Cross-Body Lead

The lead breaks, rotates the torso roughly 90 degrees to step off the slot and clear a path, then closes the slot again to re-face the follow — who has walked straight down the line past the lead's old spot and turned 180 degrees to re-face. The couple ends with positions exchanged. It is the single most important linear figure and the connector that stitches the linear vocabulary together.

• Lead: Clear the path with your torso and a step out of the way — do not pull the follow across with your arm.
• Follow: Walk straight down the slot (don't curve), then turn 180 degrees to re-face at the far end.
• Timing: On1 open on 1, clear 2-3, resolve 5-6-7. On2 the same on 2 & 6 — the NY back-step on 2 makes the exchange especially smooth.
• Common mistake: Yanking the follow across by the hand instead of opening the door and stepping out of her way.

The CBL is your linear reset and your transport. Almost every turn variation below is just a CBL with a turn added as the follow crosses. Keep the slot narrow and travel along one line.