Re: [Callers] Contra House

I think this is an interesting question! In the same way that an improper contra can start in short waves, and we don't give it a new formation name (or long lines at the sides, etc.), the important piece is that you and your neighbor are on the same side of the contra set. In this dance, you have your partner in your right hand (women actually have left in the center, there is a typo in what is written below), and the both of you are, more or less, on the same side of the contra set, and so, the dance is Becket. Formations refer to a dancer's position in relationship to partner, and neighbors, rather than the first dance movement. Also interesting is that if the dance were to start with a neighbor Balance and Swing, then it would be improper formation: A1 New N B&S A2 Gents Alle L 1 1/2 P Sw B1 Full hey (gents start left) B2 (Form short waves ladies left, partner right) Balance Wave, P Alle R 1/2; Gents Alle L 1/2, give RH to N Balance Wave; N Alle R 3/4 Written as Becket formation, and indicated below, there is the assumption that the couple that stands in the traditional/proper ladies' line is the number 2 couple, and those couples in the traditional/proper gents' line are number 1s. When calling Becket formation dances, I don't usually designate ones or twos; rather I give hints about how each couple gets into starting position, and how they will progress to their next neighbors. For this dance, once couples are in Becket formation, I might say something such as: "women stand back to back in the center (since this is how it will feel when they end the hey), give a right hand to your partner, and a left to the other woman to form a wave". It may be that the choreographer designated the couples in this way, because of the right progression......after one time through the dance, the couples in the traditional ladies' line are out at the top; those in the traditional gents' line are out at the bottom. Linda ps: I wrote this note before seeing Richard's post, and figured I would send it anyway... On Aug 14, 2011, at 11:20 AM, Bob Peterson wrote: