2024-25 Lessons Blog
Welcome to this year's Lessons Blog! Each week I'll add the new calls introduced at the prior lesson, and also include any announcements of interest to Squaredance students. I will also try to send out new entries by email, but the web version you have here includes links for animated or video illustration of each call.
The numbers by each call name are assigned by the Association of Callers and Cuers, nationwide. Classes do not present calls in strict numerical order, so the numbers look random, but they will be useful if you want to look up a call somewhere. The animations are copied from the Taminations website [link] , which also has a mobile phone App I have sometimes used to do a quick reference check on a call I've forgotten. The videos are from "videosquaredancelessons.com", but there are many other sources of these. You could also search YouTube for the call you are wanting to see - I tried searching "box the gnat" and got 8 offerings.
These links are new this year, so there may be some bugs. Please let me know of broken or incorrect links. (reply to Dave.kalman13@gmail.com)
You can view last year's blog HERE (note that posts are in reverse chronological order).
Announcements:
Upc0ming Level Dances:
1/24/25 7:30-10:00pm Samena Squares (Juanita Community Club) caller: Ray Gallagher; Lines: Veta Blakesley: theme: Fortune Cookie; free to all dance students
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1/16/25 - Week Seventeen Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
36b. "Balance". In the formation, rock forward and back (equivalent to 2 steps). Call can be used with Ocean Wave, Thar and Alamo Ring formations. [video]
MS 8. Single (Couples) hinge: A hinge is half of a Trade. From a mini-wave formation, each couple turns 90° around the center of the couple in a half-trade. The ending formation is a wave of 4 dancers [video] [animation]
MS 17a. 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. [video] [animation]
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1/9/25 - Week Sixteen Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
47. Touch 1/4: With the person you are facing, touch right hands and with hands joined turn one quarter. TOUCH 1/4 – 2 steps. [video] [animation]
MS 18. Scoot back: from a box formation, in-facing dancers step forward and join adjacent (right) forearms, turning 180° to end in the position vacated by the dancer who was facing out. Meanwhile, each out-facing dancer performs a Run into the position vacated by the adjacent dancer who was doing the forearm turn. The final positions are identical to those from a Partner Trade. [video] [animation]
MS 5a. Allemande Thar: At the end of any left arm turn the centers or designated dancers form a right hand star by joining hands on wrists (fireman’s carry) to form a back-up Star. ALLEMANDE THAR – this is a formation. [video] [animation]
MS 5b. Allemande Left to an Allemande Thar: Go right and left and the four boys Star. After the ALLEMANDE LEFT you give a Right hand to your partner and pull her by, take the next with a Left forearm grip and turning about half the four boys make a Thar Star (boys backing up and girls walking forward). ALLEMANDE THAR – to back up star 12 steps. [video] [animation]
37a. Alamo Ring: A circle of 8 dancers forming an OCEAN WAVE. Dancers have alternating facing directions (in, out, in, out, etc.) ALAMO RING – this is a formation. [video] [animation]
37 b. Alamo Ring – Balance: In an Alamo Ring step forward a small step then step back. ALAMO RING – BALANCE – 4 steps. [video]
MS 6. Slip The Clutch: In a Thar Star, the centers keep their star and let go of the outsides and start walking forward. The outsides let go of the centers and continue walking forward. Walk forward the designated distance to complete the next command. SLIP THE CLUTCH – 2 steps. [video] [animation]
MS 11. 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. [video] [animation]
MS 10. 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 5 steps. CAST OFF 3/4 – 6 steps. [video] [animation]
33. Wheel Around: Done by a couple. As a unit, they turn to their left half way around (180 degrees) to face the opposite wall. A common use of Wheel Around is when couples are promenading. The caller will ask either the heads or the sides to Wheel Around and face the other couples, using words like "Heads Wheel Around and make lines". [video] [animation]
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1/2/25 - Week Fifteen Calls
(no new calls - just review)
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12/26/24 - Week Fourteen Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
11 b. Rollaway: Dancer on right steps forward and rolls to face dancer on left and continues to roll to the left side of the other dancer, a 360-degree turn. Use your hands to steady the dancer doing the roll. In a circle, unless stated otherwise, the ladies do the ROLLAWAY. ROLLAWAY – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
MS 13. 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. [video] [animation]
34. Box The Gnat: This is one of the few moves that actually require a boy and a girl. With the person you’re facing join Right hands (by the fingertips. Boys palms up girls palms down). Raise the joined hands Girls turn left face under the forming arch, boys step across behind the girls. Both end in the others starting position and facing direction. Right hands joined. BOX THE GNAT – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
43. Zoom: With two couples in tandem, the 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. [video] [animation]
8 c. Wrong Way Grand: Same as RIGHT AND LEFT GRAND except in opposite direction. Still starts with the right hand. WRONG WAY GRAND – 10 steps. [video] [animation]
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12/19/24 - Week Thirteen Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
48. 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. [video] [animation]
Wheel and Deal (out-facing lines): (see 12/5 post for call description). This call can be done from out-facing lines as well. [animation ]
