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's currently on the C2 list.
The Once Removed concept is so powerful and flexible that it could be a Challenge level all by itself. Because of its power and flexibility, it causes a lot of problems for a great many dancers.
There are four generally used formations that see wide use with the Once Removed concept -- Once Removed from Lines/Waves, Once Removed from Columns, Once Removed from Tidal Formations and Once Removed from Diamonds.
Once Removed can be used with other concepts, such as Tandem and Initially. Because there are so many setups used with Once Removed, a large number of strategies must be used by dancers in Once Removed situations to dance this concept well. Dancers must attend a lot of dances before they see many of the uses of Once Removed.
Once Removed has so many uses from so many positions and with so many calls that it is probably impossible to state a consistent rule that dancers can use in most situations.
This paper will attempt to cover a set of strategies that may be used with some of the more commonly Once Removed situations. In no way does this paper try to cover all possible Once Removed setups.
This paper is intended to provide some standard rationales and methods for dancing the Once Removed concept and should be used together with the Once Removed Notes and Diagrams paper which contains many diagrams of Once Removed situations.
The Callerlab Definition:
| 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.
| Once Removedness is established by finding the axis of the current formation, noting where the dancers are positioned and then establishing theoretical planes which are perpendicular to the formation axis and which pass through the dancers' positions. The dancers in every other plane are Once Removed from each other. |
Isn't that a mouthful?
The following example shows the planes that would be established for Once Removed Lines, Waves or columns.
Every other plane is a member of the same Once Removed group. There are only two Once Removed groups possible for any formation. The Once Removed groups are orange and light blue in this diagram.
There may be many planes depending on the formation. For example:
| Formation | ||
| Lines, Waves and Columns | ||
| Hourglass | Diamond | |
| Tidal Wave |
Unfortunately, these considerations only make it more difficult to dance Once Removed calls because it adds to the list of what the dancers must know about this concept.
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.
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:
Additionally, it may be helpful to note the handedness of the formation at the start of the call. For example, some Once Removed from tidal formation calls that start right-handed end up left-handed and vice versa.
There are many dancing difficulties associated with the Once Removed concept:
Unfortunately, very few dancers can see who is a member of their Once Removed group when the call starts or remember who that group contained at the end of the call. They also have trouble remembering the group offset. Seeing the offset is particularly difficult for those in the very center 4 spots of a tidal formation.
The point of all this is that this concept can be very easy to do or incredibly difficult.
The existing documentation about the Once Removed concept is far from adequate to handle the many Once Removed situations that are being called today. The strategies for dancing Once Removed from Lines/Waves and Columns is different from Tidal Formations which is different from Diamonds. And the strategy may be call-dependent within any of the 4 Once Removed groups. There are strategies that are formation dependent and strategies which are call dependent. There are calls that when done from a given formation can be done using three or four different strategies.
What is a dancer to do?
It seems that a large gulf exists between what is taught about Once Removed in lessons and what the dancer encounters on the dance floor. The typical lesson about Once Removed is sandwiched in among several other calls and concepts during lessons. Written documentation about Once Removed is skimpy at best. Both lessons and documentation do not reflect the reality about Once Removed as it is used on the dance floor. And the callers and dancers don't always agree.
There have been comments on the Challenge-SD forum suggesting that the Once Removed concept be moved to the C3B list and that the Twosome concept be moved to the C2 list to help handle the Once Removed concept.
I am not in favor of either of these. Many C3A and C3B dancers have problems with Once Removed. Twosomes is a difficult concept. While Twosome-like movements may be used in some Once Removed calls (like Peel Off from two-faced lines), Twosome is a demanding concept in its own right. The Twosome-like movements found in some Once Removed situations are just that -- they are individual dancer movements that mimic Twosomes without being Twosomes.
Kinds of Once Removed Calls
One of the interesting things about the Once Removed concept is that there is not one but at least six major types of Once Removed situations based on what dancers are really doing during Once Removed calls. These Once Removed situation types are as follows:
These six types of Once Removed situations cover most of what you may expect to see on a C2 or C3A floor. There are other situations that you may encounter.
