Dear Friends,

It was great to see you last night at the Backward Dance or ecnaD drawkacB! It was a fun dance!

Well, we have learned all the Mainstream calls We will review the more recently learned calls on Thursday. If you have any in particular that you are confused about or just don’t remember let me know at the beginning of class.

A few helpful hints:

1.    Always complete one call before doing the next one. If you find that you are often behind and are cutting one call short in order to do the next one, don’t. You will be out of position and not able to do the next call. You either need to move a bit faster or keep your square smaller so that you aren’t taking twice as many steps. If you are behind because you don’t remember the call, ask in class or review the definition.

2.    Whenever possible dance in the front of the hall. The best dancers dance in the front. If you think you are hiding in the back of the hall, you’re not. Callers can see you back there too.

3.    Touch hands at the end of each call so that you know where you are in the formation.

As long as I am sharing helpful tips here are the top five most important things to remember square dancing from a good friend of mine, Steve Noseck.

The 5 most important things to remember:

1. Look forward

2. Never back up

3. Take hands

4. When in doubt use your right hand

5. Standing still is not an option

Have a great week!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #21

Review of Circulates, Walk and Dodge, Spin Chain Thru, and Scoot Back

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Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Fun class Thursday night! A big thank you to my good friend, Stephen, for coming to call with me. He will be back a time or two during our workshops.

Below are the definitions for the final two calls on the Mainstream list. Now the task before us is to dance the last few calls as much as possible before class is over.

If you have questions or points of confusion on any of the calls, bring them to class on Thursday and we will get them cleared up.

Dancing this week is the Samena Squares DrawkcaB (Backward) Dance. I hope that y’all come ready for some fun!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #20

32 c. Wrong Way Thar: ALLEMANDE THAR formed at the end of a right arm turn.

68. Recycle: From an ocean wave, the end dancers CROSS FOLD and the center dancers FOLD behind them and follow and face in; ends in facing couples. RECYCLE – 4 steps.

--
Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Good class Thursday night!

We will be learning the last few calls in the next two weeks. We will then have a couple of weeks to dance and get more practice. If you have any questions or points of confusion, bring them to class.

Our last class will be Thursday, March 8. It will be a party night!

Mainstream workshops will begin March 15. The time will be the same 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. The cost will be $6.00 per person. I hope you can plan to come to at least some of them.

Here are some dances coming up to put on your calendar:

Friday, February 17: Valentine Level Dance, Square Crows, 7:30 p.m. rounds, 8-10:30 p.m. squares, Susan Morris, calling, Karen Neverdowski, cueing; Sammamish Valley Grange, 14654 148th NE, Woodinville. You will be the experienced angels here.

Friday, February 24: Drawkcab (Backward) Dance, Samena Squares, 7:30 p.m. rounds, 8-10:30 p.m. squares, Susan Morris, calling, Karen Neverdowski, cueing; Juanita Community Club, 13027  100^th Ave NE, Kirkland.

Sunday, February 26: 5^th Annual Alzheimer’s Dance, Sky Valley Whirlwinds, 1 – 4 p.m., Puget Sound area callers and cuers; Edmonds Masonic Hall, 515 Dayton, Edmonds. The program will include squares, rounds and contras. Donations can be made to Rush University Medical Center or University of Washington Alzheimer’s research “ARDC. I will be there calling the contras.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #19

64. Spin Chain Thru: A move combining arm turns and cast offs; ends and centers turn 1/2, new centers cast 3/4, centers of new wave trade 1/2, ends and centers cast 3/4. SPIN CHAIN THRU – 16 steps.

 

65. Tag the Line-In, Out, Right, Left : Drop hands, face center of the line pass (right shoulder) all the people (2) and listen for the next command, In, Out, Right, Left or something else. TAG THE LINE-IN, OUT, RIGHT, LEFT – 6 steps.

66. Half Tag: Drop hands, face the center of the line; center dancers pass right shoulders to end in a wave with end dancers. HALF TAG – 4 steps.

--
Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

I hope everyone is out enjoying the sunshine in some fashion this weekend. I’m got a few windows washed after lunch. If you are not out and about in the sunshine, I hope that your team is winning the Super Bowl.

I heard that some of you had a good time dancing at the First Friday Fun Fest. Good for you!

