TEACHING HINTS, ROUTINES

76. SPIN CHAIN THE GEARS: Starting formation - Parallel Ocean Waves. Each end and the adjacent center dancer turn one-half (180 degrees). The new centers of each ocean wave turn three-quarters (270 degrees) to form a new ocean wave across the set, as the other four dancers do a U Turn Back (turning in toward the center). The centers of the wave Trade and then release hands with each other. Four dancers on each side of the square now form a four-hand star and turn the star three-quarters, forming a new wave across the set. Centers of this wave Trade momentarily reforming the wave across the set. The two outside pairs of dancers of the center wave now turn three-quarters (270 degrees) as the other four dancers turn back (turning away from the center).

Timing: 24 counts.

There are three call in the Plus program that are built on the MS call Spin Chain Thru. Dancers should be comfortable with Spin Chain Thru before being taught Spin Chain the Gears. After putting the dancers in Parallel Waves (callers choice of arrangements) tell the dancers that they are going to learn a call similar to Spin Chain Thru, BUT we will interrupt the call with a Star that makes the call a Gear. By this time dancers should know that all call that starts with the word Chain be- gins with the outside dancer and the adjacent dancer turning 1/2. Also, they should know that when they hear the word Chain, they should know that some dancers will be trading. Spin Chain The Gears has all of these. If the dancers are in a Right Hand Wave, tell the dancers to turn 1/2 by the right. Those now in the center of the wave will turn 3/4 by the left hand (of course it will be other hand in both cases if they start in a Left Hand Wave). Point out to them that now there is a wave down the center and the dancers that didn’t turn by the left are standing by themselves. We will call these dancers Points. In the wave the very Center dancers will Trade. While they are trading have the Point dancers do a U Turn Back and get to form a four handed Star which is the Gears. Once they have formed the Star, tell them that they will turn the Star 3/4. Point out to them that the Point dancer that is facing out before the 3/4 turn will join another dancer in the center of the square to join hands. Now turn the Star until the two facing Point dancers are touching. When they touch hands they will trade with each other (these two trades makes for the Chain part of the call). Now we still have a wave down the center with new Points dancers. These new Point dancers will step away from the center action and do a U Turn Back. The ones in the wave will turn 3/4 to join hands with the Points that did the last U Turn Back.

Hint: There seems to be three trouble areas to watch for. 1. The first Point dancers will forget to turn back and get into the action. 2. The facing out Point dancer will lose track of how far a 3/4 turn will take them. 3. In each wave the centers will forget to Trade. Spin Chain The Gears is considered a Zero or Technical Zero movement. That is when the dancers Finnish the movement they should be beside the dancer they started with. They will just be on the other end of the square. Ends will remain Ends and Centers will remain Centers. Since this is an eight dancer movement, it can only be used from parallel waves at this level.

The following routine examples are mainly for get - ins and get - outs for those that want to use different arrangements.

Routine examples:

Singing Call:
Heads Square Thru
Do Sa Do (for timing)
Spin Chain the Gears
Swing Thru (here one can use Scoot Back
Boys Trade instead of these two calls) Swing & Promenade

Heads square Thru
Slide Thru
Right & Left Thru
Dixie Style to a Wave
Spin Chain the Gears (It’s a Lefty)
Girls Run
Couples Circulate
Ferris Wheel
Pass Thru
L.A.
You are home

Heads Square Thru
Touch 1/4
Spin chain the Gears (BGBG)
Boys Run
Right and Left Thru
Slide Thru
L.A. & Promenade

Heads Square Thru
Touch 1/4
Centers Trade
Spin Chain The Gears (BBGG)
Centers Run
Star Thru
Double Pass Thru
Track 2
Recycle
Pass Thru
Trade By
Slide Thru
Dixie Style to a Wave
Boys Trade
L.A.