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
