Class 9 — Waves in Motion
Units covered: M33, M34, M35, M36. Units assumed: M1–M32 — especially the Ocean Wave Family,
because all four of these calls work from a wave.
The units in this class
| Unit | Call | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| M33 | Swing Thru / Left Swing Thru | turns the two halves of a wave, then the other two |
| M34 | Run / Cross Run | sends one dancer along the other's path |
| M35 | Pass the Ocean | makes a wave from facing couples |
| M36 | Extend | steps a wave out to the next wave |
Before you start
- They can stand in a wave with the right hand joined and their chest square to the centre.
- They can Balance without stepping off the spot.
- They can tell a right-hand wave from a left-hand wave without being told.
Teaching sequence
- M33 — Swing Thru. Walk it in two halves and say which half goes first: the dancers who can turn by the right hand. Pre-empt the dancer who starts on the second half because their hand was free.
- M34 — Run. Put one pair in the middle and have the named dancer walk the other's path while the other steps aside. Pre-empt the pair who both move: only the named dancer travels.
- M35 — Pass the Ocean. Build it from facing couples and stop when the wave is made so the class can see it. Pre-empt the pair who finish side by side: the step forward makes the wave.
- M36 — Extend. Teach it last, because it is only a step: same wave, one place along. Pre-empt the dancer who turns to face the new wall instead of keeping their chest to the centre.
Drills
- Heads Pass Thru Heads Pass the Ocean Swing Thru Extend Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains Pass the Ocean, the swing through the wave, and the extend that moves it along.
- Heads Lead Right Veer Left Pass the Ocean Swing Thru Boys Run Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains Run out of a wave, which is where the class will meet it most often.
- Heads Square Thru 4 Pass the Ocean Swing Thru Girls Run Allemande Left Promenade Home
Trains the same wave work with the other dancers named, so nobody relies on the Boys.
Checks
- Swing Thru stops halfway — name the first half out loud.
- Run leaves a hole in the wave — both dancers moved; only the named dancer travels.
- Pass the Ocean ends in facing couples — the step forward was missing.
- Extend drifts off the line — the chest stays to the centre.