I have been reading some old square dance writings by callers from many years ago. It is interesting to see what calls have survived the test of time and what calls have fallen by the wayside. At one time there were at least 27 different calls with the name DoSaDo or DoSiDo. Each region had its own version. It made it difficult to travel and dance. Callerlab, one of the professional organizations for square dance callers, was organized in 1974. One of the first things they did was work to standardize definitions so that dancers could dance anywhere. Now you can dance all around the world and be successful. The definition of DoSaDo is the same. The styling may vary from place to place but the definition is the same. We might want to look at some of the variations during our workshops after class is over.

I also came across the definition of a square dance tip in my reading. This is from “The Handbook Of Modern Square Dancing,” compiled by Dr. Jay King in the mid-1970’s.

TIP: One segment of a square dance program. It starts when the squares have been formed and the dancing begins and lasts until the dancers have been released by the caller. In today’s dancing it consists ordinarily of one “hash” number and one singing call. It may, however, consist of two hash numbers only; a singing call, a hash number and a second singing call; one long hash number; or even two or three singing calls.

And you never leave the square in the middle of a tip. That is unless you become ill or injured.

Those are the square dance tidbits of the week.

Have a great week and see you on Thursday!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #18

5 c. Wrong Way Promenade: As a couple, PROMENADE opposite the usual direction, that is, in a clockwise direction. WRONG WAY PROMENADE – couples full around 16 steps.

62 b. Cross Fold: Designated dancers steps forward and crosses the center line to stand in front of or behind the remaining dancer CROSS FOLD – 4 steps.

63. Dixie Style to Wave: Right hand dancer or leader do a right hand pull by to do a left TOUCH ¼ with the opposite dancer. Ends in a LEFT HAND OCEAN WAVE. DIXIE STYLE TO WAVE – 6 steps.

67. Scoot Back: In facing dancer steps straight forward and does a TURN THRU and steps back out to same partner; out facing dancer FOLDS into the empty place. SCOOT BACK – 6 steps.

--
Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Great class! Busy week!

First, this coming Friday night is the First Friday Fun Fest at the Hayloft with Dave Harry. Some of the Samena club members are planning to attend. We hope that you will too.

In addition to the Fun Fest, there is the Limited Edition dance Saturday night at the Hayloft, also with Dave Harry.

And please put on your calendar Friday, February 24 for the Samena Squares Drawkcab (Backward) Dance. I will be calling and will plan the dance according to the calls that we know. We should be mostly done learning new moves by then.

The last class or graduation will be Thursday, March 8. We’ll have a big party with dancing and, of course, food.

The following week we will begin workshops. They will run from March 15 to May 31. It will be a chance to get more floor time on the calls that we have been learning the last several weeks. Circle Left and Allemande Left that we learned the very first night have had hundreds if not thousands of repetitions. We can dance them automatically, without thinking and worrying too much about what to do and how to do it. Calls like Spin The Top that we just learned; we have danced less than 20 times. So there is a lot more thinking and worrying going on. Workshops give us more practice and faster response times, less worry and more dancing. Plan to come as often as you can.

Enjoy the bits of sunshine!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #17

59. Spin the Top: End and adjacent center dancer turn half; new centers of the wave CAST 3/4 and ends move up 1/4. SPIN THE TOP – 8 steps.

62 a. Fold: Designated dancer steps forward turns to stand in front or behind the nearest dancer; the other dancer stands in place. FOLD – 2 steps.

--
Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Are you surviving the snow? We ended getting 5 or 6 inches at our house in Redmond. It is beautiful. Drive carefully if you have to go out to work tomorrow.

This week I am going to be sending an addendum to the newsletter with a piece on the Code of Ethics for New Square Dancers. Apparently at some dances some of these points have been an issue. I know all of you have done a great job at class and at dances but I need to share anyway. It will also be on my web site under the Square Dance Writing tab.  (Editors Note- Addendum is at the bottom of this post - scroll down to read.)

Have a great week! Stay warm and dry! Stay safe on the roads, slow and steady gets you there.

See you Thursday!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #15

56 b. Couples Hinge: As couples in a two-faced line, walk forward until two-faced line has turned 1/4. Centers of the two-faced line hold hands and act as the pivot. COUPLES HINGE – 3 steps.

57. Centers In: Couples with backs to center of the set step in between the outside couples. CENTERS IN – 2 steps.

58. Cast off 3/4: In a mini-wave using your joined hands, turn 3/4. In a line the center dancers walk forward using the ends as a pivot 3/4 or 3 walls or 6 steps. CAST OFF 3/4 – 6 steps.