These types of Once Removed situations are discussed in some detail on the following pages.
For example:
Once Removed Star Thru from beginning double pass thru
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Star Thru from beginning double pass thru |
| Once Removed Square Through | Once Removed Single Turn to a Line from tidal columns | |
| Once Removed Slide Thru | Once Removed Hinge from tidal formations | |
| Once Removed Counter Rotate | Once Removed Bend the Line from tidal formations | |
| Once Removed Mini Chase | Once Removed Swing Thru from As Couples tidal wave | |
| Once Removed Shakedown | Once Removed from Diamonds calls | |
| Once Removed Swing | Once Removed Swing Thru from As Couples tidal waves |
When the final formation is a line or wave, the restoration movement is normally for the centers of each wave to exchange positions (Slither) along the formation axis. For example:
Once Removed Pass the Ocean from beginning double pass thru
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Square Thru 2 to a wave from beginning double pass thru | |
| Once Removed Beau Hop from beginning double pass thru | |
| Once Removed Peel Off (More discussion about this under Multiple Method Calls |
When the final formation is a column, the restoration movement is normally for the column centers to exchange positions in the direction of the formation axis. This is normally a Zoom or Substitute.
Once Removed Single Wheel from beginning double pass thru
The restoration movement is normally for the centers of each wave to exchange positions along the formation axis. For example:
Once Removed Square Thru 3 to a Wave
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Square Thru 2 to a Wave from facing lines | |
| Once Removed Peel Off (More discussion about this under Once Removed from Lines/Waves) |
These calls often end in a tidal formation requiring some adjustment to restore the Once Removedness of the formation. The restoration movement for tidal wave formations is normally for the very center couples of the formation to slide past each other (called DRAG) and then for the centers of each wave to Slither (called DROP). Calls like Once Removed Catch 3 generally require the centers of the formation to perform a Zoom-like movement to restore the Once Removedness of the formation.
Once Removed Catch 2 from columns
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Square Chain Thru to a wave from beginning 8 Chain Thru | |
| Once Removed Peel Off from parallel ocean waves |
If these calls end in columns then the restoration movement requires those in the center to exchange places along the formation axis. There is good traffic flow for the restoration if the restoration is done as a Zoom.
If these calls end in columns then the restoration movement requires those in the center to exchange places along the formation axis. There is good traffic flow for the restoration if the restoration is done as a Zoom or a Substitute.
Unfortunately, Substitute was removed from all lists in 1984. It is the best solution for the restoration.
Once Removed Catch 3
These calls often start in a tidal formation but don't always end in a tidal formation. Adjustment to restore the Once Removedness of the formation is often not required but a movement is required to removed the original offset.
Once Removed Wheel and Deal from a tidal wave
This call is discussed in detail in the section Once Removed from Tidal Formations.
For this kind of call, it may be helpful to note the handedness (right/left) of the starting formation before you move. The handedness may be reversed at the conclusion of the call.
Once Removed Beaus Kick Off
Notice that this call ends in a tidal column
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Turn to a Line from a tidal wave | |
| Once Removed Tag the Line from a tidal wave |
Once Removed Pass the Ocean from facing lines
Another example is:
| Once Removed Heads Square Thru 2 to a wave from a squared up set. | |
There are some additional Once Removed formation and call considerations.
Initially Once Removed calls. These calls are generally done without first taking them out. Taking it out requires that the Once Removed restoration be done immediately after the first part of the call. This is awkward, confusing and time-consuming. This is discussed further in the Initially section.
See the section on Initially Once Removed calls for further information.Initially Once Removed Circle to a Wave
Some other Once Removed calls don't have a generally recognized approach to doing them. These calls use strategies that are peculiar to the calls and generally require memorization to execute them successfully.
