I think you’re right Alex.  Sorry Kat- the dance does work!  🤦‍♀️

If you really want a down the hall dance with a hey I would still suggest something like: 

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. 



Alexandra Deis-lauby
VILLAGEWESTDESIGN
646 283 3108



On May 29, 2025, at 11:16 AM, Alex Burka <sharedweight@alexburka.com> wrote:

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 <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 <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@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent                                         

_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net