M4 — Arm Turn Family
Teaching unit M4 of the CALLERLAB (New) Mainstream Suggested Teaching Order, effective
1 September 2026. Prerequisites: Facing Dancers,
Right/Left Arm Turn
At a glance
| Starting formation | Facing Dancers or Mini-Wave |
| Ending formation | Usually a Mini-Wave, or no formation while you step to the next call |
| Timing | Half: 4 beats · Three-Quarter: 4 to 6 · Full: 6 to 8 |
| Unit/part | M4a of 50 |
Animation
No animation yet. There is no animation of this call, so the manual's own action is taught below.
Dance action
"Dancers join indicated forearms and walk forward around each other. The amount of turn can be
specified as a fraction (for example, Half (180 degrees), Three-Quarter (270 degrees), Full (360
degrees) or implicitly by the next call (for example, "Turn Partner by the Left; 4 Ladies Chain")."
— CALLERLAB, Mainstream Dance Program Definitions, revised 29 March 2026.
What you do
An Arm Turn is the simplest way for two dancers to swap sides: you hook arms and walk around each other.
- Offer the forearm the caller names. "Right Arm Turn" means right forearms; "Left Arm Turn" means left.
- Hook elbows — forearms together, palms flat against each other. This is a forearm hold, not a handshake and not a grip on the other dancer's sleeve.
- Walk forward around each other. The dancer turning left backs up as little as possible; both of you keep your feet moving in a small circle with the joined arms at the centre.
- Go the fraction the caller gives — "Arm Turn 1/2" is half way round, so you end facing the other way. Three-quarters is "Arm Turn 3/4", a full turn is "Arm Turn Full".
- Let go and step forward into whatever the caller says next.
When the caller does not give a fraction, the next call tells you when to stop: "Turn Partner by the Left; 4 Ladies Chain" means keep turning until you are facing the way you need to be for the Chain.
Timing
Half: 4 beats · Three-Quarter: 4 to 6 · Full: 6 to 8. A full arm turn is about the same amount of walking as a Dosado, and only slightly quicker.
Styling
"Forearm hold"
That is the whole rule: forearm to forearm, elbows bent, arms relaxed. Keep your body upright and close to your partner — an arm turn danced at arm's length drags both of you off balance.
Restrictions
From Facing Dancers the turn must be measured by a place or by the next call: the manual says it "is improper to specify a fraction" — "Arm Turn 1/2" is for dancers already joined in a Mini-Wave. From facing dancers the caller says "Turn your Corner by the Right" or similar instead.
Common faults
| What happens | Why | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Elbows slide apart in the middle | Hands clasped instead of forearms flat | Flat forearm on flat forearm, palms pressing gently |
| You spin your partner around | Pulling with the arm instead of walking | The arm is the pivot, your feet do the work |
| You stop at the wrong angle | Not counting the fraction | Half is 180 degrees, three-quarters is 270. Look at where you are facing, not how far you walked |
| You grab the arm at the last second | Standing too far apart to start | Step in as you offer the arm; the hold should be easy to take |
Where you meet it
Class 1. Arm Turns are the building block inside other calls — an Allemande Left (the part below) is an Arm Turn by the left, and many later calls are built from a turn plus a step forward.
Related calls
- Allemande Left/Right — an Arm Turn with a specific dancer and a step through. See below.
- Swing — a much longer, faster partnership turn with a ballroom hold. See M11.
- Star Right/Left — the same turning action with four dancers sharing one hub. See M5.
- Courtesy Turn — a two-dancer turn with a different hold and a different job. See M9.
Also called / formerly
You will hear "Turn by the Right", "Turn by the Left", "Arm Turn Half", and "Turn Partner by the Left". Over the years the same action has been called simply "Arm Turn" with the hand named afterwards — same call.
Allemande Left/Right
At a glance
| Starting formation | Squared Set, Infacing Circle of 8, Eight Chain Thru, Left-Hand Ocean Waves, Facing Lines, or a Right and Left Grand Circle |
| Ending formation | Right and Left Grand Circle — the Boys facing promenade direction, the Girls facing wrong way |
| Timing | Half Arm Turn: 4 to 6 beats · Three-Quarter: 6 to 8 · Full: 8 |
| Unit/part | M4b of 50 |
Animation
▶ Play this call — pause, step and scrub it: Watching the animations.
Dance action
"Dancers holding left arms or Facing Dancers Arm Turn by the left at least 180 degrees until the
men are facing promenade direction and the women are facing wrong way promenade direction. Step
Thru."
— CALLERLAB, Mainstream Dance Program Definitions, revised 29 March 2026.
What you do
From a Squared Set, the caller usually says "Allemande Left" and means "with your Corner".
- Find your Corner — the dancer on your other side from your partner, next to you in the square. If you are not sure, turn on the spot until you can see them; that is what the manual expects you to do.
- Offer your left forearm and hook arms.
- Walk forward around each other until you are both facing out along the ring. That is a half turn, 180 degrees, and it is all a plain "Allemande Left" needs.
- Let go and step forward past each other, keeping your left shoulder near theirs. You are now facing a line of dancers, ready for a Right and Left Grand.
- If the caller wants more, they will say so: "Allemande Left a Full Turn Around" means keep going until you are back where you started before stepping through.
An Allemande Right is the mirror image: right forearms, and the four dancers who finish facing promenade direction are different ones.
Timing
Half Arm Turn: 4 to 6 beats · Three-Quarter: 6 to 8 · Full: 8. The wide range exists because dancers sometimes have to turn on the spot and step to the corner before the arms meet. Nobody is counting while you find your partner.
Styling
"Forearm handhold"
Same forearm hold as any other Arm Turn: elbows bent, arms relaxed, body upright and close. Do not lean on your corner's arm, and do not let go early — the release happens at the same moment as the step through.
Restrictions
An Allemande Left is written as an at-least-180-degree turn followed by a Step Thru, and the manual warns callers not to pretend it ends somewhere else. From an Eight Chain Thru, for example, "it would not be proper to call 'Allemande Left, Trade By'", because the dancers are really in a Right and Left Grand Circle. Allemandes that need a turn of more than 180 degrees are treated as gimmicks, not standard calls.
Common faults
| What happens | Why | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| You turn all the way round by mistake | Expecting a full turn | A plain Allemande Left is a half turn. Only turn further if the caller says so |
| You grab the hand instead of the forearm | Handshake instinct | Forearm to forearm, palms flat, elbows bent |
| You step through too early and collide | Letting go before the turn is finished | Finish the turn, then step forward past your corner's left shoulder |
| You cannot find your corner | Looking at the wrong side | Your corner is the dancer beside you on the other side from your partner. Turn in place until you see them |
Where you meet it
Class 1. It is one of the most-used calls in the whole program: it ends a figure, and it is the standard lead-in to a Right and Left Grand or a Promenade. Expect it in almost every tip.
Related calls
- Right/Left Arm Turn — the plain version this call is built from. See above.
- Right and Left Grand — where an Allemande Left usually sends you. See M6.
- Swing — the other way to greet your Corner. See M11.
- Wrong Way Grand — the reverse grand, often reached from an Allemande Right. See M6.
Also called / formerly
You will hear "Left Allemande", "Allemande Left Your Corner", "With the Corner, Allemande Left", and "Allemande Right" for the mirror. "Allemande Thar" is a different thing — a formation, not this call — so listen for the whole phrase.
Manual source: Mainstream Dance Program Definitions, revised 29 March 2026, page 19. Reproduced under the permission in sources and attribution.