Other examples include but are not limited to:
| Once Removed Peel Off/Trail Off from lines/waves | |
| Once Removed Peel and Trail from lines/waves | |
| Once Removed Crossfire from 1-faced tidal lines | |
| Once Removed Rims Trade [Call] from Tidal lines/waves | |
| Once Removed Here Come the Judge from a Tidal formation where each line is inverted |
Once Removed Step and Slide and Once Removed Twist the Line are calls of this type which are discussed in the section on Once Removed from Tidal Formations.
See the Once Removed Notes and Diagrams section of my Challenge Dancing web site for diagrams of many of these calls.
Once Removed calls from columns and lines are very similar to each other in that they are both done from 2x4 matrices and many of the same calls work virtually the same within each type of formation.
These calls include but are not limited to
| Couple Up | Counter Rotate | Mini Chase | Wheel the Ocean/Sea | |
| Walk and Dodge | Square Thru | Star Thru | Slide Thru |
Many calls done in the basic 2x4 formations are not taken out - they are danced within each box.
The red dancers work in the same group as the blue dancers and the green dancers work with the yellow dancers.
Simple calls like Square Thru are done in each Once Removed box with no interaction between boxes except for the obvious passing required.
Calls from facing line formations like, for example, Once Removed Star Thru or Once Removed Slide Thru, change the formation from a line formation to a column formation. A Once Removed Partner Trade retains the line orientation.
There are box of four calls that can not be done from the Once Removed boxes, like Square Chain Thru. These calls require a take out. These calls may be done differently from Columns and Lines/Waves depending on some of the parameters of the call. For example, Once Removed Catch 2 dances differently from Once Removed Catch 3. The Catch 2 from Columns ends in lines and the Catch 3 from columns ends in columns.
This take out can be easily done by having the lead center step aside, away from the formation, step backward and step back into the column while the trailing center moves into the vacated spot. The put back at the end of these calls, when there is one and the final formation is a column, is to do the same movements. This call is called Substitute. It was removed from all lists in 1984 but is particularly relevant in this situation.
Substitute looks like this:
Sometimes calls that start in columns end in lines or waves, sometimes in tidal formations and sometimes back in columns.
Let's look at four examples:
Once Removed Catch 2 from Columns
Once Removed Catch 2 from Lines
Calls from columns, lines and waves sometimes end up in a tidal formation. These calls are not Once Removed when the call is over. The Once Removedness of the original formation must be restored. If the call was not taken out at the beginning of the call, the Once Removedness is restored using the DROP method. If the call was taken out at the beginning of the call then the Once Removedness of the original formation must be restored using the DRAG and DROP method. See the section - Calls that End in a Tidal Formation - for additional discussion.
This is a typical example.
Once Removed Beau Hop
This call uses the DROP method to restore the Once Removedness of the formation.
The strategy for dancing Once Removed Diamonds calls is based on the selective use of two calls, Half Tag and Follow Thru. In general, when the points of Once Removed Diamonds move to the center or hand hold position, the movement to use is Half Tag. When those in the center, or hand hold position, move to the point position, the movement is a Follow Thru.
This works for Once Removed Diamond Circulates, Cuts and Flips. Flippers use Half Tag then a Follow Thru.
Other Once Removed Diamond calls, like Step and Fold and Crossfire, use similar flow movements. Further study and experience must be your guide.
For example, in a Once Removed Diamond Circulate, the centers do a Follow Thru while the points do a Half Tag.
This is the same approach used in a Once Removed Swing. (See the section on Once Removed Swing.)
If you are doing a Funny Circulate from a Once Removed diamond, your movement path is around any stationary dancers. Don't cut through the middle of the diamond.
Dancing Once Removed from tidal formations is not easy. There are several strategies that may be used depending upon the call and the starting tidal formation -- tidal waves, as couples tidal waves, and one-faced tidal formations.
Tidal Formations generally look like this example for a Once Removed tidal wave:
You may also see inverted lines, 3 and 1 lines on each side and tidal column formations in all sorts of arrangements. These are not seen often.