60. Walk & Dodge: In-facing or designated dancers walk straight forward; other dancers slide in to the empty space. WALK & DODGE – 4 steps.

CODE OF ETHICS FOR NEW SQUARE DANCERS

I will try to remember that the primary basic of square dancing is to have FUN, and “a square dancer I do not know is a friend I haven’t met.”

Remembering that square dancing is an exercising activity, I will wear appropriate attire.

I will always try to keep alive the spirit of square dancing by always practicing good fellowship.

I will try not to talk about other dancers unless I have something good to say.

I understand it is inappropriate to walk out of a square unless I am ill or for an important reason and I will try to get someone to take my place.

I will not sit out a dance tip if one more couple is needed to fill a square.

I will do my share of club duties, whenever asked.

I will have respect for my Caller and always feel free to ask questions.

I will leave instruction to the Caller and not try to explain to my own square.

I will remember that once upon a time I was a beginner and be willing to dance with those who have had less experience than I have had.

-- 

Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! It was great to be back dancing.

We had a small but mighty group. We missed you, Kit. We hope you are feeling better and will be back with us this week. We missed you too, Chris and Joe. Don’t be worried about catching up. We will go back and review any moves you missed. More review helps us all.

Don’t forget that this Friday is the Winter Wonderland Level Dance at the Juanita Community Club. Rounds begin at 7:30 p.m. Squares begin at 8 p.m. There will be an after party in the kitchen after the dance at 10:30 p.m. You are all invited!

I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week.

See you Thursday!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #14

53. Turn Thru: With dancer you are facing, step forward do a right arm turn half, let go and step forward. You end up exactly where you started facing the opposite direction. TURN THRU – 4 steps.

54. Eight Chain Thru: With the one you are facing do a right hand walk by; left to the next; outfacing couples always do a COURTESY TURN. Continue the number of hands indicated. Eight hands you end up exactly where you started. Can be any number of hands, 1-8. EIGHT CHAIN THRU – 8 hands = 20 steps, 4 hands = 10 steps.

61. Slide Thru: With the dancer you are facing pass thru, boys turn 1/4 right and girls turn 1/4 left. ALWAYS! If a boy is facing a girl they end up as partners side by side. If a boy is facing a boy they end up holding right hands in a mini-wave. If a girl is facing a girl they end up holding left hands in a mini-wave. SLIDE THRU (box of 4 dancers) – 4 steps.

--
Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Good class last Thursday! We missed you Jan and Randy. We hope you had fun at your concert.

I heard from a couple of dancers that the music was fast last Thursday. Several people commented that the music at the Candy Cane Ball was fast too. Callers hear this from new dancers when they start to go to dances. I hear it often when new dancers dance go to other dances and dance to other callers.

The fact is that all callers play their music around the same speed. My square dance music ranges from 124 to 128 beats a minute. I have a few of versions of some songs that are slower than that specifically for dancing in parades or on carpet.

As lessons progress, particularly with singing calls, callers gradually stop giving dancers extra time to complete the calls. An example is Right and Left Thru. It takes 8 steps to complete. When we first learned it, I gave you 10 to 12 beats to complete it because you had to think about what all the steps were to complete the call. Now that we have been dancing it for several weeks, 10 to be exact, you respond much more quickly to the command. We can now dance it in 8 beats. If you can’t, either you are moving too slowly or the square is too big. That’s a hint.

As we get closer to the end of lessons, the speed of the music won’t increase but the time allotted for completing the calls will move closer and closer to the correct number of beats for each call. Don’t worry, it will happen gradually.

I hope that your final days of holiday preparations are going smoothly. Don’t forget to exhale! Have fun!

See you next Thursday for the workshop session. If you have questions on specific calls or just want to review them let me know.

Merry Christmas!

Susan and Larry

Week #13

28 b. Left Square Thru: Same as SQUARE THRU except start with the left hand. Continue turning into your foursome. LEFT SQUARE THRU – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps.

39 b. Left Swing Thru: Those that can, TURN HALF BY THE LEFT then those that can TURN HALF BY THE RIGHT. LEFT SWING THRU – 6 steps.

40 b. Cross Run: Designated runner steps forward moving in a half circle across the center line to end in designated open position. Ends become centers and centers become ends. The runee without turning around slides into the open position. CROSS RUN – 6 steps.

