B/MS List or Plus List or Main Index
69. FAN THE TOP: Starting formation -ocean wave or two-faced lines. The centers of the line or wave turn three quarters (270°) while the outside dancers move forward in a quarter circle. The ending formation is at right angles to the starting formation. Centers remain centers and ends remain ends.

STYLING: Center dancers use hands-up position and styling similar to that of swing thru. End dancers' arms are in natural dance position and hands are ready to assume appropriate position for the next call. TIMING: 4 steps.

NOTE: There are a lot of teaching hints below scattered through the routines. Don't miss them them.

Head Ladies Chain
Rollaway 1/2 Sashay
Star Thru
Pass The Ocean
Fan The Top
Boys Circulate
Scoot Back
Scoot Back
Swing
Promenade

Heads Square Thru
Right & Left Thru
Pass The Ocean
Swing Thru
Boys Run
Fan The Top
Ferris Wheel
Pass Thru
Swing
Promenade

Bill Horst writes:
Here is a figure I wrote using fan the top. I suggest that the "as lines of 4 wheel and deal" should be work-shopped before using this figure as a singing call.
H/S square thru
touch 1/4
fan the top
all the boys run right.
Lines of four wheel and deal to face each other
star thru
swing corner

Lawrence Johnstone writes:
I usually try to lead into it by using a Single Hinge after a Scoot Back. This action makes it seem more similar to Spin the Top, and seems to increase the dancers' success. After doing that for a while, I'll start leading into it with an Extend from a 1/4 tag.
I try to avoid calling Fan the Top after a Pass the Ocean -- if the dancers use the "Left Touch 1/4" cheat for Pass the Ocean, it ends up being a full 360-degree rotation for the centers from the original starting position.
When teaching, I've been referring to it as "Spin the Top, but without the 'Spin'" during the initial teach. The dancers seem to catch on quickly.
I've been using this singing call figure during class. It seems to time out fairly well for newer dancers, but experienced dancers may need some padding (i.e., DoSaDo):
H/S Square Thru 4
Touch 1/4
Scoot Back
Single Hinge
Fan the Top
Right and Left Thru
Pass The Ocean
Girls Trade
Swing & Promenade (or: Boys Run, Promenade)

Judy Obee writes:
I am trying to get my dancers more comfortable with Fan the Top. So far, I have learned that tossing in a Fan the Top in the middle of other choreo is asking for disaster. So, instead, what I have been doing is:
Heads Dosado all the way to an ocean wave, Fan the Top. (a step thru at that point is equiv to Heads Lead Right)
I have learned that calling Heads Fan the Top will not work. Neither will Heads Step to a Wave and Fan the Top (they will probably Pass the Ocean and Spin the Top).
I make a point of calling it a couple of times during the night. We are slowly working towards comfort with the call. Actually, I'll be satisfied the moment that I do NOT hear, from one of my more vocal dancers, "I HATE that move - do it right or she'll call it again!".
Dennis Levitt writes:
Here is one of the smoothest Fan the Top figures that I use although I can't take credit for writing it.
HEADS SQUARE THRU 4
DOSADA TO A WAVE
SWING THRU
BOYS RUN
BEND THE LINE
TOUCH QUARTER
CAST OFF 3/4
FAN THE TOP
SWING THE CORNER

This figure only needs to be worked once or twice and then it works like a charm because as you finish the fan the top the Corner is walking directly towards you and the swing is second nature.
Michaeil W. McMullen writes: Here's another Fan the Top Singer - this one from a 2-FL
H/S Prom 1/2, come in R&L Thru, same 4 square thru 4,
Swing thru, Boys Run, Fan the Top, 1/2 tag, Girls UTB,
Swing.
May need a do-sa-do, box the gnat or clap your hands for padding.

Bob Elling writes:
I like to teach it with the old fashioned Dosado first. I just like the flow.
Heads Square Thru
Dosado
Fan The Top
Right and Left Thru
Flutterwheel
Touch 1/4
Ladies Run
Swing Corner
Promenade

When working the call I use these setups
Heads Slide Thru
Square Thru 3/4
Fan the Top...

