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TEACHING HINTS AND ROUTINES
Tom Fromm writes:
11. SPLIT THE OUTSIDE COUPLE: Starting formation -facing couples. The active or directed couple moves forward between the outside couple who sidesteps slightly to let them through then sidesteps back together again.

STYLING: Men's arms in natural dance position; ladies may work skirts. The couple that is separated by the active couple simply moves out of the way so that the active couple may move between them. Once the active couple has moved through and is out of the way, the couple who separated will move together once again. TIMING: SS, heads or sides pass thru around one to a line, 8; around two to a line, 10; to home, 12. From a Box, insides split the outsides to a line, 4 steps; to home position, 6.

When I teach this move, I will start from a SS. I may have the sides circle 3/4 around, and dosado. Then I'll have them pass thru, stop. I'll tell them that this is a new move, and it starts from here. I will tell them, that when I say go, I want the couple on the outside step apart. I will take this opportunity, to show who is the outsides and why. I'll tell the couple in the middle to step between the others and pass thru like that and stop. I'll tell the original outside couple too make sure the others are clear, and step back together. I will tell them to take the normal hand hold that we use with the partner, and tell them this is the end of this move.
I will do the same with the heads, and then have the girls circle 3/4 and back out there. I will work them each this way, to show some variety. Toward the end of the evening, I will have them do the same with one couple 1/2 sashayed, (getting them used to being on the "wrong" side, and looking at the same sex.) then with both couples 1/2 sashayed. In keeping with the CL teaching order, I can have them face partner, and pass thru. I'll have them face in, and make the square that way to see if we can do the move like that.
I will also have one couple split, and tell the other couple that as soon as they are back together, turn around and tap them on the shoulder and tell them to turn around, and tell the others that they done great, and stay looking at them. I'll tell them that we now have new outsides, and new centers. Now I'll tell them to Split the outsides, and go through the same routine. I will then point out that we now have the square soooo far apart, that we couldn't play with the other side. I use this opportunity, to explain "square adjustments", as well as "feeding" the call to them quickly.
I will work out a variety of things to do after the Split The Outside Couple.( I want to make sure that they don't automatically do that "other" move.)

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