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12/12/24 - Week Twelve Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
44 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. [video] [animation]
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. [video] [animation]
45. 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. (AFTER FLUTTERWHEEL) [video] [animation]
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12/5/24 - Week Eleven Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
39b. 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. [video] [animation]
40. Pass The Ocean: Facing couples PASS THRU, Face your partner and Step to an OCEAN WAVE. PASS THE OCEAN – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
41. Extend: From an OCEAN WAVE across the center of the square, those in the wave step straight ahead and form a new wave with the outside dancers. The centers (those in the original ocean wave) stay centers; those on the outside (ends) stay ends. For smooth dancing all dancers move forward half the distance toward those they are facing. EXTEND – 2 steps. [video] [animation]
42. Wheel & Deal: From lines with all four dancers facing out, the right hand couple wheels toward the center of the line to end in front of the other couple; the left hand couple wheels toward the center of the line to end behind the other couple. From two faced lines, both couples wheel toward the center of the line to end facing each other. WHEEL & DEAL – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
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11/14/24 - Week Ten Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
46. Trade By: Couples in the center facing each other PASS THRU while the outfacing dancers do a PARTNER TRADE to face in. TRADE BY – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
35 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. [video] [animation]
35 b . Partner Trade: Directed dancers change places with their partner. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. PARTNER – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
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11/7/24 - Week Nine Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
36 a. Ocean Wave: A 3 or 4-dancer line where the dancers are facing in alternating directions (in, out, in, out). Common is a RIGHT HAND WAVE. Less common would be a LEFT HAND WAVE. A mini-wave is 2 dancers facing in opposite directions. OCEAN WAVE – this is a formation. Step to a wave: Move to a wave formation. [video] [animation]
3 b. Dosado to Wave: After a DOSADO, step slightly to the left and forward, touch RIGHT hands (centers touch LEFT hands too) to end in an OCEAN WAVE. DOSADO TO WAVE – 6 steps. [video] [animation]
38. Swing Thru: Those that can, TURN HALF BY THE RIGHT (TRADE RIGHT) then those that can, TURN HALF BY THE LEFT (TRADE LEFT). SWING THRU – 6 steps. Left Swing Thru: Those that can, TURN HALF BY THE LEFT (TRADE LEFT) then those that can, TURN HALF BY THE RIGHT (TRADE RIGHT). [video] [animation]
39. Runs: 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. [video] [animation]
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10/31/24 - Week Eight Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
30. Square Thru, 1-4: Starting position is any two couples (BG, GB, GG, BB) facing each other; start with right hand walk by and turn one quarter in (toward center of foursome); left hand walk by and turn one quarter in; continue the given number of hands until the last one; last hand walk straight ahead; there is no turn. SQUARE THRU, 1-4 – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps. [video] [animation]
12 b. Backtrack: Designated dancers roll out (away from center) and walk around the set in opposite direction until next call; the others continue in the direction they were going. BACKTRACK – 2 steps. [video] [animation]
5 d. Star Promenade: Dancers in the star put their arm around (or join hands with) the indicated dancer and continue walking together until the next call. STAR PROMENADE – 4 couples full around 12 steps; with backout at home – 16 steps. [video] [animation]
31. Circle To Line: Starting with facing couples, in your foursome circle half way, the left hand dancer now on the outside of the circle drops hands with the girl on his left and continues to lead to his left, the other dancers unroll into a line of four. The girl on the end should walk forward to end of line under the arm of her partner. CIRCLE TO LINE – 8 steps. [video] [animation]
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10/24/24 - Week Seven Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
4. Swing: Dancers step toward each other in ballroom dance position; leaning back slightly, walk forward around each other; the boy ends facing the direction of the next call; the girl rolls out to dance position on his right side. SWING – 4-8 steps at callers discretion. [video] [animation]
17. Do Paso: Turn partner by the left arm (let go) and corner by the right arm, (let go), COURTESY TURN partner to end at home or promenade. Can end in any other formation with a left arm turn like ALLEMANDE THAR. DO PASO – from start to finish of COURTESY TURN 12 steps. [video] [animation]
25. Double Pass Thru: Couples in tandem (one behind the other), individually pass by two people. DOUBLE PASS THRU – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
26. First Couple Go Left / Right, Next Couple Go Left / Right: A directional call, first couple wheels as a couple to the left; the next couple wheels as a couple to the right to all end facing the opposite direction. Listen closely. It can be the opposite, first right, next left. FIRST COUPLE GO LEFT, NEXT GO RIGHT – 6 steps. [video] [animation]
28. Walk Around The Corner: Dancers face their corners. Walking forward and around each other while keeping right shoulders adjacent, dancers return to their original position, with their backs toward their corner. This is NOT a DOSADO. WALK AROUND THE CORNER – 8 steps.
