[Callers] What is a Becket (was: Becket, was New Dance?)

Don Perley (Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:48) wrote: The number one reason for calling any dance a Becket is the starting position. Having a name for it tells the dancers how to form the set. No matter how or when the progression is done (Herbie Gaudreau's "Becket Reel", which was the first, used a diagonal right and left through in the B1), the *result* of the progression is that each time the dance starts, they have progressed along the side of the set. From early on the progression has been achieved in a variety of ways and in a variety of sections in the dance. It is useful (to dance composers and in programming an evening) to understand that what's often the reason for writing a dance as a Becket is *so that there's a partner swing as the last move*. A duple improper can't have a partner swing as the last move. This is not always the case, of course. Becket Reel ended with star left and right. The novelty in the Becket Reel, I believe was using the diagonal move for progression. It has also been published under the name "Bucksaw Reel". ~ Becky Nankivell Tucson, Ariz. & Long Beach, Calif. On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 2:36 PM, Michael Barraclough <michael(a)michaelbarraclough.com> wrote: