67. HINGE FAMILY: A hinge is a half of a trade. Any two adjacent couples or dancers who can trade can also hinge.

(a) COUPLES HINGE: Starting formation -line or two-faced line. Working as a unit, each couple does half of a couples trade to end in a two-faced line at right angles to the original line.

(b) SINGLE HINGE: Starting formation -mini wave. Dancers do half of a trade with each other to end in a mini wave at right angles to the original mini wave.

STYLING: Couples use couple handhold and styling similar to wheel and deal. Single hinge uses hands up position.

TIMING: Couples hinge, 3 steps; single hinge, 2 steps.

Dan Koft writes:
I think Partner Hinge was dropped because of the circle of: it is not used enough, so the dancers are not comfortable with it, so callers don't use it enough.

I tried one year to teach everthing in the B/MS programs in the order of if a call can be called using other calls to get the same effect teach those calls first that have no prior dependanceis then dance calls based upon what has been taught then teach the name.

In this plan Right & Left Thru was danced "Square Thru 1, Courtesy Turn" and Spin the Top was danced "All Trade, Fan the Top" prior to the names being taught. Since a right hand Trade is two right hand Hinges I tried teaching Hinge first. This was the only unqualified mistake in that entire lesson plan.

My teach for Hinge consists of "hinge is a half of a trade, another way to think of it is a 1/4 turn by the right or left" Followed by many dancing examples. When I taught Partner Hinge I taught it as "partner hinge is a half of a partner trade, another way to think of it is to face your current partner and step up right hand to right hand"

By Tom Fromm:
Heads Touch 1/4
Walk & Dodge
Swing Thru
Boys Run
Couples Hinge
1/2 Tag
Single Hinge
Fan The Top
Boys Run
Couples Hinge
Bend The Line
Pass Thru
Swing
Promenade