The Single Concept

J. Eric Brosius
72060.1540@compuserve.com

This paper is also available in PostScript format.

At a recent weekend, Clark Baker described a problem with calls named as ``Single.'' Since there is no accepted definition of a ``Single'' concept, it appears that every such call must be listed individually. Many people, however, feel there should be a ``Single'' concept, and so do I. I have a definition of ``Single'' to propose, as follows:

To convert an existing call to the single version, it must be possible to pair up all the dancers doing the original call so that each pair has a common facing direction at the start and end of the call, and may reasonably dance the call so as to retain a common facing direction throughout the call. Replace each such pair with a single dancer midway between the two, facing the same direction. The call may not be done Single if this causes two dancers to pass through the same spot simultaneously (Ex: from a Single Eight Chain Setup, Single Centers In is illegal).

In order to dance the call, the dancers must know which setup their existing single setup has been reduced from, and if this is ambiguous it must be specified by the caller (Ex: From couples facing, one could call ``Think Double Pass Thru, Single Pass Thru,'' which is equivalent to ``Do Nothing,'' or ``Think Lines Facing, Single Pass Thru,'' which is equivalent to ``Pass Thru'').

The single versions of calls which result from this process fall into several different categories: There are calls which can already be done single (Ex: Single Shakedown, or Single Transfer the Column, which is known as Box Transfer). There are calls which when done single yield a call which has another name already (Ex: Single Crossfire is just a Trade, and Single Half Sashay means ``Do Nothing''). There are calls which yield an inconsistency in terminology (Ex: Single (Circle to a Wave) is not the same as Single Circle to a Wave (though it is the same as Single Circle 1/4 to a Wave). Finally there are calls which when done single produce new calls (Ex: From People Back to Back, a Single Wheel the Ocean is a U Turn Left followed by a Right Touch).

As far as I can see, there are two questions to be asked. First of all, does the definition cover most of the existing uses of ``Single''? It seems to from this list. Second, does it introduce the right kind of new uses of Single? Again, that's what this list is for. Some of you may object to some of the calls here being done single, and I've tried to be fair and make it easier for you to do so by listing some dubious examples.

I have listed some calls which can be done single using this definition below. The list was made in an ad hoc manner, so I've probably missed some. I have left Rotates and Counter Rotates alone, as they are especially liable to ambiguity. In square brackets I have indicated starting formations in some cases. Calls marked (!) are ones which are bogus according to the above definition, but which I can guess how to do anyway, or ones I found surprising.

I have not listed any examples like Single Trade By, Single Pass to the Center, Single Reverse the Pass, and Single Ping Pong Circulate, as all are bogus according to the above definition. Nevertheless, it would be easy to extend the definition to cover such cases: allow a pair of dancers in the original call to do a partner trade (thus not retaining a common facing direction), resulting in a U Turn Back in either direction by the single dancer who replaces them.

2-Dancer Calls
Anchor
Cast away
Cast off
Courtesy turn
Half sashay
Lead right
Mesh
Wheel around
Zoom

4-Dancer Calls
Ah so
Beau (belle) cross (!)
Beau (belle) hop
Bend the line
Bounce
Box transfer
By golly
Centers in [Completed DPT]
Circle 3/4 to a wave
Circle by
Circle to a 2 faced line
Circle to a line (!)
Circle to a wave (!)
Contour the line
Couple up
Cross and divide [wave]
Cross roll to a wave
Crossfire
Crosstrail thru
Curl thru (!)
Curli cross
Dixie chain
Dixie sashay
Dixie style to an ocean wave
Dixie twirl
Double shuffle
Explode (reverse) the line [1 faced]
Finish the stack
Follow thru
Follow your neighbor
Hinge and trade
Lines walk in (out)
Loop and tag
Nicely
Nip and tuck
(Cross) Pair the line [1 faced]
Pass and roll [Eight chain]
Peel off
Peel the deal
Retreat
Revert the tag
Revolve to a wave
Right and left (left and right) thru
Right and left roll
Rip the line
Roll the line
Sashay thru
Scoot apart
Scoot back
Shake and rattle
Shakedown
Shuffle and wheel
Shuffle the deck
Single pass and roll your neighbor [Single DPT]
Slither
Snap back
Split recycle
Split sidetrack
Split swap
Split swap the wave
Stack the line (reverse)
Stack the wheel
Step and slide
Step right
Substitute (lateral)
Sweep 1/4
Swing and cross
Switch the wave
Tag back to a wave
Tag the line
Tag your neighbor
Trail off
Trailers cross (!)
Travel thru
Triple wheel (turn)
Turn (wheel) to a line
Turn and deal
Turn and left thru
Turn on (!)
Turn over
Veer
Vertical tag
Walk and dodge (!)
Wheel and deal
Wheel the ocean (sea) (!)
Wheel thru
With the flow

8-Dancer Calls
Advance to a column
All 4 couples concept
All eight walk and dodge
Anything the wave
Beau (belle) tie
Bring us together
Buckle and
Busy anything
Change your image (!) [various?]
Checkmate
Checkover
Clear out
Clover the column
Clover the wave
Cloverleaf (cross)
Counter point
Counter shake
Crackle
Create a diamond
Cross and wheel
Cross chain thru (and roll) (!)
Crossover circulate
Divide the ocean [wave in the center, couples on ends]
Double orbit circulate
Double pass thru
Drift apart [waves, lines]
Easy does it
Eight chain
Exchange the boxes [columns]
Expand the column (!) [various?]
Fancy
Ferris wheel
Flare out to a line
Flip your lid (!)
Follow your leader
Gee whiz
Go first class
Good show
Grand square (!)
Grand walk and dodge
Hang a right (left) [two ways]
Hinge and circulate
Invert the column
Link up
Make a pass (!)
Mark time
Mini busy (!)
Mix and mingle
Mix the deal (turn and deal)
Mix the line
Pinwheel
Polly wally [also from couples back to back]
Pressed for time
Presto
Quick anything
Release the column
Replace the column (!)
Right side up
Roll out the barrel
Roll out to a column
Rotary circulate
Rotary spin
Round and cross
Round off
Scatter circulate
Sidetrack
Slant
Snap the lock
Spin the pulley
Splash
Star to a wave (!)
Strut
Tag circulate
Tag the star
Take 0, 2, 4
Team up
Track (0), 2, (4)
Track and
Trade circulate
Trade counter rotate [various]
Transfer and
Transfer the column
Trip the set
Triple cast
Triple cross
Triple scoot
Tunnel
Turn away [DPT, completed DPT]
Turn four
Turntable
Walk the plank (!)
Wheel and
Wheel the top
Wipe out

Back to the Challenge Dancing Page

Lynette Bellini
lynette@ics.uci.edu
March 14, 1996