The Once Removed concept is one of the hardest and least understood concepts in Challenge square dancing. The call was conceived by Norm Poisson in the early 1980s. It is currently on the C2 list.
This paper provides an explanation of this concept for most of us. This will be done by showing sample calls with some discussions of the nuances of the examples including discussion of the strategy to be used for the call.
The four dancers who are once removed from each other do the call with each other, usually ending back on the same 4 spots.
e.g., Once Removed Walk and Dodge:
When the call changes the shape of the formation (e.g. "Once Removed Ah So"), the two resulting formations are interleaved with each other the same way the original formations were. For example, Once Removed Ah So:
This explanation is not clear and is not inclusive of many of the possibilities for using this concept. Some believe that those dancing Once Removed work only within their own Once Removed group. This is only true for relatively simple calls like Once Removed Shakedown or Once Removed Mini Chase. Many other Once Removed calls are more difficult and involved. This is demonstrated in the examples.
Let's look at a diagram of a Once Removed formation and examine the various parts.
The four dancers in each group work together during the call. Sometimes the two groups work separately, sometimes they work interleaved. Depending upon the particular call, the groups may have to work together to reestablish the Once Removed nature of the setup at the end of the call. If the call is a partner call, like Single Wheel, then just work with your Once Removed partner.
If the call is a foursome call, then you may not be Once Removed from your partner after the call although you will still be in the same Once Removed foursome at the end of the call. For example, Once Removed Reach Out from lines.
The long axis of the formation is called the formation axis. If the formation axis at the end of the call is different from what it was at the beginning of the call, the Once Removedness of the call is gone. The dancers no longer need to be concerned about who is in their Once Removed group.
You must be constantly aware of the following in a Once Removed setup:
NOTE: There are Once Removed setups where the offset direction is not relevant. See the example for Initially Once Removed Beau Hop in the Once Removed Columns section.
Taking It Out
Once Removed calls are often done by first taking them out. This is not always necessary and sometimes is not the correct way to do the call. There are some instances where taking it out is not usually done and others where it is absolutely necessary to take it out.
Many dancers take out Once Removed formations immediately upon hearing the call.
BIG MISTAKE.
Many Once Removed calls dance better if they are not taken out, such as, Slide Through, Star Through and Square Through. Once Removed Square Chain Thru, Square Chain the Top, Catch [n] and others must be taken out in order to do the call.
An important case of not taking it out first is when the call causes the long axis of the formation to change which cancels the Once Removed concept, for example, Once Removed Pass the Ocean. See the example below.
This call can be taken out first but the result is the same as if you danced it in your Once Removed box. And, you didn't waste time and cause confusion by taking it out first. Experience will be your guide as to when to take a call out or not before executing the call. Everyone in the square must do call in the same way or the square will break down.
Some Once Removed calls can be done from either lines or columns. The outcome of these calls can be completely different. For example, Once Removed Pass the Ocean from facing lines is a very simple call that doesn't need to be taken out to do. The dancers are also not Once Removed at the end of the call because the formation axis has changed.
Once Removed Pass the Ocean from a beginning Double Pass Thru setup is a different proposition.
There are many Once Removed situations where you are in a tidal wave at the completion of the call part of the concept/call.
This situation is practically impossible to resolve for most dancers because they have no idea of their position in any tidal formation. Additionally, there is no time for each person to resolve his or her position within the tidal formation within the time allotted for the call.
If you are facing out of a Once Removed formation, a Once Removed call can cause big problems because you may not know who is in your Once Removed group. This may not be a problem with simple calls such as Once Removed Circulate or Once Removed Shakedown. However, if the ending formation is a tidal setup, then you may have no clue as to who is in your Once Removed group. The resolution of Once Removed calls that end up in tidal formations is difficult and confusing.
When a Once Removed call ends in a tidal formation, dancers are required to adjust their positions to become Once Removed from others in their group. There are three ways to adjust; center wave as couples Slither, each wave centers Slither or both of them in that order. The slushing done to return to the original Once Removed relationship between the dancers must be done from memory -- it cannot be done by each person seeing his or her position within the tidal formation. See the examples for Once Removed Peel Off and Reach Out in the Once Removed Lines section.
Any dancer's failure to understand where he or she is in a tidal wave will inevitably cause the square to break down.
When beginning in a tidal formation, the dancers must be aware of the nature of the formation, i.e., tidal wave, as couples tidal wave, tidal line composed of inverted lines or grand two-faced tidal line.
The strategy for dealing with each of these situations is different.
Memory is an important element in dancing Once Removed situations. Some calls have such a short duration that there is not enough time to figure out where you are in the formation, who is in your Once Removed group and what you have to do from that position. There is no time for a dancer to orient himself before the call is over. Hence, the need to recognize the call and formation and just do it without really thinking about it.
Many calls can be done without worrying about where you end up at the end of the call as long as you follow the rule for the call. This is not true for Once Removed calls. It is critical that the dancers know who their Once Removed group includes before beginning to move. This is very difficult in situations where you are facing out of the formation.
There are four Once Removed setups in general use today shown below:
Each of these groups will be discussed individually followed by examples of various Once Removed setups within each group.
Click on any of these to look at the examples for each group.