Starting formations: Facing Couples, Squared Set, Infacing Circle Of 8
Command examples:
Men Center Right Hand Star; Back By The Left
Heads Square Thru; Make A Right Hand Star With The Sides; Heads Center Left Hand Star; Back To
The Same Girl With A Right and Left Thru
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star; Heads Star Left Inside To The Same Folks; Right and Left Thru
Heads Star Thru; Square Thru 3; Left Hand Star; Head Ladies Lead, Flutterwheel
4 Ladies Center, Right Hand Star
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star; Heads to Center star across the square
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star 1/2 Way; Veer Left
Dance action: The designated dancers form a star by stepping forward if necessary and placing the
appropriate hand in the center of the formation. Forming the star may require a dancer to individually
turn in place up to 3/8 of a turn.
Dancers turn the star by walking forward in a circle around the center of the star. The distance
traveled may be specified in fractions of a star full around, or until some condition is met (e.g., Men
Center Left Hand Star, Pick Up Your Partner with an Arm Around, Star Promenade).
Ending formation: Star plus an adjustment. Each dancer knows his position on the floor by how far the
star turned, and adjusts his facing direction as appropriate for the next call.
Timing: 1/2: 4, 3/4: 6, Full: 8
Styling: Palm star (see Styling section). Men's outside arms in natural dance position, women's outside
hands work skirt.
Some areas dance any stars containing men with a Pack-saddle Star (see Styling section).
Comments: The stars described above are 4-dancer stars. Stars of 3 or more dancers are also proper, as
long as the caller's instructions to the dancers are understood.
Some callers use 2-dancer stars in place of Arm Turns, accomplishing the hands up styling necessary
in Ocean Waves, and having one less call to teach. While this is acceptable in a teaching situation, and
may be a logical way to understand stars (i.e., 2 or more dancers), 2-dancer stars are not commonly
encountered at dances.