Dancing Once Removed Tidal Waves
Many Once Removed calls from tidal waves are taken out before call execution, the call is done and the distortion caused by the take out is removed.
Let's look at how this may be done for some Once Removed line calls from tidal waves - those calls that are taken out first.
The usual starting position for these calls is as follows:
The usual "take out" for these calls is as follows;
Formation Axis
Notice that the original formation has an axis (the formation axis) and each group has its own axis (group axis). In the initial setup the formation axis and the two group axes coincide. At the conclusion of the Once Removed call, the formation axis and the group axes must coincide again.
These Once Removed calls include but are not limited to:
| Turn and Deal | Tag the Line | Mix | |
| Wheel and Deal | Half Tag | Cross Roll To A Wave | Cast Off 3/4 | Partner Tag | Switch To A Line | Kick Off | Single Wheel |
This approach to dancing Once Removed lines from Tidal Waves works for calls which change from lines to boxes or columns where the "put back" direction is forward or sideward.
Calls in which the "put back" movement direction is backward should not be done. The backing up dancers can't see where they are going. No one wants to be stepped on.
Each call from a Once Removed tidal formation must be looked at by itself to determine how to do it and what the ending formation will be. Not all calls use these methods.
The usual way to look at these formations is for each Once Removed group to step forward - do the call - then put back the offset. Remember that taking the formation out is, in effect, a cheat because the call may be easier to do in that fashion. The trouble is, it doesn't always work.
Let's look at a reasonably frequent call - Once Removed Turn and Deal from a tidal wave.
The standard "take out" looks like this:
Each group is now a line formation which can do the turn and deal.
Do the Turn and Deal in each group
Notice that the line formation changed to a box formation. The group axis now runs through the center of the box. The "put back" requires that the axes of the group formations be adjusted to coincide with the formation axis. The resulting formation is parallel waves with everyone Once Removed.
How did this formation get back into parallel waves? Because we maintained the Once Removed group offset and realigned the group axes with the formation axis. Of course, you don't have time on the dance floor to go through this thought process but at least this is one of the rationales for why this happens this way.
Let's look at this call using a different way of thinking this call through.
Once Removed Turn and Deal
Do the Turn and Deal in each group. Notice that the groups did the Turn and Deal normally.
In the case of a Turn and Deal, each group would end up in a box and the center line of your box would lie on the original formation axis.
Then you bring each group together and put them back into the formation keeping each group interleaved with the same offset they had when the call started.
You end up with two parallel waves with everyone Once Removed.
In the real world this is impossible - the dancers could not maneuver around each other without getting hopelessly entangled. That's why the call is normally done by taking it out. But, if you could ignore the other group, you would not have to make any adjustments at all - just do the call.
Of course, you cannot take Group B away from Group A and then bring them back. This is why the formation is taken out and put back. But, now it is apparent why the ending formation is parallel waves.
This demonstrates why parallel waves is the correct ending formation for most calls where each Once Removed group starts in a line and ends in a box and shows why some calls may be safely taken out from the original formation axis but end up with no one on the formation axis when the call is completed.
There are situations where the normal takeout is not the practical approach. These Once Removed calls include but are not limited to the following:
| Step and Slide | Step and Flip | Rims Trade [call] | |
| Step and Squeeze | Twist and Anything |
These calls have the characteristic that two of the dancers in each Once Removed group remain on the same starting line the formation started in. That means that in each Once Removed group there will be two dancers from each group on the formation axis at the end of the call and the group axis is not on the formation axis.
Let's look at two examples of these calls starting on the next page.
Once Removed Step and Slide
This call can be done by having each Once Removed group step ahead, do the call, and then back up into the final position. This is not a good approach and is potentially harmful.
Once Removed Twist the Line
This call can be done with the step ahead take out but that just adds unnecessary steps and time.
Unfortunately, one must know that this is the way to do this kind of call and not use the other "take it out "method used for dancing Once Removed tidal wave calls.
