9. Left-Hand Star / Right-Hand Star
Starting formations: Facing Couples, Squared Set, Infacing Circle Of 8
Command
examples:
Men Center Right Hand Star; Back By
The Left
Heads Square Thru; Make A Right Hand Star With The Sides; Heads Center Left Hand
Star; Back To The Same Girl With A Right and
Left Thru
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star; Heads Star Left Inside To The Same Folks;
Right and Left Thru
Heads Star Thru; Square Thru 3; Left Hand Star; Head Ladies Lead, Flutterwheel
4 Ladies Center, Right Hand Star
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star; Heads to Center star across the square
Heads Square Thru; Right Hand Star 1/2 Way; Veer Left
Dance
action: The designated dancers form a
star by stepping forward if necessary and placing the appropriate hand in the
center of the formation. Forming the star may require a dancer to individually
turn in place up to 3/8 of a turn.
Dancers turn the star by walking forward in a circle around the center of the
star. The distance traveled may be specified in fractions of a star full around,
or until some condition is met (e.g., Men Center Left Hand Star, Pick Up Your
Partner with an Arm Around, Star Promenade).
Ending formation: Star plus an adjustment. Each dancer knows his position on the floor by how far the star turned, and adjusts his facing direction as appropriate for the next call.
Timing: 1/2: 4, 3/4: 6, Full: 8
Styling: Palm star (see Styling section). Men's outside arms in natural dance position, women's outside hands work skirt.
Some areas dance any stars containing men with a Pack-saddle Star (see Styling section).
Comments:
The stars described above are
4-dancer stars. Stars of 3 or more dancers are also proper, as long as the
caller's instructions to the dancers are understood.
Some callers use 2-dancer stars in place of Arm Turns, accomplishing the hands
up styling necessary in Ocean Waves, and having one less call to teach. While
this is acceptable in a teaching situation, and may be a logical way to
understand stars (i.e., 2 or more dancers), 2-dancer stars are not commonly
encountered at dances.