CALLERLAB Program: Advanced 1
Teaching Resource for Any Hand Concept
Links: Analyze – Module – Teach
Teaching Order: after Cross Clover and (Anything)
Recently taught calls: Explode (Anything), Pair Off. Reverse Swap Around
Background: The Any Hand Concept was created about 1981 (author unknown). It was added to the A-1 Program in 2009.
Definition
Any Hand is typically used with an (anything) call that starts with the right hand and is defined to consist of, or begin with, a series of one or more Turn actions (examples: Swing Thru, Quarter Thru, Remake). The parts of the (anything) call are all done in the same order, and for each Turn the same fraction is used, but the hand used may be different and the dance action may be modified.
Timing: (Approximately the same timing as usual for the Anything call.)
Starting formations: Inverted Line(s), Inverted Box(es), Diamond(s). Every partner pair must be in a Right-Hand or Left-Hand Mini-Wave.
Dance action: The first Turn in the series is performed by each pair of partners, who become active and Turn the appropriate amount by whichever hand (Right or Left) connects them.
For every Turn in the series after the first, if a dancer was active on the previous Turn and can now use the other hand to hold the hand of a different dancer, then both those dancers become connected and active for the current Turn (and it doesn’t matter whether that other dancer was active on the previous Turn). If two dancers who connect in this way are in a Mini-Wave, they Turn by the appropriate amount; but if they are in a Couple, the turn is modified as follows:
— Turn 1/4: if in a couple, use Cast Off 1/4.
— Turn 1/2: if in a couple, use Partner Trade.
— Turn 3/4: if in a couple, use Cast Off 3/4.
All other dancers become inactive for the current Turn.
After the last Turn in the series, all dancers become active for the remaining parts of the call (if any).
Note: The Advanced Definitions document has diagrams for each of the following examples. The diagrams can also be viewed using the link to Taminations.
Example #1: Any Hand Swing Thru
Starting from an Inverted Line, all Turn 1/2 (some by right, some by left), Centers Partner Trade. Ends in a One-faced Line.
Example #2: Any Hand Quarter Thru
Starting from an Inverted Box, All Turn 1/4 (some by right, some by left), Centers Partner Trade. Ends in a One-faced Line.
Example #3: Any Hand Three-Quarter Thru
Starting from a Right-Hand Diamond, Center Turn Right 3/4, Each Couple does a Partner Trade. Ends in a Left-Hand Two-Faced Line.
Example #4: Any Hand Remake
Starting from an Inverted Box, all Turn 1/4 (some by right, some by left), Centers Partner Trade, then each Couple does a Cast Off 3/4. Ends in Facing Couples.
Comments: The call Any Hand (anything) is proper only if there are at least two dancers active for each Turn in the series.
If the (anything) call is a 4-dancer call, then Any Hand (anything) is a 4-dancer call (example: Any Hand Quarter Thru). If the (anything) call is an 8-dancer call, then Any Hand (anything) is an 8-dancer call (example: Any Hand Grand Quarter Thru).
Example #5: from Left-Hand Point-to-Point Diamonds, the call Any Hand Three-Quarter Thru has the Centers of each Diamond Turn 3/4 by the Left — the Very Centers do not Turn 3/4 by the Right because this is a 4-dancer call — then all Partner Trade to end in a Right-Hand Tidal Two-Faced Line.
Example #6: Any Hand Grand Three-Quarter Thru
From a Magic Column (two Inverted Boxes in a General Column) each Mini-Wave turns 3/4 (some by the right and some by the left), then the Centers of each side Partner Trade and the Very Centers Turn 1/2. Ends in a Tidal Line of the same handedness as the original outside Mini-Waves.
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If any dancers use Cast Off to replace a Turn because they are in a Couple, all the usual rules for Cast Off apply, including how it is danced from a Tidal Line or Line of 6.
Example #7: Any Hand Grand Remake
From a Magic Column each Mini-Wave turns 1/4 (some by the right and some by the left), then the Centers of each side Partner Trade and the Very Centers Turn 1/2, then within each four the Couples Cast Off 3/4 turning away from the center of their foursome. Ends in an Eight Chain Thru formation.
Example #8: Any Hand Grand Remake
From a Facing Sausage the Center six dancers in their 3 Mini-Waves turn those Mini-Waves 1/4, then the Center four Partner Trade while the outer 4 (Mini-Waves on each end) Turn 1/2, then the Centers of each side Cast Off 3/4 while the Mini-Wave in the Very Center Turns 3/4. Ends in a Sausage with the Center six in a Magic Column.
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The Facing Couples Rule does not apply to Any Hand (anything), regardless of whether that rule applies to the (anything) call itself.
If the Ocean Wave Rule applies to (anything), then Any Hand (anything) is proper if and only if:
(a) the definition of the (anything) call begins with Step to a Wave, then a Turn by the right, and
(b) all dancers are already in Mini-Waves.
Example #9: Any Hand Turn Thru
From an Inverted Line, all Turn 1/2 (some by the right and some by the left), Then all Step Thru. Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.
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Any Hand is sometimes used with an (anything) call that can start with either hand, to alert dancers that some will start with the right hand and some will start with the left hand. In such cases the use of Any Hand does not actually alter the dance action. For example, from an Inverted Line, Any Hand Hinge has exactly the same dance action as Hinge. (Compare this to the occasional use of Left Hinge from a Left-Hand Wave: it has the same dance action as Hinge, but reminds all dancers to use the left hand.)
Example #10: Any Hand Swing and Mix (same dance action as for Swing and Mix)
From an Inverted Line, all Turn 1/2 (some by the right, some by the left), then the Centers Cross Run, then the new Centers Partner Trade. Ends in an Inverted Line
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Link to Taminations:
Taminations Any Hand Concept