Here is a call that is better danced without taking the formation out.
Once Removed Bend the Line
These diagrams provide examples of calls that are usually not done with the step ahead takeout. There are many others.
Once Removed calls from tidal formations that are not tidal waves are seldom if ever taken out. These are other approached for these calls.
Please review this material by working with the Once Removed Notes and Diagrams paper.
Dancing From An As-Couples Tidal Formation
This formation looks like this:
Calls from this formation include but are not limited to:
| Fan the Top | Spin the Top | Partner Hinge |
Calls from this formation are generally not taken out. They are done from the original formation.
For example,
Once Removed Swing Thru
Dancing From A One-Faced Tidal Formation
This formation looks like this:
Calls from this formation are generally not taken out. They are done from the original formation.
Calls from this formation include but are not limited to:
| Bend the Line | Partner Hinge |
For example:
Once Removed Crossfire
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.
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; the couples in the center wave slide by each other, each wave centers Slither or both of them in that order.
The two movements have names - the very center two couples sliding by each other is called DRAG. The Slither done by the very centers of each wave is called a DROP.
DRAG and DROP have evolved because they are workable solutions to this problem - How do we get everyone Once Removed from each other when they probably didn't know who they were Once Removed from and who was in their Once Removed group to begin with. DRAG and DROP are survival tactics. They are used when the call follows Once Removed types 2 and 3 discussed in the Once Removed Types section.
Let's look at a call that is used regularly, Once Removed Pass the Ocean from beginning double pass thru formation. You may notice that this call is one of those that may be done in two different ways. The first diagram is the recommended way to do this call.
Once Removed Pass the Ocean (Method 1)
Once Removed Pass the Ocean (Method 2)
Some callers recommend using DRAG and DROP whenever possible. There is no general agreement in the Challenge community about this that I am aware of. I follow the usage from Once Removed Types 2 and 3 as appropriate. It doesn't make sense to add steps and time to a call when there is no need.
As mentioned earlier, there should be only one way that a call should be done, not two or more.
One of the items you must remember about dancing Once Removed is the position of the formation axis. If the position of the formation axis at the end of the call is different from its position at the beginning of the call, then the Once Removedness goes away.
These calls include but are not limited to:
Once Removed Pass the Ocean
Once Removed Lock It
This is also a good example of the Half Tag movement used in couples-type Once Removed setups. In this case, the centers are in a left-handed setup so they do a left Half Tag. The outsides are in a right-handed setup so they do a right (or normal) Half Tag.
The formation axis has changed in both of these examples, so the Once Removedness of the formation has gone away. The dancers are not required to be Once Removed at the end of these calls.
The Initially concept is used often in conjunction with the Once Removed concept. The problem with this usage is the almost overwhelming desire of many dancers to take out Once Removed calls before thinking about what's going on.
Examples of this call include but are not limited to the following:
In the example below, you can see that there are two additional steps required to take out and put back portions of this call. Not only does this take more time but it is confusing to do the put back in the middle of the call. Put backs are normally done at the end of the call.
Initially Once removed Circle to a Wave with a take out
Initially Once Removed Circle to a Wave without a take out
As a general rule, don't take out Initially Once removed calls. Do the call in the Once Removed formation.
There are many Once Removed calls that can be done in multiple ways. Of course, the question is, what way is appropriate considering what the caller wants and what the experience of the dancers dictates.
These calls include but are not limited to:
| Peel Off | Trail Off | Single Turn to a Line | |
| Peel and Trail | Reach Out | Single Wheel |
These calls present challenges because they can be done in several ways and are indeed taught in different ways by different callers.
The methods are:
These three approaches are diagrammed on the pages following:
Peel Off
The physical separation approach is generally applicable to wave-type setups as shown below:
It is easy to do this call once you get into the take out position, but that take out must be accurate and, of course, everyone else in the square must be doing this the same way.
This method is extremely confusing to most dancers and is not recommended.
