Swing Thru / Left Swing Thru

Starting formations Ocean Wave, Alamo Ring
Command examples

Swing Thru

Left Swing Thru

Dance action

Swing Thru: Those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the right; then those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the left.

Left Swing Thru: Those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the left; then those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the right.

Dancers must work in their group:
  • From an Alamo Ring, all dancers form one group.
  • Otherwise, active dancers form one or more groups of four dancers each.
Ending formation Ocean Wave, Alamo Ring
Timing6
Styling Use Hands Up throughout the call. (See "Additional Detail: Styling: Arms and Hands"; however, also see "General: Standardization".) The first part of the call blends smoothly into the second part.
Comments

The Facing Couples Rule applies to these calls.

From a Tidal Wave, Swing Thru is danced in the Ocean Wave on each half; no dancers cross the center of the Tidal Wave.

After applying the Facing Couples Rule, the starting formation of Swing Thru must be a Wave or an Alamo Ring (except for the extended application below). It is improper, for example, to Swing Thru from an Inverted Line.

As an extended application, dancers can work in other groups, provided that after applying the Facing Couples Rule they are in a wave of three or more dancers. In this case, the caller must clearly tell those dancers to work together. For example, Heads Pass The Ocean; Extend; Boys Circulate 1 1/2; Girls Cast Off 3/4; In the Wave of 6, Swing Thru. To have eight dancers work together is especially tricky, and should be used only with great caution, since normally eight dancers work in two groups of four. The eight-dancer application is usually reserved for dance programs in which a different call achieves this action.

Starting formationOcean Wave or Alamo
Ending formation Same as starting formation.
Styling All hands are joined in hands-up position, elbows in close. Exert slight pressure to assist opposite dancer in turning. Arcing turns should be utilized rather than pull by type of movements and should flow effortlessly from one turn to the other so that you are in a sense, "weaving" along the line.
Timing6 steps from point of contact

Swing Thru

Dance action Those who can, turn by the right one half (180°), then those who can, turn by the left one half (180°). If "right" is not specified preceding the command to Swing Thru, it is a right Swing Thru. The Facing Couples Rule applies to this call.

Alamo Swing Thru

Dance action Everyone turns half by the right, then everyone turns half by the left. When Left Swing Thru is directed from an alamo formation, everyone turns half by the left, then everyone turns half by the right.

Left Swing Thru

Dance action Those who can, turn by the left one half (180°), then those who can, turn by the right one half (180°). If Left Swing Thru is required, it must be specifically directed "Left Swing Thru". The Facing Couples Rule applies to this call.