So you've learned your thread-the-needles, now what can you do with them? If you want to get a little mobility with this move, this is a good way to learn how to turn with it that gives it a good visual impact and utilizes some of the lessons we learned from crossers.

ttnturntutorial.mp4

While on the surface not terribly different from a thread the needle in same time, a thread the needle in split-time (also called split-time opposites) produces a small problem for the performer in that it doesn't present a dominant hand until one hand is crossed over the other. Thus, to perform this move successfully is to switch between positions in which the hands are crossed over each other rather than simply on top of each other as in same time.

stttntutorial.mp4

Here's two different approaches to 4-beat thread the needles. The first is to do what I'd refer to as the "reach around" 4-beat wherein you wrap your hands around each other. The second is much more akin to body tracing wherein the extra beat puts the poi behind your body.

4beatttntutorial.mp4

I was showed these at Wildfire this past year as I was wrestling with trying to learn inversions in opposites (my problem was I was trying to do them in opposites same time), but now they're presentable! Here they are as a 4-beat split-time thread the needle and as an element of Zan's diamond in split-opposites.

techblog289.mp4