Rick, that's a good bunch of dances. I also prefer the beckets, as "Circle left until partners are
on original side" is easier to understand.

These dances all have the transition of swing to hey, which is not my favourite transition. Although
it is a bit tricky to avoid, as, for a becket, there would need to be a progression and swing in A1. This
can be easily achieved with a circle left, but I would prefer to avoid repeating the circle.

I have come up with an alternative.

What the Hey? (Becket)

A1: Couples lead to the right (see note), swing new neighbour
A2: Right and left, mad robin
B1: Hey with improvised ricochets
B2: Circle left (until partners are on original side), partner swing

Note: "Lead to the Right" is normally used in squares, where the heads (say) move
diagonally to their right to finish in front of the side couple. For a contra, look at
the couple on the right diagonal. You will finish facing this couple, up and down the set.
In a contra is is more like a gate, as the women hardly move at all. It could be described
as "men cross by the left shoulder to a new neighbour", but doing it as a lead to the right
has 2 advantages: it makes it a move that includes you and your partner, and it also turns
the women toward their new neighbour.

Incidentally, note the mad robin leading into the hey. The mad robin is a similar movement
to a ricochet, to the point where some dancers were even doing a bonus ricochet in
the mad robin.

Oh, and I am happy with the name of the dance. It is a name that has already been
used several times, but I think it is most appropriate here.

Peter

On 10/07/2025 1:18 pm, Rick Mohr wrote:

I like it! Here are some straightforward options with just one circle:

#1 - Common progression (improper)

A1: Neighbor balance and swing

A2: Hey with improvised ricochets

B1: Circle left (until partners are on lark's original side), partner swing

B2: Robins chain, star left

#2 - Similar but more spacious (Becket)

A1: Lines forward & back, robins chain
A2: Star left, swing new neighbor
B1: Hey with improvised ricochets
B2: Circle left (until partners are on original side), partner swing

#3 - Another one (improper)

A1: Neighbor balance and swing

A2: Hey with improvised ricochets

B1: Circle left (until partners are on lark's original side), partner swing

B2: Robins allemande right 1&1/2, balance short wave, allemande left neighbor 3/4

#4 - Similar but more spacious (Becket)

A1: Lines forward & back, robins allemande right 1&1/2

A2: Balance short wave, allemande left neighbor 3/4, swing new neighbor

B1: Hey with improvised ricochets

B2: Circle left (until partners are on original side), partner swing

#5 - Shift to star (Becket)

A1: Shift left, star right 3/4, dosido neighbor

A2: Neighbor balance and swing

B1: Hey with improvised ricochets

B2: Circle left (until partners are on original side), partner swing

I like the Beckets (#2, #4, #5). If the dancers can handle ricochets they won't be disoriented by progressing in the middle of the dance.

Rick