Square Dancing Made Difficult

This page is organized by specific calls listed in the order that Callerlab recommends that they be taught. Following each call is a list of variations of it. To locate a specific call use the browser to search for the call preceded by 3 asterisks, e.g. to find Coordinate search for ***Coordinate. Most browsers running on a Mac use Command-F to bring up a search box. On a PC the command is Ctrl-F.

John Sybalsky, a professor of Geography at the University of Alburquerque has written an interesting paper on the cognitive demands that square dancing imposes on the dancers. See What Makes Square Dancing Hard

Extended Applications

In what follows beau refers to the left hand dancer of a couple, belle refers to the right hand dancer.

Club 50 variations

  1. ***Dosado
  2. ***Promenade
  3. ***Allemande Left
  4. ***Pull By
  5. ***Right and Left Grand
  6. ***Weave the Ring
  7. ***Chain down the line
  8. ***Two Ladies Chain (men chain, ladies courtesy turn them)
  9. ***Four Ladies Chain (men chain, ladies courtesy turn them)
  10. ***Pass Thru
  11. ***Wheel Around
  12. ***Star Thru
  13. ***Slide Thru
  14. ***Half Sashay
  15. ***Rollaway
  16. ***Ladies center Men sashay
  17. ***Bend the Line
  18. ***U-Turn Back
  19. ***Dive Thru
  20. ***Square Thru
  21. ***Grand Square
  22. ***Lead Right
  23. ***Veer Left/Right
  24. ***Couples Circulate
  25. ***California twirl
  26. ***Trade
  27. ***Couples Trade
  28. ***Right and Left Thru
  29. ***Flutter Wheel
  30. ***Circle to a Line
  31. ***Separate
  32. ***Double Pass Thru
  33. ***First Left/Next Right
  34. ***Step to a Wave
  35. ***Dosado to a Wave
  36. ***Run
  37. ***Cross Run
  38. ***Swing Thru
  39. ***Pass the Ocean
  40. ***Extend
  41. ***Zoom
  42. ***Centers In
  43. ***Cast Off 3/4
  44. ***Ferris Wheel
  45. ***Wheel and Deal
  46. ***Trade By
  47. ***Box the Gnat
  48. ***Hinge
  49. ***Hinge:Couples
  50. ***Touch 1/4
  51. ***Circulate
  52. ***Tag the Line
  53. ***Half Tag
  54. ***Fold
  55. ***Cross Fold
  56. ***Scoot Back
  57. ***Recycle

Mainstream variations

  1. ***Cloverleaf
  2. ***Dixie Style to an Ocean Wave
  3. ***Do Paso
  4. ***Eight Chain Thru
  5. ***Pass to the Center
  6. ***Walk Around the Corner
  7. ***Seesaw
  8. ***Spin Chain Thru
  9. ***Spin the Top
  10. And roll: taminations. Ends in double pass thru formation
  11. ***Turn Thru
  12. ***Walk and Dodge
  13. ***Allemande Thar
  14. ***Wrong Way Thar
  15. ***Shoot the Star
  16. ***Slip the Clutch

Plus variations

  1. ***Acey Deucey
  2. ***Teacup Chain
  3. ***Ping Pong Circulate
  4. ***Load the Boat
  5. ***Extend
  6. ***Peel Off (once you find the tandem you are in most of them are straightforward with the exception of these)
  7. ***Linear Cycle
  8. ***Coordinate
  9. ***(Anything) and Spread
  10. ***Spin Chain the Gears
  11. ***Track 2
  12. ***(Anything) and Roll
  13. ***Follow Your Neighbor
  14. ***Fan the Top
  15. ***Explode the Wave
  16. ***Explode and (Anything)
  17. ***Relay the Deucey
  18. ***Peel the Top
  19. ***Diamond Circulate
  20. ***Single Circle to a Wave
  21. ***Trade the Wave
  22. ***Flip the Diamond
  23. ***Grand Swing Thru
  24. ***Crossfire
  25. ***All 8 Spin the Top
  26. ***Cut the Diamond
  27. ***Chase Right
  28. ***Dixie Grand
  29. ***3/4 Tag the line
  30. ***Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears

Advanced

  1. Motivate starting from a double pass thru formation. The circulate forms parallel ocean waves, then the ends circulate 1/2 and the centers cast off 3/4 getting the dancers in position to finish the Motivate
  2. Single file promenade 1/4 reminiscent of box counter rotate in a left hand box, end up facing next wall in a counterclockwise direction.
  3. Calling centers switch to a wave from right-hand diamonds creates a right-hand hourglass.

