Type: Contra Dance, Becket Left/CW Formation
Status: Public, Proven
To the best of my knowledge, this is another unique transition/progression sequence that I’ve come up with. I have a whole series of “Mermaid” dances I’ve written, which all feature this Diagonal Pass the Ocean progression. Yes, the Mermaid naming was influenced by our 5 year old daughter Raeden. 🙂
I played around with the B1 action in this dance quite a bit, there were 3 versions. Lisa Greenleaf had called the first version for me (Partner Star Through if I recall correctly) which I wanted to refine some more. I’d got so far as a third version which was nice and appreciated by Lisa and Linda Leslie which used a California Twirl+ (keep rolling towards your P until you face back in) but it was more fiddly to teach the dancers. Ultimately I’ve settled on my second version below.
This version first called at the Thursday Contras dance at the Concord Scout House on February 2, 2017.
A1
(4,4) Left Diagonal Pass the Ocean, Wave Balance
#PROGRESSION
(5,3) Partner Allemande Right 1+1/4, Gents Cross to N (passing Lefts)
[helps to minimize the Bucksaw offset]
A2
(16) Neighbor Gypsy, Swing
B1
(4,4) Ring Balance, Petronella
(4,4) Ring Balance, Jersey Twirl w/Partner (on home side, end facing Partner)
[ring action further reduces the Bucksaw]
B2
(4,12) Partner Balance & Swing
End Effects: wait out on left diagonal to enter via the Pass the Ocean.
Video: