User:Sfdan/sandbox/sqdance

This is SFDan's Square dance sandbox.

History of modern Western square dance

Traditional western square dance

Keywords: cowboy dance, frontier, folk dances from Europe, new developments

Preserving the heritage

Keywords: Henry Ford, Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw, the publication of Cowboy Dances, saving the form from extinction, Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw's Cheyenne Mountain Dancers, courses for square dance teachers

The square dance boom

Keywords: World War II's returning veterans and the home/family culture of the 1950s, "transition from the traditional, visiting couple type of dancing into all-four-couple-working kind of dancing in the 1950's" (Herb Egender), the amplifier, phonograph, square dance records, Square Dancing Magazine (formerly Sets in Order)

Square dance's maturity

Keywords: Callerlab, the greying of the dance community

Square dance today and the future of square dance

Keywords: New markets/dancers: youth square dance and gay square dance, other new developments, competition from other forms of recreation/entertainment, changed society, changes in music and recording (MiniDiscs, personal computers, laptops, personal recording of music), impact on square dance music "industry"

Glossary of modern western square dance terms

This glossary of modern western square dance terms is the list of terms that are associated with modern Western square dance, which along with traditional square dance is one of two types of square dance. Square dance is a group dance in which four couples dance together as a team. They dance in a square formation, but produce many other formation types during the course of dancing.

You may also want to check:

Glossary of dance moves

Abbreviations

A1 - Advanced 1
A2 - Advanced 2
APD - All position dancing
B - Boy
C1 - Challenge 1
C2 - Challenge 2
C3 - Challenge 3
C4 - Challenge 4
DBD - Dance by definition
G - #GirlGirl
M - Mainstream
MWSD - Modern Western square dance
P - Plus

A - C

Advanced

Advanced is a dance program consisting of two levels: Advanced 1 (A1) and Advanced 2 (A2). It builds up on the foundation of the Plus program. It consists, at the time of writing, of 84 calls. The dancer at Advanced level is taught complex, multi-part calls, is introduced to concepts, and is expected to be able to dance by definition, and to be able to dance comfortably in non-standard positions

All position dancing

All position dancing refers to the ability to dance calls from a variety of positions, and not only from standard position. The skill to dance from all possible positions is one of many skills learned as one advances to higher dance program.

Arrangement

Arrangement refers to the way gents and ladies are arranged in a square dance formation. There are six possible arrangements:

Normal couples (also known as arrangement nr. 0)— all couples are in standard position, that is with the gent to the left and the lady to the right. This is abbreviated BGBG (boy-girl-boy-girl).
Half sashay (also known as arrangement nr. 1/2)— all couples are standing with lady to the left and gent to the right. This is abbreviated GBGB (girl-boy-girl-boy).
Boys toward the outside (also known as arrangement nr. 1). This is abbreviated BBGG (boy-boy-girl-girl).
Girl toward the outside (also known as arrangement nr.2). This is abbreviated GGBB (boy-boy-girl-girl).
Normal couples toward the outside (also known as arrangement nr. 3). This is abbreviated BGGB (boy-girl-girl-boy).
Half sashayed couple towards the outside (also known as arrangement nr. 4). This is abbreviated GBBG (girl-boy-boy-girl).

Basic

Basic was a dance program consisting of the foundation steps in the Mainstream dance program. It no longer exists, but some people still referred to it.

Beau

The beau is the left-hand dancer in a couple pair. In a standard position the beau dancer is the gent. Beau is part of the Beau-Belle concept, which is a challenge dance concept. If the handhold between the partners is a left-handed hold, then both are beaus.

Belle

The belle is the right-hand dancer in a couple pair. In a standard position the belle dancer is the lady. Belle is part of the Beau-Belle concept, which is a challenge dance concept. If the handhold between the partners is a right-handed hold, then both are belles.

Boy

Boy is another term for gent. The terms are interchangeable.

Call

In square dancing, call is:

A command given by a square dance caller to execute a particular dance move or dance figure. Individual square dance calls are categorized as belonging to a particular dance program, or level of difficulty. A few of the most fundamental and well-known calls are Dosado, Promenade, and Right and Left Grand.
The action performed by a square dance caller when giving these commands.
The dance itself, which is one of either two call types— a patter call or a singing call.

