Facing Couples Rule
Some calls are written to start from an Ocean Wave, but dancers are often standing in Facing Couples — the same four people, not yet stepped into a wave. The Facing Couples Rule bridges the gap.
"A few specific calls that are defined to start from an Ocean Wave are also proper starting from
Facing Couples. Examples include Swing Thru and Spin the Top. In these cases, the dancers first
step into a momentary Right-Hand Ocean Wave and complete the call."
— CALLERLAB, Mainstream Dance Program Definitions, revised 29 March 2026.
What you do
- Step forward into the wave the call expects — right hands joined, unless the caller directed a left-hand call.
- Dance the call as written.
- You finish in the wave the call ends in. You do not step back out.
For a left-hand call — "Left Swing Thru" — you step into a momentary Left-Hand wave instead.
It is not a free pass
The rule applies only to calls whose definition says it does. The manual is blunt:
"If the Facing Couples Rule is applicable, the call's definition in this document will have a
comment to that effect. If there is no such comment, then the Facing Couples Rule may not be
used."
At Mainstream, the calls whose definitions carry that comment include Swing Thru and Spin the Top, and their left-hand and grand variants.
It is wider than its name
"While the rule is called the Facing Couples Rule, it is generalized to include Facing Dancers
stepping to a Right-Hand Mini-Wave and Facing Lines stepping to a Right-Hand Tidal Wave, etc."
So the same idea covers:
| You are in | You step into |
|---|---|
| Facing Dancers | a Right-Hand Mini-Wave |
| Facing Couples | a Right-Hand Ocean Wave |
| Facing Lines | a Right-Hand Tidal Wave |
| an Eight Chain Thru formation | Parallel Waves |
| a Right and Left Grand circle | a Thar |
Timing
Applying the rule does not change the call's timing:
"Application of the Facing Couples Rule does not change the timing of the call."
You have the same beats you would have had in a wave. Step in briskly.
How it differs from the Ocean Wave Rule
They are mirror images, and easy to mix up:
| Rule | You were in | Call expects | Direction of the bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facing Couples Rule | Facing Couples / Dancers | a Wave | step into the wave |
| **Ocean Wave Rule** | a Wave | Facing Couples / Dancers | step back into facing |
At Plus
The Plus program generalises this rule further — to any formation where dancers can step forward to make a wave. See Where Mainstream leads.
Next
- the other direction → Ocean Wave Rule
- the call that most often needs it → Swing Thru