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TEACHING HINTS AND ROUTINES
Submitted byTom Fromm
8. STAR FAMILY: Starting formation -facing dancers, facing couples, square, circle.
(a) LEFT HAND STAR
(b) RIGHT HAND STAR.
The directed dancers step forward and extend designated hands to form a left or right
hand star. Dancers turn the star by walking forward in a circle around the center of the
star. Turning distance of the star may be specified in fractions of one quarter, one half,
three quarters, or a complete revolution.

STYLING: In a forward moving star inside hands should be joined in a "palm star"
position (hands of those making the star at about average eye level-palms touching), arms
bent at elbow. Men's outside arms in natural dance position, ladies' outside hands work
skirt.

TIMING: 4 people, full around, 8; three quarters, 6; one half, 4; one quarter, 2.
8 people, full around, 16; three quarters, 12; one half, 8; one quarter, 4.
It may be a surprise to some of you, but I teach both (Left & Right
Hand) stars together. I start with a static square, and have the girls
reach in with a right hand, connect hands and walk forward around the
inside. I tell them to go around 2 times, and back out at home. While they
are walking around, I tell them that this is a right hand star. I then do
the same with the boys, but use the left hand, telling them that it is a
the boys the proper hand to wrist hold (pack saddle) used. I will ask them
to step in and feel how that works. I will have them turn the star a full
time and back out at home. I will tell the ladies to just use palm to the
center, because they are so pretty that way. I also tell the boys, that if
they are staring with girls, to use the palm in, that way we can see the
girls pretty hands. I'll tell them that they have to listen to which hand
I say to use, and who I say to do the move. I'll then reverse the rolls,
exposing them to both directions of the star.

Next I will have the heads(sides) star left, (right) full around and back
out at home. Then I will have the girls star right 1/2 way and back our
over there. Now I will have the boys star left 1/2 way and back out by
their partner. Allemande Left - Swing - Promenade.

I will want to take a few minutes to show two person stars. I may have
the head girls star left 1/2 way, and back out there. Then the side boys
star right 1/2 way, and back out there. Now have the side girls star left
1/2 way, and back out there. Then the head boys star right 1/2 way, and
back out there. Do an allemande left, now promenade. The rolls can be
reversed on this as well, to add a lot of variety.
Later, I'll have them doing 3/4 stars. An interesting routine is girls
star left 3/4 and back out there, Boys star right 3/4 and back out there,
girls star left 1/2 way and back out there. Allemande Left and Promenade.
(By pushing your checkers, you can find a lot of fun variations.)
After we get around to getting them into an 8 chain thru position, (heads square thru 4) I want to walk them slowly through star right, then
centers star left. I'll do this a few times, to get them comfortable.
As in a use I have in mind for circle, there is an equivalent for stars.
That would be #1& #2 girl, #3 & #4 boy star. I haven't yet tried this,
but definitely will. Anyone trying this, may want to push the checkers
first. It will be unsymmetrical, but if you give the opposite genders
equal time, it should fix itself.
Al Stevens writes:
This contradicts the "styling" hint for stars that preceded this comment.
Did I understand you correctly that you taught the men to create the pack
saddle grip for a "forward" moving star?? This is inconsistent with what
you described in the "styling" portion of the movement. I think when you
check the styling hints for "stars" and "thars", you'll find that all
forward moving stars are "palm" stars and all backup stars are
"pack-saddle", for the men, and all stars (forward or backup) for the
ladies are "palm" stars. I know this is contrary to the way we were
taught, I still (after 40 years) have a problem with this.

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