Square Dance Teaching Points
Basic
Rich Reel 19 Jun 2002
Unsorted Ideas
Swing (and highland fling styling for DoSaD) teach 'spotting' - focus on things in the room while you spin to avoid dizzyness
Cpl.C: "like a tractor tread - there's a straight portion and a rounded portion"
"on successive circulates you go straight-turn-straight-turn"
"let go of the center hand hold before you circulate"
[2W] LrRun (introduce this term)
ArchyGrand - some are sahayed
Sp2A1 / Splt2 SepA1
"Ferris Wheel And Deal", Ferris Concept
don't call RLT when teaching SqThr
PasTh not legal from [L.W]/[L.TW]
SwThr - "those who can turn half by the R, those who *meet* turn half by the L"
Cir2L = "Circle To A Line .... break out make a line"
RIGHT WhlAr (nicer than Reverse WhlAr)
leaders - are the ones who are getting a massage
teach Run from [F]: [5W] B-Run B-Run "again"
Repeat the new call name with every teach
ChDTL "2 ladies chain down the line"
ChDTL: B look down at the other end of your line - that's where you'll be facing after the call
StrTh
drop hands. with the one you are facing...
B use R-H, G use L-H, make an arch
G duck under the arch, B go wide around the G
exchange places, but...
turn only 1/4 turn: B turn R, G turn L 90 deg or 1 wall
end with that person beside you as your new partner
it should feel normal... B on the L, G on the R
Swing or Prom makes that girl your new partner
"Which lane are you in?" A8Cir
DPT: drop hands and pass everything with eyes on it in your square -Andy Shore
Thars: Lefts are arm turns, Rights are Pull-bys
A8Cir hard for some because they can't see all of the formation
Cover SldTh in Basic class (since it is so often called accidently)
RearB opposite of StepW
LyIMS: "Ladies Center Men Sashay"
Teach: "right into a" for stringing calls together
Square a.k.a "Set"
"All Eight ... Circulate" "Split ... Circulate"
now Weave means celebrate! - flare only with partner and the one directly across from you
H-FwdBk "play patty-cake" identifies opposite sex opposite
DoPas sounds like DoSaD
WhlDl teach: "you are facing out now, you'll end facing the wall behind you, looking in"
Alternate wording: 4 Girls Chain "Chain 'em home"
PtTrd: [S] H-PsThr S-PsThr A-PtTrd
SwThr is 3 or 4 dancers except [AW]
RP.By "forget about 'em"
"Grand" involves everybody
difficult about CtsyT: L-H dancer (usually walking forward) must back up while
simultaniously maintaining balance and proximity with their partner
practice: StrTh 4X UTurn StrTh
2LChn from lines: "its like two sets of H(or S) couples"
SFGrSqr: have S step out: walk for 3 steps, "turn to face" (your partner)
GrSqr "is kaleidoscopic" fun to view from above
RLT: CtsyT the partner beside you
be sure to point out that Square Dancing is sequential - not like other dancing - plan not to miss any lessons
Star styling for B (not G): pack saddle grip
imagine viewing the square from above
"meet your partner G roll out" Prom
2 person star with partner and corner: L/R hands up palm to palm, walk forward
teach 2LChn: PasTh CtsyT : G-RStar 1/2 CtsyT
Basic Teaching Points
CirL Circle Left
CirR Circle Right
CirL "stop, reverse" CirR
CirL "...CirL, CirL, Circle to the left, CirR (did you catch that?!)"