Sides Lead Right
Touch 1/4
Ladies Run
Box the Gnat
Fan the Top....

Heads Pass Thru
Separate Around One to a Line
Box The Gnat
Pass Thru
1/2 Tag
Trade
Fan the Top...

Heads Fan the Top
Swing Thru
Turn Thru
Fan the Top...

Sides Pass the Ocean
Step Thru
Fan the Top...

From a Box
Swing Thru
Scoot Back
Fan the Top...

Veer Left
Tag the Line Right
Men Trade
Ladies Run
Fan the Top..

Swing Thru
Men Run
Tag the Line
Cloverleaf
Zoom
Men Pass Thru
Touch 1/4
Fan the Top...

From Lines
Right and Left Thru
Dixie Style
Fan the Top...

Singing calls that I used tonight
Heads Square Thru
Swing Thru
Scoot Back
Fan the Top
Right and Left Thru
Touch 1/4
Ladies Run
Swing Your Corner
Promenade

Heads Square Thru
Swing Thru
Boys Run
Bend the Line
Pass Thru
U-Turn Back
Box the Gnat
Fan the Top
Swing the Corner
Promenade
Sides Square Thru
Slide Thru
Right and Left Thru
Dixie Style
Fan the Top
Recycle
Sweep 1/4
Swing Corner
Promenade

Sides Promenade 1/2 way
Square Thru
Pass Thru
Trade By
Touch 1/4
Fan the Top
Boys Run (Check your line)
Wheel and Deal
Promenade

(Probably not legal but I use it anyway)
Walk around the Corner
See Saw
Allemande Left
Right and Left Grand
Box the Gnat
Everybody Fan the Top
Box the Gnat
Swing
Promenade
Please check everything before you use it as I have been know to leave out a line when typing my email.

Jim Penrod writes: Here's another Fan the Top Singer -
Heads Sq Thru
Slide Thru
R & L Thru
Dixie Style to a Wave
Trade the Wave
Fan The Top ( I always tell the centers to "Left Hand" while they are Trading the Wave)
R & L Thru
Slide Thru
Swing The Corner
Short Promenade Home

Doug Holmes writes:
Here is a singing call figure that I like:
Hds [Sds] Square Thru, Right & Left Thru,
Swing Thru, Scoot Back
Fan the Top, Single Hinge,
Girls Run right, Swing Corner
Promenade

The Scoot Back is mixed gender, and occasionaly some partially trained dancers have difficulty here. The flow after the Sccot Back has the ladies (standard app ) moving towards each other in the middle for a flowing cast-off 3/4. Some callers may prefer to use the command "Touch 1/4" as the dancers are moving towards the completion of the Fan the Top, but I normally call "Single Hinge".
The corner Swing is in the 1-4 quadrant, allowing the dancers to have a full promenade. This is a Mainstream application of the call, as are all of the following.
A similar call is as follows:
Hds [Sds] Square Thru, Swing Thru,
Scoot Back, Fan the Top,
Right & Left Thru, Square Thru 3/4,
Swing Corner,
Promenade, A full Promenade

Hds [Sds] Square Thru, Touch 1/4,
Scoot Back, Single Hinge,
Fan the Top, Recycle,
Right and Left Thru, Square Thru 3/4,
Swing Corner,
Promenade

Hds [Sds] Touch 1/4,
BOYS Walk GIRLS Dodge ( results in a column )
Single File Circulate, Single Hinge,
Fan the Top, Boys Run, Couples Circulate,
Wheel and Deal, Swing Corner,
Promenade

I also regularly use "Box the Gnat" to set up the Fan the Top. It is almost guaranteed to work, since from the setup, the left-hand is free and coming together naturally for the centres, who have just completed the Box the Gnat and still have right hands tied up with another dancer.
I occasionally use Two-Faced Line setups for Fan the Top, as Michael used in his example, but not predominantly.
I like the use of a COLUMN, then a circulate, single hinge, to a FAN THE TOP. Again, body flow practically guarantees successful dancing of the call, and the ending is a comfortable parallel waves formation - familiar to the dancers.

