Considerations

1. Lead's movement during Follower's Halo turn

Preparation
Stand facing each other at a distance appropriate for a halo turn but without hand hold. Both of you take note of your position and orientation relative to the room and each other (absolute and relative positions / orientations respectively).

Description

1. Lead: imagine you're standing on the circumference of a circle or hoop, with the follower at its centre.
    
2. Follower: staying on the spot, perform a walking turn to your right (clockwise).
   Lead: merengue walk to your right (anti-clockwise) moving on the “hoop” and keeping your centreline oriented toward your partner (who should still be at the centre of the hoop) all the time.
    
3. Follower and Lead: stop when your centrelines meet.
    
4. Follower and Lead: Take note of your absolute and relative orientation and position.
    

Principles
You should find that the follower has completed less than a full turn.

The rule is: if the Lead travels against the Follower's turn (in this example the Lead moved anti-clockwise to the Follower's clockwise), the Follower has to turn less.

Repeat the practice until you understand it, then perform it as a proper halo turn - hand hold and all.

Leads will have to visualise two circles: one above your partner's head (as a halo), the other on the floor (as a hoop). Remember to adjust the speed of your leading hand; since your partner turns less, the speed should be less.

The second half of the rule is: if the Lead travels with the Follower's turn, the Follower has to turn more, and therefore the lead speed should be faster.
 

2. Following turns
If a force is applied on one side of your vertical axis, this should cause you to turn. If a second and equal force is applied on the other side of your axis (symmetrical) simultaneously, it should cause you to move in a linear fashion (without rotation).

The speed of your response should be proportional to the amount of lead force you experience, detected as contact pressure e.g. an increase in pressure means you'll have to turn faster to re-establish pressure equilibrium

In the absence of lead force, remain in place and mark time.
 

Further Practices

1. Double-handed turn
View the clip:

merengue_halo_doublehanded_parallel.avi (5.6 Mb)

Notice that:

• The hold is Follower's right hand is in Lead's left, and Follower's left hand is in Lead's right;
• When they are raised, both pairs of hands are closely associated together before the turn begins;
• The halo technique remains the same;
• The Lead's wrists are only able to resolve the constraint by turning the Follower in the opposite direction.
   

Preparation and description
Is identical to the “Follower's right in Lead's left clockwise turn” with the exception that:

1. A double-hand hold is created by the Lead taking the Follower's left hand with the right;
2. Both pairs of hands are raised and kept close together during the turn;
3. The Lead's hands are unlocked by turning the Follower in the opposite direction.

2. Cross-handed turn
View the clip:

merengue_halo_doublehanded_crossed_loverr.avi (6.0 Mb)

Notice that:

• The hold is Follower's left hand in Lead's left, over Follower's right hand in Lead's right;
• Apart from that, it is similar to any other halo turn.
   

Preparation and description
The cross-handed hold is created by:

1. Lead: offering the right hand
   Follower: accepting with the right hand
    
2. Lead: offering the left hand over the right hand
   Follower: accepting with the left hand

Performing an anti-clockwise halo turn does not work with right hands over left (try it and see).