from [0L]
from [0B] (4 person circle)
4Cir2 4 dancers Circle 1/2
4Cir1 4 dancers Circle 1/4
4Cir3 4 dancers Circle 3/4 "circle half and a quarter more"
FwdBk Forward and Back
"up to the middle and back"
In a circle: "all dance forward up and back"
variety: "bend it, rock it, eight to the middle and back" -- Anne Uebelacker
from [LO] "back to the middle and forward"
"back to the middle and bump your buns"
"bumpers to bumpers, dance up to the middle and back"
DoSaD Do Sa Do / Do Ci Do / Do Si Do
original french meaning: "back to back"
after AL in circle
from facing dancers: H/S from [S], from [B], [L]
Highland Fling styling (special considerations after AL in circle)
to an ocean wave from [B]
DoSaD Prom
"doe see"
DoSaD 1/2, 1-1/2, 1-1/4
DoSaD StrTh - (use early to get folks used to facing after DoSaD)
cue: "look 'em in the eye"
"stay look'n at 'em"
Swing Swing
Mechanics
G's L hand rest on B's shoulder, elbow out - don't trap B's arm
B's R hand supports the G's back
pivot point
back pressure
simple let the G out vs. twirl the G out
note that G can end the Swing
at home
not the B's partner: "let the G out on your R"
Swing your corner "let her out on the correct side"
"you have a new corner"
Swing your new corner "be sure to let her out on the correct side"
after 4LPromI "get back and Swing your guy"
after 4BPromI
after 4LChn over and back
Swing AL Swing in singing call
Prom Promenade (Home)
{designated} (couple) Promenade
after AL: "she turns around, he moves up beside her"
Pr1/2 Promenade Half Way Around
Pr3/4 Promenade 3/4
Pr4/4 Promenade All the way (around)
Styling
Gay
Straight
By Callerlab definition (East Coast)
Sw&Pr Swing and Promenade
after [0L] SqTh3 (Swing the one beside you)
from wave
RolPr Roll Promenade
from Thar
after Do Paso
from [L.W]
after ChDTL
from [L]: --RLT --FullT --RolPr
"B-UTurn if necessary to form normal couple WhlAr/CtsyT until facing Prom direction Prom"
cue: "Boy turn to the Left"
Pr.SF Promenade Single File
SF.Pr Single File Promenade
PromI Promenade Inside
Ladies
Boys
Other designator (bears, sexy ones, ...)
Styling
Gay
Straight
AL Allemande Left
LA Left Allemande
"Allemande (to/on/with) the/your corner"
"(find) the/your corner Allemande"
"Go Allemande"
from circle
teach: "Turn and face your corner, and say to your corner:
You're the one I allemande left with" (pause for response)
"Unless the caller screws up" (pause for response and laughter) -- Doug Sewell 9/24/98
cue: "Turn your back on your partner"
after DoSaD in circle
from [0B], [0T], [L.0W], [0L], [0LO], [L.0R]
from Alamo Ring
AR Allemande Right (no longer on the list)
RArmT Right Arm Turn
TPtrR Turn your partner by the R (after AL)
from Alamo ring
LArmT Left Arm Turn
from [L.W]
from Alamo ring
RLG Right and Left Grand
after Allemande Left
after Box The Gnat
from 8 chain formation
cue: centers side step away from the other center beside you to make a ring
from waves
after Swing Thru
"You already have the R-H."
R-pull by and STOP.
Stand butt to butt with your partner - you just did a R pull by with
them.
Stick out a L-H.
Think about blending into a big circle.
Look for that next person with a L-H out for you.
from facing lines (RLT expected)
from circle / squared set
from odd formations
"Grand 'Ol Right and Left"
Weave Weave the Ring
a no hands RLG
"Weave" (omit "the ring")
styling
Text book
Gay
Straight
WWGrd Wrong Way Grand
Arcy Grand
RStar Right-hand Star
LStar Left-hand Star
StarR Star by the Right
StarL Star by the Left
Star half way (across)
Star Figures
alternate wording (With your corner (make a RH) Star,
to the same two, etc.)
Call Star Fig twice for practice
StarP Star Promenade
"with an arm around" StarP
teach: AL Prom "if the B put their inside hands in a star..."
PasTh Pass Thru
from waves
StepT
Ext
Splt2 Split the Outside Two
Split the Outside Couple
...Around 1 (hook on the end) make a line
Sp2A1 "to the end make a line"
Sp2A1 "to a line"
...Come Down The Middle
HSash Half Sashay
cue: "Don't roll her"
1/2-HSash like "put the lady in the lead and nothing else"
RollA Roll Away ((with) a Half Sashay)
CirL 4LRollA
from Couple (in lines, box, ...)
from sashayed couple: "Roll *him* away"
Sashay (full sashay?)
teach: every B has a G on his R, Roll HER Away With A Half Sashay
LyIMS Ladies in and the Men Sashay
while Circling Right
Gentlemen Center, The Ladies Sashay
teach: "Boys jump up and down. Drop hands. Girls step in to the center pause and 'whoop'
while the Boys continue circling to the very next Boy position. Girl step
back to end between Boys, join hands and one and continue circling.
After this call you'll all have one new person beside you and one old person
on the other side of you.
