecting the other man's right hand in their left. The men have to start moving before they get collected so that the women can keep moving smoothly to do a full right hand turn. Effect is to leave the women in their starting positions with the men in opposite places.
Grapevine
Holding hands, often in a line, step left, put right foot behind left, step left, bring both feet together. Set right and left. Can also be done to the right.
Star Through
Starting with a man facing a woman the man holds up his right hand (like a policeman stoping traffic) and she holds her left so they touch palms. Each moves forwards, the man turning right after passing her, and the woman turning left after passing under their joint raised arms. The couple ends up side by side holding inside hands with the woman on the man's right.
Last updated 10 June, 2002