The Twosome approach is often applied from parallel 2-faced lines as shown below:
This method looks very clean and neat but has limited application and in any event, Twosomes is a C3B concept and is thus not available to C2 and C3A dancers.
The take out method is generally applicable and is shown below:
This method works for most of these cases. It is clunky and requires more steps and time. However, it is consistent and will work as long as everyone in the square uses this method. This method of resolving the Once Removedness once the tidal formation has been established is called DRAG and DROP.
The DRAG and DROP works well with most Once Removed calls that are taken out first and end in a tidal formation. See the section on Calls That End in Tidal Formations.
Once Removed Swing is done by doing a Half Tag and a Follow Thru using the appropriate shoulder pass for the handedness of the original wave. Common usages is in Once Removed Swing Thru, Once Removed Spin the Top and Once Removed Fan the Top from normal ocean waves and Two-faced tidal waves. Other uses of the fractional parts are in Once Removed Diamonds. The Half Tags and Follow Thru movements are used in Once Removed Diamond Circulates and in Cut and Flip movements. Once Removed Partner Hinge is a Half Tag.
Once Removed Swing
Once Removed Partner Hinge is just the Half Tag part of this movement.
Look at this example:
Once Removed Swing Thru
Notice that the initial Half Tag is a right shoulder pass because the initial swing is right-handed. The second Half Tag is a left shoulder pass handed because that Swing is left-handed. If this call is made in a left-handed setup, then the centers do the first Swing because they are in a right-handed setup.
Another example is:
Once Removed Spin the Top
This is a bit more complicated but the same rules apply. Each wave does a Half Tag and a Follow Thru. Then the box of four in the center does a left Half Tag, a Follow thru and then another left Half Tag because they are doing another left Swing 1-1/2. While the center couples are doing their left Swing 1-1/2, the end couples move up by doing a right Half Tag.
Incidently, you may notice that the dancers are no longer Once Removed because the formation axis changed.
If the call was Once Removed Fan the Top, the movements would have been:
Once Removed Diamond Circulate
Notice the dancer movements here:
How many times when doing a Once Removed call do you hear someone say "Do It Twosome"? Exactly what do they mean? Let's look at a specific case. The following diagram shows the setup for a Once Removed Swing Thru:
It is the Swing maneuver that often evokes the "Do It Twosome" response.
The definition of Twosome says:
This diagram shows how the Once Removed Swing movement develops:
This movement is done by doing a Half Tag followed by a Follow Thru. This is the same flow as a Couples Twosome Swing.
But Twosome doesn't define a movement - it only defines the relationship between the partners.
Once Removed means that you perform a move in your own Once Removed group. In a Once Removed Swing, you are not doing the movement with your immediately adjacent (Couples Twosome) partner but with your Once Removed partner.
Therefore, Couples Twosome Swing is not appropriate in this situation even though it works in many situations.
At C3B the Once Removed Swing Thru could be called as a Couples Twosome Swing Thru.
But, Once Removed is a C2 concept, two levels below C3B.
The Half Tag and Follow Thru combination works well for many Once Removed calls - for example, Swing Thru, Spin The Top, Fan the Top and many Once Removed Diamond setups.
Twosome is a complicated concept - easy to define - difficult to dance. Adding this concept to C2 in order to perform a small number of Once Removed calls is adding unnecessary complication to a level that already.
contains two very difficult concepts, Once Removed and Parallelograms.
Somehow it seems silly to think that some people want everyone to learn a C3B concept, Twosomes, to do a C2 concept, Once Removed.
This approach can't and won't be done by everyone in the square because they don't know and understand it. Don't do it. It just confuses the dancers who don't know it and will probably break down the square.
Once Removed calls are difficult. There are many, too many, ways to approach a lot of these calls. You will need a lot of experience and floor time to be successful with dancing the Once Removed concept. You need to know the call part of the concept/call, you need to think quickly and you need a good memory to work with this concept. With any luck, the others in your square will know how to do the call the same way that you do. If not, good luck.
Charles Young
March 2002