[video] [animation]
29. See Saw: Each dancer walks forward and around the partner keeping left shoulders adjacent, then steps forward to face the corner. This is NOT a DOSADO. SEE SAW – 8 steps. [video] [animation] (following call 28)
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10/17/24 - Week Six Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
11a. Half Sashay: Half Sashay is not a Rollaway. No turning is involved during the call. Give a slight tug on each other to start the movement. Dancers exchange places without changing facing directions. Dancer on the right side steps to the left while the dancer on the left steps back, side steps to the right, then steps forward, ending as a couple. [video] [animation]
35c. Couples Circulate: 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. [video] [animation]
Reviewed: Right and Left thru; California Twirl
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10/10/24 - Week Five Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
10. Pass Thru: With person you are facing step ahead passing right shoulders. STOP as soon as you pass by. End back to back. Same as 1/2 DOSADO. PASS THRU – 2 steps. [video] [animation]
27. California Twirl: With the joined hand of your partner, raise hands to form a momentary arch. Turning towards each other the girl goes through the arch (under) while the boy steps across behind her to become a couple facing the opposite direction. CALIFORNIA TWIRL – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
20. Bend The Line: Couples, as a unit, turn 90 degrees to face center. Like folding a piece of paper. Each end moves forward to meet the other end. The centers need to back up a little to accommodate. This creates new lines facing in. As a couple, you will ALWAYS be facing the other couple that was in your line. BEND THE LINE – 4 steps. [video] [animation]
32. Dive Thru: Inside couple raise joined hands to form an arch while the outside couple ducks through the arch into the center. The archers step forward and immediately CALIFORNIA TWIRL to face back in. DIVE THRU – diving couple, 2 steps; couple facing out, 6 steps. [video] [animation]
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. [video] [animation] (ENDS)
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. [video] [animation]
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10/3/24 - Week Four Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
Comment from Stephen: It seems like a large number of calls but they're ones that are easily partnered. For those that missed, assure them that these are easily taught/reviewed.
18. Lead Right: Directed couples (Heads, Sides), with a couple handhold, will walk forward as a couple to face the couple to the right. = 4 steps. [video] [animation]
19. Veer Left/Right: Moving as a couple, slide left or right as directed, maintaining facing direction with a small forward motion as well. = 2 steps. [video] [animation]
16c. Chain Down The Line: Starting position is a two-faced line with the girls in the center holding right hands; girls trade with the right hand (the star part); offer their left hand to the boy for a COURTESY TURN; while girls are trading boys take a step to their right to be in correct position for COURTESY TURN. = 8 steps. [video] [animation]
24. Star Thru: Starting with facing dancers (boy & girl), boy’s right hand and girl's left hand form a momentary arch. The girl ducks through the arch while the boy slides past the girl crossing behind her. Each turn a quarter in the direction of their joined hands. End as a couple side by side. = 4 steps. [video] [animation]
13. Separate: Active couple turn your back on your partner and move away from each other around the set and around as many people as directed by the caller. = 2 + steps, determined by the distance traveled. [video] [animation]
13a. Separate Around 1 (or Around 2) to a Line: Move around the number of dancers indicated by the call and stop to make lines, usually of 4 dancers. AROUND 1 TO A LINE – 8 steps, AROUND 2 TO A LINE = 10 steps. [video] [animation]
14. Split Two: Designated or active dancers go as a couple between the two dancers in front of you and carryout next call. The other dancers or inactive dancers slide apart to let them through and then slide back together. = 2 steps + the next call. [video] [animation]
12a. ‘U’-Turn Back: One of the self-explanatory calls, turn around in place to face opposite direction. If you have a partner beside you it is friendlier and nicer to turn toward your partner, sometimes this is left and sometimes it is right. = 2 steps. [video] [animation]
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9/26/24 - Week Three Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
This week was a review of material from weeks 1 and 2. New calls will be presented routinely beginning in week 4 when we have a completed roster of students signed up for the lessons series.
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9/19/24 - Week Two Calls: Vance Morrison, instructing.
