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:
9/24/24: LEVEL DANCES - These are dances suitable for current students (although they are popular with experienced dancers as well). The callers will limit the dance calls to match the calls presented in lessons. It is intended that current students can attend ANY level dance in our area and be familiar with the calls. This is mostly the case and callers will stop and introduce a call if it appears necessary. As the year progresses, the list of calls will grow and the dances get more interesting. For a table of 2024-25 level dances, look HERE.
Try it - you'll like it!
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9/30/24: Introducing First Friday Fun Fest (FFFF): this dance is held 7:30-10 pm on the first Friday of every month (duh!) at the Hayloft dance hall in Lynnwood: 15320 35th Ave W #1, Lynnwood, WA 98087. It is a no-experience needed dance where all calls will be introduced and taught as the evening progresses. It is fun and attracts student dancers AND experienced dancers. Dave Harry is a veteran teacher of square dancing and is highly entertaining. Costs $9/person. Catch the fun on 10/4.
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10/3/24: The MBC Council* dance is coming up soon. Hosted by the Freewheelers Square Dance Club
where: Northshore Senior Center, 10201 East Riverside Drive, Bothell, WA 98011
when: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 2-5pm
Please let your students know that there is a NO EXPERIENCE hall at the dance. Dave Harry is calling and it will similar to his First Friday FunFest format with the moves taught during tips. Dave is challenging the No Experience Hall to have more dancers than the Main Hall!!
This is an EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY for your new dancers to experience all the fun of a Council Dance. They’ll have 5-8 weeks of lessons under their belts and should be Super Confident dancers in this hall. They are encouraged to bring their friends, family, co-workers, … to see what the fun is all about.
NO Pre-registration: $10 at the door, ask about discounts for youth and families.
*The Mt. Baker Council is the umbrella organization for all square dance clubs north of Seattle and west of the mountains. They sponsor a "Council Dance" quarterly and the next one will include a separate "no experience needed" dance hall. See the flyer on the club house bulletin board.
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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]