Caller

From another glossary, needs to be edited: A caller or a cuer is a person that calls dance figures to be executed.

Callerlab

Main article: Callerlab

Callerlab is the international association of square dance callers, and is the largest square dance association in the United States.

Center

Center may refer to:

The center or middle or inside of a formation
The person or persons who are positioned in the center or middle or inside of a formation. When more than one person, these are called the centers, insides, those in the middle, or similar.

Center does not necessarily refer to the center of the formation of eight people dancing in a square. It may just as easily refer to a smaller formation, such as a group of four dancers in, for example, a line or wave formation.

Challenge

Challenge is a dance program consisting of two levels: Challenge 1 (C1), Challenge 2 (C2), Challenge 3A (C3A), Challenge 3B (C3B) and Challenge 4 (C4). It builds up on the foundation of the Advanced program. The dancer in the Challenge program is taught complex, multi-part calls, is taught and applies concepts, dances by definition, dances comfortably in non-standard positions, and is comfortable with solving challenging applications of concepts and calls which might be unfamiliar.

Challenge square dance

Main article: Challenge square dance

Challenge square dance is modern Western square dance at the most difficult or challenging levels—that is at the challenge dance program.

Choreography

Square dance choreography is a sequence of calls and, at higher dance levels or programs, concepts, which the caller has the dancers execute.

Concept

A concept is an addition to a square dance call which modifies it in some way. Square dance calls and concepts are the prime building blocks of modern Western square dance.

Convention

A convention is a large square dance event, usually of a national or international nature.

Corner

The corner is the person who you are closest to who is not your partner.

Couple

A couple is a formation of two dancers standing directly side-by-side. The squared set at the beginning of a tip consists of four couples, each of which are standing with their partner is standard position.

Cue

Cue might refer to:

A verbal assistance given by the caller to help square dancers execute a call successfully. It might be part of a caller’s patter
The act of giving this verbal assistance

D - F

Dance

Dance may refer to:

An event where one square dances
A dance tip

Dance by definition

Dance by definition refers to the ability to dance calls from an extended variety of positions, and not only from standard positions or the commonly called extended positions. In order to do this the dancer must be able apply the call's definition on-the-fly to both unusual and unexpected formations without previously having attempted to do so. This skill is one of many skills learned as one advances to higher dance program.

Dance program

Main article: Square dance program Individual square dance calls are categorized as belonging to a particular dance program, or level of difficulty. Each dance program has a list of defined dance steps, which are associated with it. These lists of dance steps are managed, and universally recognized. Dance programs are sometimes referred to as belonging to either the lower level programs (Mainstream, Plus and Advanced) or the higher level programs (Challenge)

Dress code

Dress code is the requirement to wear clothing that conforms to a certain "look". In Modern Western square dance this look is more specifically known as traditional square dance attire, and it is sometimes required at dances or club events. There are three types of dress codes:

Traditional: Clothing generally has a western-style or square dance "look"”. Men wear long-sleeve, and dressy slacks. Women wear skirts or dresses. This look is most commonly required at public dances and larger events.
Proper: More relaxed then traditional dress in regards western or square dance look. Men still wear long sleeves, and women still wear skirts or dresses. This look is most commonly seen at internal club events.
Casual: No specific code. This look is most commonly seen at classes, among gay and youth square dance group events, and often at challenge square dance events.

End

End may refer to:

The end or outside of a formation
The person or persons who are positioned at the end or outside of a formation. When more than one person, these are called the ends, outsides, those on the outside, or similar.

FASR

FASR is a choreographic management tool, which allows callers to describe accurately the way dancers are set up at any moment of a dance sequence. It consists of the following components:

Formation
Arrangement
Sequence
Relationship

Flagpole center

Flagpole center refers to the exact, “geographic” center of the formation of eight people dancing in a square.

Flourish

See Flourishes, sound effects and games.

Fly-in

A fly-in refers to a weekend-long square dance arrangement where dancers might travel to it by airplane. Fly-ins generally hold a regional attraction to dedicated square dancers, but are not as large as a national arrangement, such as a convention or a festival.

Formation

G - L

Gay square dance

Gent

The gent is one of two roles or positions in square dancing, along with the llady. Male dancers usually, but not necessarily, dance this role. In standard position with partner, the gent stands to the left of the lady. The gent might also be referred to as the boy (or similar).