T-bones

See taminations and Vic Ceder
  1. (Walk and Dodge and Load the Boat) sequence diagram
  2. (Swing Thru Once and Quarter) sequence diagram
  3. T-bone transformations: sequence diagram
  4. Version 1: From a static square to lines facing in the hard way
    Head left touch a quarter
    Boys touch a quarter
    Center box circulate
    Boys trade
    Boys roll
    
    Centers walk and dodge
    touch a quarter
    centers trade
    boys run
    
    
    sequence diagram
  5. Version 2: From a static square to lines facing in the hard way
    Head left touch a quarter
    Boys touch a quarter
    Center box circulate
    Boys trade
    Boys roll
    
    Girls run
    Girls roll
    Boys face in
    
    
    sequence diagram
  6. Leaders circulate 1/4: sequence diagram

Square Dancing Formations

Often at a dance, the dancers in a square linger after a tip to retry some call they got wrong. Ideally the caller will come over and help them. But if the caller is not available, then they will have to get into the formation that caused the problem on their own. This list shows how to quickly get into 35 different formations starting with a static square.

Square Dancing Concepts

There are 36 Concepts listed in Taminations. They are listed below. They are a rich source of material for an EA caller. In fact, Jerry or Tom have walked us through instances of 13 of the 36 at some point in the last year. These are marked in red in the list.

  • Any Hand Concept demonstrated with Swing Thru. Jerry taught this recently.
  • Same Sex Concept. I am calling this a concept because it modifies the definition of Allemande Left to allow same sex dancers to do it.
  • As Couples demonstrated with Chase Right
  • All 4 Couples Concept demonstrated with Chase Right
  • All 8 Concept demonstrated with Swing Thru
  • Concentric Concept demonstrated with Concentric Chase Right
  • Butterfly Concept demonstrated with Chase Right
  • O Concept demonstrated with Chase Right
  • Siamese Concept demonstrated with Diamond Circulate
  • Stretch Concept demonstrated with Chase Right. Note this is Jerry's Inside Out Chase Right that he has had us do a couple of times
  • Tandem Concept demonstrated using Bend the Line
  • Triple Box Concept demonstrated with Flutterwheel. Note the 4 boxes are the box with dancer 1&8 and two phantoms (at the end), the center box of dancers 2,3,7, 6 and the box with dancers 4&5 plus two phantoms (at the end). That is a total of 12 dancers: 8 people and 4 phantoms.
  • Triple Wave Concept demonstrated with Swing Thru. There are 3 waves shown. One with dancers 4&3 and two phantoms, one with dancers 1,2,6,5 and one with dancers 7&8 and two phantoms
  • Crazy Concept demonstrated with Flutterwheel. Jerry has done this several times on Thursday.
  • Cross Concentric Concept demonstrated with Recycle
  • Diagonal Box Concept demonstrated with Scoot Back. Jerry has definitely done this with us.
  • Disconnected Concept demonstrated with Swing Thru. Jerry had done this with us many times
  • Funny Concept demonstrated with Slide Thru 9 times. Tom has done this with us.
  • Offset Concept demonstrated with Circulate
  • Once Removed Concept demonstrated with Chase Right. Jerry has definitely done this with us.
  • Parallelogram Concept demonstrated with Walk and Dodge. We have definitely done Parallelogram Right and Left Through
  • Reverse Crazy Concept demonstrated with Reverse Flutterwheel. Possibly done by Jerry.
  • Solid Concept demonstrated with Touch a Quarter
  • Stagger Concept demonstrated with Double Pass Thru
  • Stretched (Formation) Concept demonstrated with Wheel and Deal
  • Finally Concept demonstrated with Swing Thru
  • Initially Concept demonstrated with Spin the Top
  • Twosome Concept demonstrated with Trade
  • Centers Concept demonstrated with Load the Boat. Tom has definitely called this.
  • Diagonal Box Concept demonstrated with Circulate
  • Echo Concept demonstrated with As Couples Half Tag
  • Fan Concept demonstrated with Spin the Top
  • Mirror Concept demonstrated with Right and Left Thru
  • Reflected Concept demonstrated with Tag the Line
  • Reverse Order Concept demonstrated with Right and Left Thru. Jerry has done this.
  • Split Phantom Boxes Concept demonstrated with Acey Deucey
  • Two Faced demonstrated with Spin the Top
  • Z Concept demonstrated with Chase Right
  • Miscellaneous

