63. DIXIE STYLE TO AN OCEAN WAVE: Starting formation -facing couples or facing tandems. From facing couples, the right hand dancer steps forward and to the left to become the lead dancer in a tandem. Lead dancers join right hands and pull by. Moving to the other trailing dancer, each extends a left hand and touches to a left hand mini wave and turns one quarter (90°). New center dancers join right hands and form a left hand ocean wave.

STYLING: Lead dancers initially pulling by in the center should use handshake hold as in right and left grand. When forming mini waves with trailing dancers, dancers must adjust to the right, using hands-up position and same styling as in swing thru.

TIMING: SS, heads or sides to the wave, 6; all 4 couples to the wave, 8.

Dan Koft writes:
How I teach facing couples Dixie Style to a Wave:
Static Square:
Head/Side ladies make eye contact, you will meet at the start of the call
Head/Side men make eye contact, you will meet at the end of the call
Head/Side ladies start the call by stepping to the center and shaking right hands
Head/Side men "dodge" to your right so your left hand is accessible
Ladies walk by each other and face a man
Everyone LEFT touch 1/4
Men take right hands to make a wave and end the call

I then switch who is doing it and who is watching. Then move onto facing couples in lines and 8 chain thrus. I have also taught it in Sicilian circles using the above script but then no one is watching it happen.

Bill Horst writes:
Here's a tip that I use on teaching Dixie style. It seems to me that one of the problems for the men is that as the ladies come towards them, the girls will offer their left hands but the gentlemen will put up their rights. To solve this problem I tell them this. "Fellas, as soon as the lady leaves your side, take a giant side step to your right. Now when the girl comes toward you, just do a left handed touch a quarter."

This seems to get the gentlemen used to using the correct hand. Of course, you still have to solve the problem of the men putting their right arm around the gal's waist and giving her a courtesy turn. Maybe somebody else has some thoughts on how to prevent that.

Here is a singing call:
Square Thru 2
Right & Left Thru
Veer Left
Couples Circulate
Chain Down The Line
Right & Left Thru
1/2 Sashay
(boys lead) Dixie Style To An Ocean Wave
Girls Trade
Girls Run
Promenade

Doug Holmes writes:
I also like to use the "on the double track" setup for this figure ( Dixie Style to a Wave ).

In MS, Hds/Sds Pass Thru, Separate around 1 to Lines,
Pass Thru, Wheel & Deal [ has four ladies in middle ]
On the Double Track Dixie Style to a Wave, etc. etc.

A nice easy extension, and of course the gents can lead, and later, after Ferris Wheel, some Wheel & Deal, it is possible to use the double track with standard or half sashayed dancers. Variety without added difficulty.