Girl

Girl is another term for lady. The terms are interchangeable.

Half sashay

Half sashay refers to the positioning of a couple with the lady to the left and the gent to the right. This is the reverse of a “normal couple” or standard positioning.

Handhold

The handhold is the primary connection between dancers, giving them a sense of relationship (for example, with partner and corner), giving them a stronger sense of formation, and allowing them to communicate with each other. Dancers should hold hand with the person or persons they are standing next to , on both sides, whenever possible. At lower level dance the handhold is generally held higher than at higher level, challenge square dance, where it is more relaxed and held more loosely at the side. The standard handhold is a bit below chest level; the gent extends arm out to the right and slightly forward, with elbow gently bent, and palm facing up; the lady places her left hand palm-down gently in his right hand. During specific steps the connection between dancers might be altered with different handholds or armholds.

Head position

A head position is one of the two positions in a squared set, where the dancers have either their back or their front towards the caller. A dancer standing at the head position at the start of the tip is referred to as a head dancer. A couple standing at the head position at the start of the tip is referred to as a head couple.

Home position

Home position is the position in a squared set that the individual dancers occupy at the start of the tip. It is referred to as home.

Lady

The lady is one of two roles or positions in square dancing, along with the gent. Female dancers usually, but not necessarily, dance this role. In standard position with partner, the lady stands to the right of the gent. The lady might also be referred to as the girl (or similar).

Line

A line is generally a formation of more than one couple (two dancers), that is three or more dancers, standing side-by-side. A couple, however, might be considered a line of two dancers under certain circumstances, in which they might be referred to as a ‘’little line’’.

Mainstream

Mainstream is a dance program consisting of the foundation steps in #modern Western square dancemodern Western square dance. It used to be divided into two levels called Basic and Mainstream, but the two levels have been combined. It is the lowest level of dance difficulty and consists, at the time of writing, of the first 69 calls. Most dancing at mainstream level is done in standard position.

Middle

Modern Western square dance

N - R

Normal couple

Normal couple refers to the positioning of a couple with the gent to the left and the lady to the right. This is also referred to as “standard positioning

Original partner

An original partner is the person with whom you were dancing with as part of a couple formation at the beginning of a tip. One generally will be brought back to one’s original partner at home position and in standard position at the end of each dance sequence.

Partner

A partner is the person with whom you are dancing as part of a couple formation. One will generally change partners many times during a tip. These may be referred to as situational partners. See also original partner.

Patter

Patter call

Phantom

Plus

Plus is a dance program consisting of the second level steps in #modern Western square dancemodern Western square dance, and builds up on the foundation of the Mainstream program. It consists, at the time of writing, of the second ____ calls. The dancer at Plus level is introduced to more complex calls, and is expected to be able to dance by definition, and in non-standard position

Program

Program may refer to:

Dance program, a level of difficulty with defined dance steps or calls, which are associated with it. See square dance program.
The caller's programming or entertainment plan. This plan might include such things as how the caller plans on alternating different levels of difficulty in one hall, or a plan for using a specific musical theme throughout the night, or a plan to introduce a variation on a call during the evening and workshop the call from different, increasingly difficult positions.

Promenade

Main article: Promenade

Relationship

Replace

Replace refers to sustituting a call for part of another call.

S - Z

Sequence

Sequence may refer to

The order of couples in a square dance formation. They might be in sequence, clockwise (1-2-3-4) or counter-clockwise (4-3-2-1), or they might be out-of-sequence (for example 1-3-4-2). Sequence is one of the components of FASR, a choreographic management tool for callers.
A piece of square dance choreography that generally starts and ends in a squared set, with every dancer standing at home position, and in a standard position with their original partner

Side position

A side position is one of the two positions in a squared set, where the dancers have either their left or their right side towards the caller. A dancer standing at the side position at the start of the tip is referred to as a side dancer. A couple standing at the side position at the start of the tip is referred to as a side couple.

Singing call

Sound effect

A sound effect is a standard response to the caller, in response to particular #callcalls. Responses might include vocalized sounds, hand claps and foot stomps. See Flourishes, sound effects and games.