    1. Hearing instructions for the first time, no matter how good they are is like following gps instructions on a crowded road you have never been on.
    2. What men have to be aware of if they dance the woman's role in a normal couple.
    3. To Stir the bucket
      Ladies Chain 3/4
      Men circle (left) 3/4
      
    4. Working with lines at 45 degrees sequence diagram.
    5. Quarter out. Note that this is an A1 call.
    6. Dancers move thru very unusual formations: sequence diagram.
    7. The following calls had four dancers circling while the other four dancers performed a series of moves which ended with an Allemande Left with the circling dancers
      Promenade
      Heads put lady in the lead single file
      Heads keep going, don't stop
      Sides wheel to the middle to form facing couples and do the following:
      Move Ending Formation
      Star Thru Facing couples
      Right and Left Thru Facing couples
      Veer Left Two-faced line
      Crossfire Box Circulate
      Look for corner (heads are rotating counterclockwise) 
         and do an Allemande Left (need to know your corner!)
      Right and Left Grand
    8. The following sequence required dancers to know whether they were heads or sides for almost every call. All dancers participated in only two calls. The dancers were in right-hand two faced lines at the end.
      Heads Right and Left Thru
      Heads Pass the Ocean
      Ping Pong Circulate
      Ping Pong Circulate
      Side men Roll
      Heads Recycle
      Head men Face In
      Girls Peel Off
      Boys Bend the Line
      sequence diagram
    9. Sometimes club 50 calls are called very rapidly: sequence diagram
    10. Example of clockwise flow being carried across three calls. From right-hand two-faced lines
      Ferris Wheel
      Roll
      Reverse Wheel Around
      sequence diagram
    11. After rearranging a static square, asked original heads to do something.
    12. Nice feeling of flow with a Reverse Flutterwheel following a Reverse Wheel Around
    13. From a static square Jerry stacked the following calls (i.e. called them in rapid succession, faster than the dancers could perform each call)
      Sides Swing Thru
      Spin the Top
      Slide Thru to end up in their original positions
      sequence diagram
    14. From a static square, Jerry called heads Left Square Thru followed by Left Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears. A Left Square Thru was called because it is preferable for dancers to alternate hands. If you look at heads Left Square Thru 4 you will see that it uses the right hand for the last pull by (note that a heads Right Square Thru uses the left hand for the last pull by). Therefore the next call should start with the left hand doing something which Left Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears does. This has nothing to do with flow because a Square Thru ends with a pull by which sends the dancers in a straight line that flows neither clockwise or counterclockwise.
    15. Heads Lead right (dancers end in a eight chain thru formation)
      Everybody Lead right (dancers end in lines facing out)
      Of course many dancers veered instead because that is the call that usually follows a Lead. Listen before you leap! sequence diagram
    16. Yellow rock your right-hand lady: sequence diagram
    17. Sides form left-hand star and turn 3/4 until you meet corner: sequence diagram
    18. Trick call: turned an alamo ring counterclockwise by having boys circle left and girls circle right:sequence diagram
    19. Only the sides face and do a Grand Square while the heads do the following
      Square Thru 4 (10)
      Cloverleaf (8)
      Come into the middle and Pass Thru (2)
      Cloverleaf again (8)
      Come into the middle (2)
      Square Thru 3 (8)
      Swing your corner
    20. Some square dance pointers from Jerry to keep in mind
      Have fun
      Master the basics
      Listen
      Keep the square tight and connected
