[Callers] Re: Looking for input on this dance I wrote

On May 29, 2025, at 6:53 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: I haven't been paying close attention to this, but dance directions looked fun and like I could use them sometime. Trying to work it out in detail I'm perhaps confusing myself with wrong assumptions. I think I've got something - is this what was intended? Here's the instrux again: A1 Slice left, circle left once around end in a line facing down the hall next to your partner on your home side [* ] A2 Down the hall, turn alone come back, face partner on the side B1 Tug into a hey passing partner right shoulder to start B2 Partner balance and swing. Q: How do you end in that line? I'm thinking this is a circle-to-a-line situation, which I think means the downward-bound lark lets go of neighbor robin as soon as they reach their own side (partner still on oteher side) and draws the line out straight. Which I think means it's a circle 3/4, not a circle all the way. Obviously a demo required to get that done. I certainly see slice + CL3/4 as 8 beats; the other 8 beats seems (in my head) longish to draw out to a line, but it does give people a chance to sort themselves out. Q: Is CL 3/4 intended or is there some clear way to get to the line otherwise? (1x, Partners turn two hands 3/4 or 1 & 1/4, open facing down next to each other?) Observation: What I'm finding extra freaking cool about this is that it absolutely doesn't matter what order partners come out in so long as they're both on their home side; it absolutely doesn't matter if you turn alone or turn as a couple. Everything gets sorted out by the partner swing at the end and nothing else makes any difference so long as you think of the hey in terms of ends and middles and don't fuss about roles. Anyway, that seems like really robust error tolerance and correction, really really good for beginners, and readily giving more sophisticated dancers harmless opportunities to goof around. -- Alan ________________________________________ From: Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2025 3:02 PM To: Shared Weight Contra Callers Subject: [Callers] Re: Looking for input on this dance I wrote BEWARE: This email originated outside of our organization. DO NOT CLICK links or attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Thanks again everyone for your help, Evidently "number one Lark" was not a good choice of term in the end!! :D Good to know there is no standardized term like 1's and 2's for Beckets. We used to dance only in improper formation, and I would do this "circle right 1/2 and unfold" with the #1 Raven leading out the line. I was trying to ensure this would still work in Becket and trying to figure out the most logical person to initiate it ... Hopefully I am at least correct that it makes most sense for it to be the "upward bound" Lark? It always worked well, in improper, with the number 1 Raven.... I would demonstrate it to the group and after 1 or 2 tries, everyone nailed it like clockwork... Anyhow, this dance you suggested Alexandra is perfect for my needs, and I will go with it, thank you!! Becket A1 Slice left, circle left once around end in a line facing down the hall next to your partner on your home side A2 Down the hall, turn alone come back, face partner on the side B1 Tug into a hey passing partner right shoulder to start B2 Partner balance and swing. Lots of recovery time, things take 8 or 16 counts, lots of time on one’s “home" side, hard to get lost. KK May 29, 2025 12:16:30 PM Alex Burka via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt;et>: The way I read Katherine's dance, the "1s" (the couple who was facing down the hall before circling left 1/4, if you were to get into becket that way) are in fact progressing down the hall, so is there actually an issue here? Playing out the dance in my head, the circle R is essentially a circle 1/2 and then unfold, so lark 1 is facing down and has their right hand free. Then after the allemande 1 1/2 they're back on original side facing partner. Full hey brings them back to that point again and then they progress down the hall. No? On Thu, May 29, 2025, 10:42 AM Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>> wrote: John, the question at the moment is how to define them for dance writing purposes. In her original dance, there is “Lark 1“ referenced. If you don’t define which side lark one starts on you get two very different dances. In my mind, the 1s are defined as the right-file couple because they used to be the ones facing down the hall in improper formation assuming everyone moves one place to the left around the circle instead of right. I would argue that the dancers know it too. When I call a becket dance that progresses backwards and don’t tell them, invariably someone waves their arms and hollers from the floor that it’s broken and they progressed the wrong direction. Alex Sent from my iPhone On May 29, 2025, at 6:59 AM, John Sweeney via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>> wrote:  HI Katherine, Numbers in Becket formation are not defined. Some callers may number them, I have never seen a reason to. The progression is normally just clockwise or counter-clockwise. Just tell the dancers which way to look (left or right diagonal) when they are progressing. If you need to identify someone then I would point to one side of the hall (or give it a name) and tell the person on that side what to do. If you give them numbers then the numbers will change when they are out at the top or the bottom. But that side of the hall is always that side of the hall. Flirtation Reel is a great dance, but does have a Swing. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com <mailto:john@modernjive.com><mailto:john@modernjive.com <mailto:john@modernjive.com>> 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk <http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/> for Dancing in Kent _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>> _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net><mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>> _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>