52. Cloverleaf: Turn away from partner, walk in 270-degree circle to face adjacent wall to where you started. Like a four-leaf clover or a highway cloverleaf. CLOVERLEAF – 6-8 steps

55. Pass to the Center: PASS THRU, out facing dancers automatically PARTNER TRADE, in facing dancer in center are finished. PASS TO THE CENTER – 2 steps for couples facing, 6 steps for couples facing out.

56 a. Single Hinge: In a mini-wave, step forward turning 1/4. SINGLE HINGE – 2 steps.

-- 

Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Good class Thursday night! It was great to see many of you at the dance on Friday too! Good dancing!

 We didn’t actually learn TOO many NEW calls this week. We spent a lot of time reviewing and practicing circulates, trades, and run. (I have included their definitions below if you need to review them.)

Larry shared a different way to think of how to circulate: think of bases (as in baseball). When you circulate, you move to the next base.

You have to find the image that works for you. It could be moving to the next base. It could be moving to the next corner of the box. It could be moving to the footsteps of the person in front of you on the circulate path.

As I said in class, there are lots of things that you need to be aware of while you are dancing. When you were first learning to drive, you thought that you would never be able to do it because there was so much to keep track of (gas pedal, brake pedal, watching the road in front of you, the side of the road, behind you, other traffic, and all those mirrors too). But now you drive and all that watching and paying attention to what is happening on the road and with the other cars comes automatically. You learned your driving skills with lots of practice over time. Dancing awareness happens the same way, with lots of practice over time. There is a saying “the more you dance the better you feel.” It is also true to say “the more you dance the better you dance.”

In square dancing you need to know who your (original) partner is; what position you are in the square (1, 2, 3, or 4); who’s your corner; and who’s your opposite. Example: if you are Man #1 – who is the Man in the couple opposite you? The answer is Man #3. That’s before we ever start dancing. Once the dancing starts, you still need to know who your (current) partner is. You don’t need to worry about your corner other than to be able to recognize them when the caller says Allemande Left. You do need to know where you are in the formation (circle, line, wave, star, thar star, column, box). You know that by touching hands after every call and looking. Example: we are in lines facing; if you are holding hands with two people you are in the Center of the line. If you are holding hands with one person you are at the End of the line.

Watch the videos. Pick one person to follow and see who they are partnered with and where they are in the formations. Come to class with questions or places that need clarification.

Quick reminders – Thursday, December 15, will be our last class before Christmas. No class on December 22. There will be a workshop on Thursday, December 29, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Happy dancing,

Susan

PS We missed you at the dance, Susie. Hope you are well!

Week #12

21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

51. Ferris Wheel: From a Two Faced Line; The couples facing IN step straight forward till the centers can touch adjacent hands (forms a new two-faced line in the center) then they do half of a Couples Trade and Bend The Line to face the adjacent couple. The OUT-FACING couple (with an imaginary adjacent couple) does half of a Couples Trade and the Bends to face the Center of the set. FERRIS WHEEL – 6 steps.

 Reminder of Circulates, Trades and Run definitions:

21. Circulate Family:

21. a. Named Dancers Circulate: Named dancers can be boys, girls, centers or ends. The indicated (active) dancers move along the circulate path to the next position. NAMED DANCERS CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

 

21. b. Couples Circulate: As a couple move to the next couples place in the square; if you are looking at someone’s back step straight ahead; if you are looking out of the square as a couple move around the corner to the place of the next couple. COUPLES CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

 

21. c. All 8 Circulate: As an individual dancer move to the next position on your circulating path. For example, if you are a center in an ocean wave, you remain a center. If you are the end in an ocean wave, you remain an end. ALL 8 CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

 

21. d. Single File Circulate: In a column, each dancer moves to the next spot on the circulating path. SINGLE FILE CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

 

21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. (This one needs a picture.) SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

36. Trade Family:

36 a. Trades: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Directed dancers change places with the identified person. The person you are trading with may be next to you or somewhere in your line. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. If you meet someone pass right shoulders. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS – 4 steps;

 

36 b. Couples: Directed couples change places with the other couple. You may be facing opposite directions or you may be facing the same direction. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. COUPLES – 6 steps.

 

36 c. Partner: Directed dancers change places with their partner. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. PARTNER – 4 steps;

40 a. Run: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Designated dancers move forward and around another dancer as directed. This always results in a change of facing direction (180 degrees for the runner). The person being run around (runee) slides sideways to the vacated spot of the runner. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS RUN – 4 steps.

-- 

Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington

Dear Friends,

Good class Thursday night! It was good to see some of you and some Samenas at the First Friday Fun Fest.

