La entretejira or "The Weaving Dance"

Opening sequence: Standard.

Dance pattern:

Section 1: After calling for turns, the abuelo calls for filing out. This time, however, only the right line reaches the back of the hall, while the left line moves forward, turns out, but stops before filing back. In this way, the two lines are left facing each other from opposite diagonal corners (Figure 26). The monarca, this time with one malinche on each side of him, acts as the last man in the right line.

The "weaving" now begins. The lead men, facing each other, zigzag first to the right and then to the left, thus approaching each other while moving across in front of each other (Figure 27). They begin the zigzag right again, but this time, they cross by each other. On the zigzag left, they cross behind each other and in front of the next man in line. At the start of this second zigzag, the second men in line take up the zigzag pattern. Thus the second man zigzags behind the first man of the opposite line and in front of the second (Figure 28). Each pair of men joins in similarly until a weaving pattern is established.

When a dancer has woven through the entire opposite line, he makes a final zigzag right, then turns and waits instead of completing the zigzag left. He is then in a position, and in beat, for returning in the other direction.

Transition: The right line ends the pattern in its original place and so the men simply dance in place. The men in the left line, who end at the back of the hall, walk, in pedestrian movement, back to their original places. The abuelo calls for turns. As in the standard opening procession, the two lines cast off, walking rather than dancing, to the back, then turn inward and dance down the center, picking up monarca and the two malinches on the way. Abuelo calls for turns again.

Section 2: The monarca, with one malinche on each side of him, leads the right line of dancers around the first man in the left line. The threesome then snake in and out between the men, leading the right line between all the dancers in the left line (Figure 29). To return, when the threesome have completed their snaking up the line, they simply veer right and continue dancing straight down the right side of the hall, leading the left line behind them into their original positions. Abuelo calls for turns.

The snaking pattern is repeated to the opposite side, the monarca leading the left line through the right. This time, when the pattern is complete and the threesome veer left at the back of the hall to return the left line to its original position, the right line backs up. The two lines meet, as their leaders are about halfway down the hall. Flanking the monarca and two malinches, they dance forward together.

Closing sequence: Abuelo calls for turns. The dance ends with the usual three backward and forward steps and bow.