Becket formation contra dances can be confusing when considering whether
it's a "double progression" or not. If you progress to the next couple
leaving a couple out at the top, it's a single progression. At the far
end there will either be a couple out every time (with an odd number of
couples), or no couple out every time (with an even number of couples).
It's a bit mysterious how the sawtooth right & left through ends up a
double progression. But, if you think of it this way:
If you slide left to meet another couple, you are really only passing
one person, and one person goes out on the end. If you slide all the
way past that couple, so the couple on the end comes in well, you are
definitely passing two people.
Start:
M1 Wa
W1 Ma
M2 Wb
W2 Mb
M3 Wc
W3 Mc
One Progression:
W1 M1 (out)
M2 Wa
W2 Ma
M3 Wb
W3 Mb
Mc Wc (out)
Two progressions:
M2 W1
W2 M1
M3 Wa
W3 Ma
Mc Wb
Wc Mb
Clear as mud?
~erik hoffman
Oakland, CA
On 6/5/2013 9:06 PM, Bill Baritompa wrote:
Hi Aahz and Linda,
I agree with Linda that he 'saw tooth' progression of a diagonal
R&L followed by an across R&L gives a double progression. I was
drafting a reply to Aahz's comment and Linda, you beat me to it.
I was going to use Becket Reel as an example too, but I checked my
dances to find some other examples, and found an anomaly - a number
using the 'saw tooth' claim to be single progression.
I thought my data might be messed up, but a bit of googling confirmed
I had transcribed the
dances correctly. So what goes?
I think there is an alternate (not strictly correct interpretation)
which produces single
progressions. Namely: Slide left, R&L over and back. (Of course the
rule of not doing the diagonal move if there is no couple available
does not apply in this case, and end effects occur.)
Becket Reel can be danced with this interpretation and produces a
single progression.
Fisher's Jig By Tom Hinds
(http://www.prismnet.com/contradance/sequences/fishers-jig.html)
was the first I found using the saw tooth but claiming a single
progression -
A1 On the left diagonal right and left through; Right and left
through straight across
A2 Hey, women pass right shoulders to start
B1 Women swing OR men swing (see below)
B2 Partners balance & swing
Other dances I found are:
Another Art and Nancy's Fancy by Yonina Gordon and Joseph Pimentel
Any Kind of Settlement by Tom Hinds
Bob's Boogie by Barb Kirchner
Bride and Groom Reel by Merri Rudd and
Knit the Knot by Rich Goss
All the above dances can be danced using the strict interpretation of
the saw tooth progression
and become double progression in that case.
I agree with Linda that double progression dances are nicer with an
odd number in the line.
For example with 17 couples, running either a single or double
progression dance 17 times has each couple meeting the 16 other
couples as neighbors and having to wait out just once.
Cheers, Bill
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