Square dance club

Main article: Square dance club

Square

Square might refers to:

The group dancing together during the course of a tip.
The general shape of the starting formation in modern Western square dance, known as a squared set.

Square dance game

See Flourishes, sound effects and games.

Squared set

A squared set is the name of the formation of dancers at the start of a tip. It is usually the ending formation as well. It consists of four couples standing in standard position. They form a square with two couples standing at the head positions, and two couples standing at the side positions, and they all face in towards the flagpole center of the formation

Standard position

Standard position refers to the positioning of a couple with the gent to the left and the lady to the right. This is referred to as a “normal couple”. Non-standard positions include couples with lady to the left and gent to the right, or same sex couples (that is boy-boy or girl-girl couples).

Step

Step may refer to:

A single movement of one foot with full or partial weight transfer to the moving foot. Square dancing steps generally glide smoothly across the floor, and are taken on the musical or rhythmical beat. Each call requires a certain number of steps or beats to complete.
A call

Symmetry

Symmetry is a property of a square, and refers to the fact that the FASR properties of a square are identical on both halves of the square.

Tip

In square dancing, a group of dances usually separated from the next tip by a pause during which the dancers regroup into new squares. A square dance tip is usually composed of a combination of patter calls and singing calls, the two types of square dance calls. See Tip (disambiguation).

Very center

Very center refers to the person or two people dancing in the center of the formation of eight people dancing in a square. Not all formations have a very center dancer or dancers.

Voice cue

See cue.

Wall

A wall refers to one of the four physical walls of the room (possibly imaginary). A square should always line up with the walls of the room. The head walls are those located at the front (where the caller is standing) and the back of the hall. The side walls are the other two walls, that is to the right and left of the caller.

Wave

A wave is a special type line formation, where the individual dancers standing side-by-side are facing in opposite directions. A wave consisting of two dancers is called a mini-wave’. A wave consisting of all eight dancers is called a tidal wave.

Youth square dance

Main article: Youth square dance

External links

[External link 1]
[External link 2]

Modern Western square dance Category:Square dance

Stan Winchester

Google counts:
"Stan Winchester" "square dance"- 1
Dosado.com - not listed as a caller
Vic Cedar's site - not listed as a caller
Used in Tech Squares

Western square dance

Google counts:
"Western square dance" - 1,490
"Modern Western square dance" - 518

Challenge square dance

Google counts:
"Challenge Square Dance" - 474
"Challenge-level Square Dance" - 90

Links to Calls

Caller (dance)#Call types

two types of square dance calls

Square dance program table

Mainstream - 69 calls
Plus - 31 additional calls (including lower levels calls, 100 calls total)
Advanced 1 (A-1) - 46 additional calls and concepts (including lower levels calls,146 calls and concepts total)
Advanced 2 (A-2) - 35 additional calls and concepts (including lower levels calls,181 calls and concepts total)
Challenge 1 (C1) - 79 additional calls and concepts (including lower levels calls, 260 calls and concepts total)
Challenge 2 (C2) - 86 additional calls and concepts (including lower levels calls, 346 calls and concepts total)
Challenge 3A (C3A) - 83 additional calls and concepts (including lower levels calls, 429 calls and concepts total)

Rows each on three lines:

Dance level	Nr. add'l calls (and concepts)	Total calls
Mainstream	69 calls
Plus	31 calls	including lower levels calls, 100 calls total
Advanced 1 (A-1)	46 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 146 calls and concepts total
Advanced 2 (A-2)	35 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 181 calls and concepts total
Challenge 1 (C1)	79 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 260 calls and concepts total
Challenge 2 (C2)	86 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 346 calls and concepts total
Challenge 3A (C3A)	83 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 429 calls and concepts total

Rows each on one line:

Dance level	Nr. add'l calls (and concepts)	Total calls
Mainstream	69 calls
Plus	31 calls	including lower levels calls, 100 calls total
Advanced 1 (A-1)	46 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 146 calls and concepts total
Advanced 2 (A-2)	35 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 181 calls and concepts total
Challenge 1 (C1)	79 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 260 calls and concepts total
Challenge 2 (C2)	86 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 346 calls and concepts total
Challenge 3A (C3A)	83 calls and concepts	including lower levels calls, 429 calls and concepts total

Test of text afterwards.