UTurn U-Turn Back
turning direction rules
from Promenade
BkTrk Back Track
SepA1 Separate, Around 1
from [S] + H-PasTh
from [B] + Splt2
"squeeze in make lines"
SepA2 Separate, Around 1
"hook on the end make lines"
ComIn Come In To (Down) The Middle
CtsyT Courtesy Turn
after right pull by
ChDTL
from 8 chain formation with girls as centers moving forward "(reach out and) CtsyT this G"
after TrnTh
after Do Paso
1/4Mr And a Quarter More
ending in [F]
FullT A Full Turn
to face out of box of 4
2LChn 2 Ladies Chain Across
{designated} Ladies Chain Across
{designated} Ladies Chain 3/4 (non-designated. boy has 2 girls)
{designated} Ladies Chain To The Right/Left
..non-designated. ladies Chain to the left/right
from 8 chain formation
DTrak On the double track (single file)
Diagonal across from facing lines
4LChn 4 Ladies Chain Across
4LCh3 4 Ladies Chain 3/4
1/4
To The Right (directly - no star)
home / to original partner
ChDTL Chain Down the Line
from RH 2 face lines
from LH Waves
DoPas Do Paso
ending with courtesy turn at home
ending with Roll Promenade
without cueing
DoPas-"you say the montra"
from [5B]
used to be called "Do Sa Do" esp. in Texas
pre-cue: "with L arm to the parner, start a..."
"find your parner..."
"...back to your honey..."
cue: "turn the partner by the L, and the corner by the R"
"partner by the L, look for the corner by the R"
"partner by the L, corner, corner, CORNER, by the R"
LeadR Lead Right
"Head couple LeadR face the Side couple nose to nose"
"LeadR is a sweeping motion"
LeadL Lead Left
from facing lines ending in trade by formation
from 8 chain formation ending in lines facing out
RLT Right and Left Thru
from Tidal wave
from parallel waves
same sex together
Sashayed Couple
"turn that G next to you"
Teach: R.PBy "leaves you back to back" Then take that partner next to
you and get into prominade position" CtsyT "she walks forward while
he backs up to turn as a unit to face back in"
GrSqr Grand Square
SFGrSqr Sides Face Grand Square
HFGrSqr Heads Face Grand Square
not after {designated} Face (i.e. someone is already facing)
1/2 (16 Beats)
8 Beats
styling variety
B/G Face GrSqr
Teach: Sides Face ... 3 rules:
1 - If you are far away from the one you are facing (like the H), you walk forward
2 - If you are close to the one you are facing (like the S), you back up
3 - You will turn 1/4 (90deg / One wall) to face either partner or opposite
Trace 4 sides of a little square on the floor then reverse it.
StrTh Star Thru
from norml couples facing
ending in 2 faced lines
from sashayed couples ending back to back
Teach:
Start with "partner" hand, with the person you are facing, make an arch, fingers up (palm to palm)
Girl goes under the arch, turning left 1/4 turn to face a new wall
Boy takes a wide path to the right around the girl 1/4 turn to face the same new wall as her
Both end facing the same new wall
Adjust to partner handhold after the call
Makes the person you are/were facing your new partner
Feels like CalTw but starts with facing dancers and only turns 1/4 turn
*Always* ends in normal couple - B on the L - G on the R
Cir2L Circle to a Line
[S] after /-LeadR
always follow with FwdBk "dance up to the middle and back"
virtually always ends as normal (standard sex arrangement) facing lines
[B] after RLT
[S] after /-SqTh4
traditional styling (dish rag)
"Slide To A Line" styling
teach: Couple looking out runs around the couple looking in --Andy Shore
Always end with lines facing in
typically danced: Couple looking in will slide left then slide right
"Circle up 4 to make 2 lines"
"Circle up 4 H/S men break to make a line of 4"
"Circle up 4, bust out and/to make a (brand new) line of 4 and then..."
BendL Bend the Line
from [F], [LO], [L.F], [L]
from [F] after 1/2.C (to end at home)
from [TF]
from [TL]: "Bend each line of 4" -vs- "Bend the great big line of 8"
Twice
3 times - gimmick
1-1/2
WlkAC Walk Around your Corner
"All Around the Left Hand Lady"
"Walk all around the corner lady"
SeSaw See Saw (your taw)
after WlkAC
WlkAC SeSaw AL
from facing dancers
1/2
1-1/2
1-1/4
SqThr Square Thru
SqTh# Square Thru (#)
LSqTh Left Square Thru
LSqT# Left Square Thru (#)
4, 3, 2, 1 (hands)
3/4, 1/2 (fractionalized)
"Half Square Thru" cue: "with a R and a L"
"Square Thru Once and a Half"
w/o saying number
sashayed
from tidal wave
from parallel waves
Left Square Thru
on the nth hand...
Teach:
"This call needs 4 people: 2 facing couples"
"Its like a mini RLG with 4 people - but instead of a circle,
this is a precise little square"
"This call combines two actions: Pull-bys and Turns"
"Each of you will be tracing a square on the floor.
The 4 of you who'll be working together are now standing on the 4 corners.
You'll be walking along the sides of the square with a
polite handshake with each person you meet coming the other way."
