The biggest trick to dancing/calling Beneficial Tradition is to do precicely what we tell folks not to do for a R&L Thru -- pull by and HOLD ON to let that turn you back to face back in.  Then let go and pull by with the other hand.  Think about how new dancers always try to do a R&L thru with hands, and then do that.  Will put you in just the right spot.  And as others have said above, when you don't have someone to pull by with, just stay put and pull by with the person that comes to you from the next pull by that everyone else does.

Jack

On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 8:56 PM JD Erskine via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
On 2016-10-21 1733, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote:
> Hi all
>
> I haven't yet called Beneficial Tradition, but think it might be a good
> fit for an upcoming dance.  Does it get weird at the ends or does it
> flow reasonably well?  I danced it years ago and don't remember.  If you
> pull by RH to go out on the right diagonal, do you cross solo to the
> other side to make space for the next person to come out on the right
> diagonal?
>
> Kalia

Oh, _that_ dance. Cool. Now I know it's name.

We danced that at Chehalis this Sept. Was great fun. I don't recall any
overt weirdness, however I wasn't really looking at the ends throughout
the whole of the dance.
--
The penny dropped when I was reading the directions at hand, thinking,
"This looks fun", and then read in Mary Dart's book,
--
"A dance I wrote a few years ago called 'The Beneficial Tradition,' . .
. I think it started in Philadelphia that they discovered they had a
little extra time on their hands, so that after they pull by each of
those hands they go, "hey!" or "ho!" or something like that, and they
throw their free hand up in the air behind their heads. (Pearl 1990"
--
In Becky Hill's collection is, (possibly from Dan Pearl),

"Becket, double L/CW prog

This one needs strong, clear four-beat phrases in B2.  More driving or
exhuberant, and not as mysterious or in a minor key."
--
 From "Give-and-Take" (Larry Jennings)

"Neutrals must participate in the left-hand crossings,
partners playing the part of neighbors. One dancer at each end
stands pat during each diagonal crossing."
--
 From the RPDLW #24 / 2011 syllabus:

"At the beginning of the dance, ladies should look on
the left diagonal for a new lady with whom to allemande. The rule for
diagonal action applies: at the ends of the set, if there is nobody to
pull by with on the diagonal, stay put! Also, in B1, note that the
ladies chain precedes the forward and back. This sets up B2 well, but is
opposite to what often happens, and so dancers may forget at times.

(In the original dance the A1 included a wave: Ladies allemande left
once around and give right hand to partner to form a wave (4), balance
the wave (4) and swing your partner (8). Lynn omits the balance.)"

Thanks for the ID of the dance Kalia. That's a keeper.

Cheers, John
--
J.D. Erskine
Victoria, BC

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Jack Mitchell
Durham, NC