4. Swing: Dancers step toward each other in ballroom dance position; leaning back slightly, walk forward around each other; the boy ends facing the direction of the next call; the girl rolls out to dance position on his right side. SWING – 4-8 steps at callers discretion. [video] [animation]
5a. Couples Promenade 1/2: As a unit, designated couples walk in a circular path half way around the center of the set. Couples not promenading move to the center until promenading couples have passed behind them, then return to their positions. Illustrations are for "head couples promenade 1/2" [video] [animation]
7. Arm Turns: Turn designated dancer by the indicated arm to next call; let go. The turn is 180 to 360 degrees. ARM TURNS – same as ALLEMANDE LEFT. [video] [animation]
8 b. Weave the Ring: Same as RIGHT AND LEFT GRAND without hands. Hint: pass same shoulder as the hand you would be using. WEAVE THE RING – 10 steps. [video] [animation]
16 b. Two & Four Ladies Chain 3/4: Same as above except the turn is 3/4. Can be called with other fractions. TWO & FOUR LADIES CHAIN 3/4 – 10 steps. [video] [animation]
22. Right & Left Thru: From facing couples, give a right hand to the opposite dancer; pull by and join left hands with the one alongside. Finish with a COURTESY TURN to face the couple with which you are working. RIGHT & LEFT THRU – 6 steps. [video] [animation]
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9/12/24 - Week One Calls: Stephen Cole, instructing
Home position: Four couples arranged in a square facing in, aligned with the caller and usually the walls of the dance hall. Dancers dancing the men's part are on the left in each couple.
Couple designations: #1 (Head couple) closest to caller, with backs to caller; #2 (Side couple) to the right of couple #1; #3 (Head couple) to the right of couple #2; #4 (Side couple) to the right of couple #3. Couples #1 and 3 face each other, likewise couples #2 and 4.
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2. FORWARD AND BACK (squared sets): In a squared set for heads or sides, it is 3 steps and touch, then back 3 steps. [video] [animation]
2. FORWARD AND BACK (facing lines): Join hands in a line and move forward 1 step, touch and move back 1 step. [video] [animation]
CIRCLE LEFT/RIGHT: Dancers join hands to create a circle and step in the direction specified. The call, CIRCLE, by itself, means that dancers step to the left. [video] [animation]
11c. LADIES IN, MEN SASHAY: In any circle of boy/girl couples with the boy on the left and girl on the right circling left, the girls step forward, the boys step to their left and the girls step back to a new empty place. If the dancers are circling right, it is the opposite. Can also be done from a line. [video] [animation]
3. DOSADO: Facing dancers move forward and to the left, slide to the right moving back to back, and then back up to end facing each other. [video] [animation]
6. ALLEMANDE LEFT: Dancers face their Corners and (gently) holding left forearms, arm turn until they see their original partner, then let go of their Corner and step forward. [video] [animation]
"ALLEMANDE RIGHT": Technically, this call does not exist on any list. The "official" wording is simply, TURN PARTNER BY THE RIGHT. In class, it's easier to say, "TURN PARTNER BY THE RIGHT - IT'S AN ALLEMANDE RIGHT." This is an ALLEMANDE LEFT action done with the RIGHT FOREARM with the ORIGINAL PARTNER. [video] [animation]
5a. PROMENADE: Dancers hold right hands, the man steps forward and to the left (toward the center of the square) and the lady turns to face the same direction as the man. While holding right hands, both dancers hold left hands UNDER their right hands, and then dance back to the MAN's home position. [video] [animation]
15. COURTESY TURN: The man takes the lady's left hand in his left hand while the lady places her right hand in the small of her back. The man places his right hand in the lady's right hand. Working as a couple, they turn toward the left, with the lady walking forward and the man backing up, until they face the center of the formation. [video] [animation]
16a. LADIES CHAIN: Ladies gently shake right hands and pull by. The lady then offers her left hand to the man in front of her and dancers blend into a Courtesy Turn. Ends with Facing Couples. [video] [animation]
16b. FOUR LADIES CHAIN: Ladies make a right-hand star (fingertip-to-fingertip) and turn the star halfway. The ladies then offer their left hand to the man in front of them and dancers blend into a Courtesy Turn. [video] [animation]
9. LEFT-HAND STAR/RIGHT-HAND STAR: Dancers place the designated hand into the center of their formation. This is a Star. Then, dancers maintain the Star and move forward as directed. [video] [animation]
8a. RIGHT AND LEFT GRAND: Dancers face their partner if necessary. The men face promenade direction and ladies face reverse promenade direction. Everyone gently shakes right hands and lightly does a pull by with their partner. Dancers continue moving forward alternating hands with the dancer in front of them until they meet their original partner. The original partner is dancer number 5. [video] [animation]
23. SIDES FACE GRAND SQUARE: This call takes 32 beats of music to complete. The Side couples individually turn and directly face their partners. All dancers will EITHER backup three steps OR go forward three steps. On the fourth beat, all dancers face IN. (They turn towards the person next to them. That person could be nearly adjacent OR six feet away.) Then, dancers repeat this action moving forward or stepping backward until they return to their home position. This is beat 16 of the call and is the halfway point. Here, dancers DO NOT TURN. Instead, dancers reverse direction and repeat the action of three steps and turning IN (towards Center) until they get home. [video] [animation]