"You always turn each corner to head down the next side of the square,
staying with the same 4 people."
"Even though you'll be alternating hands (R, L, R, L),
you'll always be turning the same inward direction (either R, R, R or L, L, L)"
"Think of the pull-by as a 'shake hands' - let go when shoulder-to-shoulder"
(For SqTh4) "think 1 turn 2 turn 3 turn 4 don't turn" -- Nathan Williams
CalTw California Twirl
from [T]
teach:
Raise the hand with partner, make arch
Both dancers move forward in a semicircle to take each other's place
Look at the wall behind you, that is the wall you will be facing
Girl goes under the arch
Boy takes a wide path around the girl
Adjust handhold after the call
cue:
"with the partner beside you"
DivTh Dive Thru
cue: "C arch, A-DivTh"
(when calling to centers:) "make an arch and DivTh"
variety: "outsides dive in"
DontS Don't stop (Don't slow down) - keep walking
teach: think about whether you are H or S
if you are a G think about if the B you are with is a H or S
WhlAr Wheel Around
Heads (from Promenade)
Sides (from Promenade)
"head boy and the girl with you WhlAr"
couple (in lines, box, ...)
[L.F] Feris C-WhlAr "to face the outside couple"
[LO] WhlDl C-WhlAr "hello outside couple!"
ALTAT Allemande Left to an Allemande Thar
"AL go Fwd2 men wheel in make an Alamande Thar"
"...the B swing in, G push!, back up that Thar"
teach: "men grab the wrist of the man in front of you,
this is called a pack saddle grip"
cue: "It's a R pull by with the first(partner), left arm to the next,
the men swing/back/wheel in make an Alamande Thar(Back-up star),
back it up boys"
"It's a R hand pull and a left hand hook"
MThar Make an Allemande Thar
WWThr Wrong Way Thar
Shoot Shoot the Star
from Thar
...to Another Thar
--Shoot --Fwd2 --AThar
--Shoot --FullT
pre-cue: "Squeeze left arms"
cue: "It's a left arm turn"
SlipC Slip the Clutch
from waves
BxGnt Box the Gnat
from Waves
StepW Step To A(n Ocean) Wave
Make a Wave
StpLW Step To A Left-Hand Ocean Wave
Alamo Alamo Style
ALIAS Allemande Left in the Alamo Style
Alamo Ring
(Alamo) Swing Thru
Left Swing Thru
B-RunR
Balnc Balance
PsOcn Pass the Ocean
from lines facing
teach idea: StepW C-Hinge, E-MovUp
get people into 2-couple setups to introduce this call
"See your current partner? - You'll meet 'em on the other side,
and you'll take right hands to make a wave"
"Remember, Pass The Ocean means PASS through, THEN do the ocean wave stuff"
Clap hands to prevent grabbing right away
from 8 chain formation ending in tidal waves
sashayed
cue: "Boys are hookers"
Ext Extend (the Tag) from [Q] only
from [QF] bogus but somewhat common
from [B] bogus but somewhat common
from sausage ([C]: 1/2.C VERoll) bogus but somewhat common
SwThr Swing Thru
from facing couples [0B] [0L] [5B]
[W] after DoSaD
[TW] cue: "Don't mess around in the middle there girls(boys)"
from L-H wave
cue: "starts in the middle!"
"B start" or "G start", etc.
"RIGHT!"
for emphasis call "Right SwThr"
in Alamo wave
cue: "R and L"
SwThr 1-1/2 (3 whole parts)
SwThr "3 hands"
[5B] BxGnt SwThr
LSwTh Left Swing Thru
from RH wave
from facing couples
in Alamo wave
Run Run
RunR Run Right
RunL Run Left
Boys
Girls
centers
ends
Those facing out
Those facing In
Lead(er)s
in Alamo wave
T-bone: from [S]: H-PasTh C-Run (around the ends who move in)
XRun Cross Run
centers
ends
Trd Trade
TrdR Trade by the R
TrdL Trade by the L
from [W]
from [TW]
A-Trd
"Centers with ends Trade"
from [C]
LrTrd Leaders Trade
PtTrd Partner Trade
from [M]: 1st couple PtTrd
Sashayed Couple
TrdDL Trade (Down the Line)
both facing same direction
facing opposite directions
teach: always walking forward, always passing R shoulders
Cpl.T Couples Trade
"As" Couples Trade (Advanced)
cue: "hang on, drag the whole mess around"
Teach:
"Trades are typically done with a person in line with your shoulders,
never ahead of you or behind you.
It could be someone right next to you,
or someone further away from you down the line"
"Trade means to go take the other person's place, i.e. trade places with them"
"Trades always change YOUR facing direction 180 degrees.