      Avoid confusing other dancers with talking or stray arm movements
      Flow to the beat
      Blend flourishes correctly into the call
      Remember who your corner is
      Remember who you are (belle, beau, head, side)
      Be precise in turning and walking
      Know left from right
      Be gentle
    21. Starting with a wrong way thar with men in the center and having men run around the women creates a formation that can either be viewed as intersecting two-faced lines or intersecting diamonds. Here it is interpreted as intersecting diamonds: sequence diagram
    22. Tricky sequence
      Ends Run
      Ends Trade (these are the previous centers)
      sequence diagram
    23. Most plus calls are made up one or more of these types of calls
      Circulate
      Trade
      Run
      Cast off 3/4
      Hinge
      (Fold)
    24. Everybody face your partner twice. Your partner changes after the first face your partner and you get your orginal partner back after the second face: sequence diagram
    25. Technique for dancers to get into squares if the number of dancers is not a multiple of 8. If you are an extra couple go stand behind some couple in a square and replace that couple when dancers return to home position. The replaced couple then moves behind the couple to the right and waits.
    26. Heads step forward and face your corner, Split the outside two, around one and come down the middle. The heads are the active couples at this point so only heads will do the following: Pass Thru, Separate, go around and stand behind somebody. At this point the dancers are in a double pass thru formation with sides facing in the middle. The call Right and Left Thru will be done by the sides since they are the only dancers that can do it and they will assume active dancer status.
    27. Fisherman's luck
    28. Starting from a half-sashayed static square
      4 boys Chain (boys use right hands for the star)
      girls Courtesy Turn the boys (boys should extend left hand and put right hand behind back)
      4 boys Flutter Wheel (since they are half-sashayed, boys have their right hand free which is a requirement for a regular Flutter Wheel)
      4 girls Reverse Flutter Wheel (since they are half-sashayed, girls have their left hand free which is a requirement for a Reverse Flutter Wheel)
    29. Call sequence that contains first boy go left, second boy go right: sequence diagram
    30. Two 360 degree turns in a row from recycle and zoom: sequence diagram
    31. If caller says "Now", turn 360 and continue what you were doing.
    32. Tag 3/4, Girls cloverleaf, boys spin the top: sequence diagram
    33. A possible way to fix a broken square: sequence diagram
    34. Each square picked a captain who told the square to do either a Relay the Deucey or Spin Chain the Gears. Then the captain has them do the other.
    35. Super sweep where heads sweep 3/4 clockwise and sides sweep 1/2 counterclockwise: sequence diagram
    36. Sweep it home where only the sides have to sweep a quarter: sequence diagram
    37. Butterfly formation: sequence diagram
    38. Working with independent blocks: sequence diagram
    39. four ladies chain
      half sashay
      separate
      right and left grand
      
      sequence diagram
    40. Gimmicks compiled by Clark Baker (http://puzzlecrowd.com/sqdance/gimmicks.html)
    41. Challenge Square Dancing: Myths and Responses
    42. The Challenge Square Dancing Handbook by Clark Baker
    43. From right-hand normal columns, boys only veer left and finish a ferris wheel. Remember that part of Veer Left is a step forward.
    44. Lines of 4 Split Circulate 1-1/2 is not the same as Pass the Ocean if a Roll is called. See sequence diagram
    45. Start with static square.
      Left Allemande like an Allemande Thar
      Shoot the Star and go forward two new girls.
      Slip the Clutch and Pass three to your corner.
      Allemande Left and Promenade home
      
      sequence diagram
    46.