Class 8 — Waves and the Box
Units covered: M29, M30, M31, M32. Units assumed: M1–M28 — the class needs Bend the Line,
Square Thru and Star Thru before any of these.
The units in this class
| Unit | Call | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| M29 | Dive Thru | sends the centre dancers under an arch the others make |
| M30 | Box the Gnat | turns a facing pair by a pull, not an arch |
| M31 | Ocean Wave Family | makes and balances waves, and the Alamo ring |
| M32 | Trade Family | exchanges two dancers in a wave or a line |
Before you start
- They can Bend the Line and know which pair does the moving.
- They can hold a hand at the right height for a wave, and let go when the call ends.
- They can turn a quarter in either direction on the spot without drifting.
Teaching sequence
- M29 — Dive Thru. Have two dancers make the arch and two dive under, with the class watching. Pre-empt the arch pair who stand up early and catch the divers across the back.
- M30 — Box the Gnat. Put this beside Star Thru: same turn, different hands. Pre-empt the pair who arch — Box the Gnat is a pull by, and the hands stay low.
- M31 — Ocean Wave Family. Build the wave slowly with one four-dancer group, then the whole square, and teach the Balance as part of the wave. Pre-empt dancers who turn their shoulders sideways.
- M32 — Trade Family. Start with Partner Trade, one clear exchange, and only then the calls that name dancers. Pre-empt the dancer who walks round the outside instead of straight across.
Drills
- Heads Pass Thru Heads Dive Thru Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains Dive Thru from a facing line, and finishes the figure the way a tip usually finishes.
- Heads Square Thru 4 Partner Trade Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains the trade as a straight exchange that puts a column back in sequence.
- Heads Pass the Ocean Balance Boys Trade Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains the wave, the balance, and a named-dancer trade inside one short figure.
Checks
- Dive Thru ends in a pile — the arch came down early; hold it until the divers are through.
- Box the Gnat finishes like Star Thru — say "pull by, no hands up".
- The wave straightens into a line — keep the chests facing the centre.
- A trade leaves one dancer two steps out — step straight across, not round.