It does not matter which way the OTHER person was facing"
"The wall your butt is facing now is the wall you will be facing after the call."
"sometimes the person with whom you'll be trading is facing the opposite direction as you
and sometimes that person is facing the same direction as you"
"You always start a trade with a small forward motion.
"It the person you trade with starts facing the opposite direction
from your initial facing direction, you make a smooth forward arc
to move from your spot to theirs.
If the person starts facing the SAME direction as you,
you will both start by moving forward toward each other and to
avoid colliding, in square dancing we always pass R shoulders.
You will pass that person by and take their original spot."
C6Trd
from [TW]
from sausage (from [C] after Col.C 1-1/2)
WhlDl Wheel and Deal
2 face lines
LH 2 face lines
lines facing out
lines facing in
same sex together
sashayed
finish Wheel and Deal from as couples extend
teach: (from [LO]) "The L-H couple takes a step forward.
Now all start BendL and keep bending an extra qurter,
R-H couple ends in front, L-H couple sweeps in behind to end
directly behind the R-H couple."
think "R-H couples goes in front"
or think "Left Out" (L-H couples step out and end on the outside)
cue: "Which couple is on the R? - R-H couple goes in front"
"That's the small one"
"To face those 2"
DPT Double Pass Thru
teach: "Pass everyting with eyes on it in your square" -- Andy Shore
Zoom Zoom
[0P], [0M], [5P], [5M]
[0P] B-Zoom / G-Zoom
[0M] B-Zoom / G-Zoom
[1C]/[2C] B-Zoom / G-Zoom
[L.1C]/[L.2C] B-Zoom / G-Zoom
[0F] B-Zoom (E-Zoom)
[L.0F] G-Zoom
[F] E-Zoom (from other arrangements)
[0W] B-Zoom
[5W] G-Zoom
[L.5W] B-Zoom
[L.0W] G-Zoom
[W]/[L.W] E-Zoom
[0D] B-Zoom (P-Zoom)
teach: "got one behind the other?" Zoom "now the other one's behind the other"
{designated} (only) Zoom
Boys Zoom
Girls Zoom
[P] "centers Zoom" controversy
pre-cue: "Who's in front of whom?"
1/2Zm 1/2 Zoom
for compatibility with 3/4 Zoom: Leader: QuarterOut, 1/2-Run, Other-1/2-Run, Roll
FlutW Flutter Wheel
Flutter Wheel
from [0L] after RLT
after [L.0F]+BendL
[0B] ([S]+H-LeadR)
[1L]/[2L]
[5L] (after [L.5F]+BendL) cue "He goes in with the R"
[S] All 4 Couples
cue: "She goes"
"Girl in with the Right (arm). Pick up the other Boy, bring him back"
[0P] C-FltWh (after [0LO]+WhlDl)
[1P] C-FltWh "She goes!"-(gimmick)
[2P] C-FltWh "He goes!"-(gimmick)
RvFlt Reverse Flutter Wheel
"Reverse The Flutter"
cue: "he goes"
"boy in with the left (arm)"
Sweep Sweep 1/4
after Ferris Wheel: centers Sweep 1/4
sweeping to the right
VeerL Veer Left
VeerR Veer Right
Veer Right/Left back to back from 2 face lines
from facing lines ending in tidal 2 face line
from tidal 2 face line ending in lines facing out
TrdBy Trade By
from 3/4 Tag
T1/4 Touch 1/4
LT1/4 Left Touch 1/4
Touch (To A Wave)
Touch 1/2 (Plus)
Touch 3/4 (Plus)
cue: "and the centers connect"
"and we're looking for a wave"
"Can you give me a wave?"
"...a wave all the way across"
Cpl.C Couples Circulate
"move forward and fill the foot prints (take the places) of those in front of you,
or those around the corner"
"you want to fill the spots those ahead of you leave behind"
"2 lane race track - inner lane, outter lane - stay in your lane"
"like a tractor tread with a flat part and a roundy part"
Cir Circulate
from [F]
from [W]
A8Cir All 8 Circulate
1/2.C Half Circulate
A8Cir 1-1/2 Circulate Once and a Half
ends
centers
All 8 Circulate
1/2 Circulate
1-1/2
teach: "a full circulate takes you to spots those ahead of you left behind"
Col.C Column Circulate
from columns
SFCir Single File Circulate
SpltC Split Circulate
from Waves
from Columns
meaning Pass Thru (from lines, etc.)
BxCir Box Circulate
centers
ends
points of diamonds
Feris Ferris Wheel
[F]
[L.F]
same sex together
sashayed