Doug Homes writes:
For those of you who have more than enough singing calls with SPIN THE TOP in them, think about this. Scoot Back + FAN THE TOP = Spin the Top
Jim Wass writes:
I haven't noticed anybody using Dixie Style to a Fan-the-Top.
Hds Square Thru
Dosado
Right & Left Thru
Dixie Style to a Wave
Fan the Top
Recycle
Slide Thru
Reverse Flutter Wheel
Promenade

Kim S Andreasen writes:
Yes, I like the flow of Dixie Style - Fan The Top. Another great combination at Plus is Flip The Diamond - Fan The Top. So is Follow Your Neighbor - Spread - Fan The Top, I think.
A singer off my head - which may be a bit tricky for some:
H/S Square Thru 4
(Dosado)
Touch 1/4 - Fan The Top
Recycle (one boy and one girl lead)
(Forward & Back)
Pass The Ocean
Scoot Back
Sw & Prom

And the idea may be combined with the "Giant Wheel & Deal" recently discussed:
H/S Square Thru 4
Touch 1/4 - Fan The Top
Boys Run - "Giant" Wheel & Deal (=> Facing lines of 4)
Pass The Ocean
Swing Thru - Spin The Top
Slide Thru
Sw & Prom

Dardenne Phillippe writes:
I don't say Fan the Top is easy but there are some hints to use :
1/ don't teach Fan the Top before cast off 3/4,it helps !
2/ don't teach it to close to spin the top to avoid any confusion
3/ for you in US,a "fan" is well knowned...why not use this image to help people understand what the centers are doing........even in Belgium,they catch the idea !
4/ here is something un-academical,but believe me : it works: I like and use to call Fan the Top from facing couple with experienced dancers.Therefor I make a comparison with "pass the ocean" in which the center dancers, in the momentary wave, do nothing else than a (left) touch a 1/4...and the ends move up.
Fan the Top can be defined the same way from facing couples...and the center dancers in the momentary wave,do a (left)touch 3/4 or cast 3/4..and the ends move up.
This is generally not appropriate to brand new dancers but I used it some times when I am in trouble with no more idea to make it simplier. The interesting point about this, is that it lets us a lot of new possiblities to re-discover old movements with any floor if you workshop it before. After the dancers get use to it,try to call "left"swing thru,spin the top,Fan the Top etc.... but this is probably better to dance it at an upper level.
5/ Somebody gave the nice idea to call ftt after a dixie style.I already use that idea from an allemande thar and it works well : 4 ladies chain , send them back to a dixie style ,(girls star right and left touch 1/4 with (original)partner, the boys wheel in and start a (all 8 )fan the top , girls move up one quarter,(look for mother etc...),slip the clutch,....
Dan Koft writes:
I teach both the Wave and two-faced lines at the same time. I also teach this BEFORE Spin the Top (which I teach as "All Trade with Right (or Left), Fan the Top).
They will be familiar with Cast 3/4 so I get them in scicilain circles and then have them
Step to a wave Look at the one you are holding rights with, you want them back at the end. Ends let go of the centers
Centers Cast 3/4
Ends move forward in a curve 1/4 to meet that person again
All Trade with right
Look at the one you are holding rights with, you want them back at the end
Ends let go of the centers
Centers Cast 3/4
Ends move forward in a curve 1/4 to meet that person again
Gents Trade
Pass thru and onto the next couple
Repeat the drill except the Gents Trade becomes a Ladies Trade.
For two-faced lines I emphasize that they WILL NOT get the same person back. Then walk it a couple of times. The snippet of choreo that I use is
Two-faced lines:
Fan The Top, Wheel & Deal
Feels something like a Flutterwheel (or a Reverse). NOTE Be careful about what preceeds and follows this as the centers are close to overflow (spun into the ground).

Jim Penrod