My Happy Hopper class has three weeks off because of the school holiday schedule. They wanted to know where they could dance during the break. I’m going to share the list with you too. (See below.) We won’t take that long of a break due to the advantage and blessing of having our own hall but more dancing is always good. So make plans to dance as often as you can around all of the usual holiday festivities.

There will be NO CLASS on Thursday, December 22.

We will have a workshop on Thursday, December 29. If you have moves that you don’t quite understand or want more practice with, we can work on those. We can also dance some of the variations of moves that you may see at a dance…sometime in your dance career. I can also share some of the older square dance calls that we don’t dance anymore but are still fun to play around with once in awhile. And then there are my favorites, the Grand Square variations. So make plans to come dance that night.

Friday, December 9: Candy Cane Ball Level Dance (Moves 1-47), Samena Squares, 7:30 p.m. rounds, 8-10:30 p.m. squares, Susan Morris, calling, Karen Neverdowski, cueing; Juanita Community Club, 13027  100^th Avenue NE, Kirkland. Dressy attire encouraged.

Saturday, December 10: Ho, Ho, Ho, Hoedown, Rainbow Squares, 8-10 p.m., Oren Gaskill, calling; Ten Mile Grange, 6958 Hannegan Road, Lynden. Experienced clothing sale. Finger food potluck following the dance.

Sunday, December 18: Happy Holidays Student Level Dance, Freewheelers, 7-10 p.m., Dennis Webb, calling, Debbie Taylor, cueing; Lake City Community Club, 12531 28th Ave NE. Potluck at 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 27: Tweener* Level Dance (Moves 1-40), Mt. Baker Singles and Skagit Squares, 7-9 p.m., Dave Harry, calling; Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1410 Cleveland, Mt. Vernon. *Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Thursday, December 29: Class Level Workshop, Samena Squares, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Susan Morris, calling; Juanita Community Club, 13027  100^th Avenue NE, Kirkland. This is an unadvertised workshop. All are welcome.

Saturday, December 31: Samena New Year’s Eve Mask Party (Moves 1-51), Samena Squares, 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m., Susan Morris, calling; Juanita Community Club, 13027  100^th Avenue NE, Kirkland. Non-scary masks encouraged. Dance will include squares, lines, mixers, games, rounds, etc. Chocolate fountain and other goodies at midnight.

Saturday, January 7: Snow Day Student Level Dance (Moves 1-51), Happy Hoppers, 7:30 p.m. rounds, 8-10:30 p.m. squares, Susan Morris, calling, Shirley Cook, cueing; Stillaguamish Senior Center, 18308 Smokey Point Blvd (I-5 Exit 206), Arlington.

Friday, January 13: Winter Wonderland Level Dance (Moves 1-55), Samena Squares, 7:30 p.m. rounds, 8-10:30 p.m. squares, Susan Morris, calling, Karen Neverdowski, cueing; Juanita Community Club, 13027  100^th Avenue NE, Kirkland.

Have a good week! See you Thursday and Friday!

Happy dancing,

Susan

Week #11

21. Circulate Family:

21. c. All 8 Circulate: As an individual dancer move to the next position on your circulating path. For example, if you are a center in an ocean wave, you remain a center. If you are the end in an ocean wave, you remain an end. ALL 8 CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

 

21. d. Single File Circulate: In a column, each dancer moves to the next spot on the circulating path. SINGLE FILE CIRCULATE – 4 steps.

46. Zoom: With two couples in tandem, lead couple rolls away from each other 360 degrees to take the place of the trailing couple; the trailing couple steps straight forward into the empty spot. Couples can be in tandem facing in or facing out. ZOOM – 4 steps.

47 a. Flutterwheel: With the couple you face, the Right hand dancers step forward for a right arm turn, picking up the opposite dancer and bringing them back with them. FLUTTERWHEEL – 8 steps.

 

47 b. Reverse Flutterwheel: With the couple you face, the Left hand dancers step forward for a left arm turn, picking up the opposite dancer and bringing them back with them. REVERSE FLUTTERWHEEL – 8 steps.

 

48. Sweep One Quarter: At the end of a sweeping turning motion continue sweeping one quarter more in the direction you were moving. SWEEP ONE QUARTER – 2 steps.

50. Touch 1/4: With the person you are facing, touch right hands and with hands joined turn one quarter. TOUCH 1/4 – 2 steps.

-- 

Susan Morris
Samena Squares, Square Dance Caller
Kirkland, Washington