Demonstration
There are three clips for you to choose from, all of which are identical with the exception of partner distance:

Two-handed hold - merengue_step_over_2handed_hold.avi (5.5 Mb)
Close hold - merengue_step_over_close_hold.avi (5.3 Mb)
Closer hold - merengue_step_over_closer_hold.avi (4.7 Mb)

Notice how Shirin and Nathan are taking forward and backward steps with their legs closest to you. Their step sizes are kept small and evenly sized throughout to allow their pedalling action to work. These are the fence steps.

Our demonstrators' feet furthest away from you do not move from the same spot - like sticks in mud. These are the stick steps.
 

Preparation
You will need some definitions:

A replace (of weight) occurs when you return your weight to a leg where there has the foot has not been repositioned i.e. it's a weight transfer without a foot placement. Fret not, it will become clear in the following description.

In this tutorial, fence legs refer to the lead's left and follower's right legs. Conversely, stick legs refer to lead's right and follower's left legs.
 

Description

Verbal Cues:
Front–and–back–and–
or
One–Two–Three–Four– (a count)

Prepare to start:
Lead: stand with your weight on your right leg, ready to move onto your left.
Follower: stand with your weight on your left leg, ready to move onto your right.

Beat:

1.	Lead: step forward onto your left leg. Make sure your right foot remains in the same place on the floor. Follower: step backward onto your right leg. Make sure your left foot remains in the same place on the floor.
2.	Lead: replace your weight by transferring your weight from your left leg backward onto your right. This is the weight transfer without foot placement. Follower: replace your weight by transferring your weight from your right leg forward onto your left.
3.	Lead: step backward onto your left leg, making sure your right foot stays in place. Follower: step forward onto your right leg, making sure your left foot stays in place.
4.	Lead: replace your weight forward onto your right leg, ready to begin again. Follower: replace your weight backward onto your left leg, ready to begin again.

Repeat the sequence.

We advise that you practice both roles solo at first, then with a partner. You can increase the difficulty of the partnered practice by dancing closer together. Practice with the first cue until you're fluent, then try it to a count (second cue).
 

Principles and Goals
The stick-fence step is not a skill per se. Rather it's a fundamental piece of dance vocabulary, which provides a context for the application of essential skills (e.g. lower body action, close hold). It is the platform from which merengue music is reinterpreted into movement.

At the end of this stage you should have an increased awareness of your partner's and your own movement, achieved through the development of feedback systems based on contact pressure. You should also have sufficient command over your body's movements to adapt to these signals and dance with control and synchrony, allowing your partnerships to behave as an organic unit, irrespective of partner distance.