Definitions of Square Dance Calls and Concepts -- Alter The Wave [C1]

Alter The Wave [C1]
(Lee Kopman 1970)

C1:

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From a Wave or Facing Couples.

Arm Turn 1/2;
Centers Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back;
Counter Rotate the Diamond 1/2;
Flip The Diamond.

Ends in a Wave (of opposite handedness). Alter The Wave is a 4-part call.


before Alter The Wave		after Arm Turn 1/2; Centers Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back		after Diamond Counter Rotate 1/2		after Flip The Diamond (done)

Notes:

The Diamond Counter Rotate 1/2 is often referred to as Star 1/2.
Dancers who Cast Off 3/4 become the Ends of the resulting Wave no matter how far the Diamond is turned. Dancers who U-Turn Back always become the Centers.
The Diamond Counter Rotate 1/2 is danced by turning the whole Diamond 180 degrees around its center of gravity. Centers retain handholds throughout the Diamond Counter Rotate and the Points should NOT place their hands into the 'Star', but instead should point as they would when identifying Diamonds. This is very important, because if there are 3 or more hands are in the Center, dancers tend to forget who is to flip whom for the Flip The Diamond, especially if the caller modifies the amount to 'turn the Star'.
From a Wave, Ends remain Ends as Centers remain Centers.

Alter The Wave, Star 1/4:


before Alter The Wave, Star 1/4		after Arm Turn 1/2; Centers Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back		after Diamond Counter Rotate 1/4		after Flip The Diamond (done)

Spin Back [C4] (Norm Wilcox 1972): From Facing Couples or a Wave. Arm Turn 1/2; Centers Cast Off 3/4 as Ends U-Turn Back. Ends in a Diamond. This is the first 1/2 of Alter The Wave.