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Western square dance (also called "modern western square dance", "contemporary western square dance", or "modern American square dance") is one of two types of square dancing, along with traditional square dance. Square dance is a folk dance for four couples that was first described in 17th century England but was also quite common in France and throughout Europe, but which has become associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country. ...
Western square dance is directed by a square dance caller. The caller strings together a sequence of individual square dance calls (choreography) that are danced by the individuals (square dancers) in the squares. There are eight people (four couples) in each square; at a dance there may be many squares. Generally speaking, each of these squares dance independently of each other, with the exception of specialty dances where there may be some crossover of dancers from one square to another. The square functions as a "dance team" for the duration of a "square dance tip", a group of dances usually separated from the next "tip" by a pause during which the dancers regroup into new squares. Caller is a person that calls dance figures in round dances, line dances, square dances, contra dances, etc. ...
Choreography (also known as dance composition) is the art of making structures in which movement occurs, the term composition may also refer to the navigation or connection of these movement structures. ...
Dancers learn the steps required to square dance at classes, which are usually sponsored or organized by square dance clubs. In addition to sponsoring classes, clubs also sponsor special social and dance evenings, as well as larger dances which are usually open to the general square dance community (i.e. non-club dancers). Square dance clubs are the primary form for organization within the recreational activity of square dancing, and more specifically western square dance. ...
Dance programs
Dances are categorized as belonging to a particular dance program, or level of difficulty. This allows the caller to form his/her choreography from an agreed-upon and widely known list of calls that the dancers are understood to be able to carry out. Dancers can be assured that others who dance the same program know identical calls.
When a dance is advertised as being a multi-program dance then there are either "tips" or special rooms available for the dancer at the various different programs.
There are eight different dance programs from which the dancer may choose. There is no requirement to progress to more advanced levels. One is encouraged to dance the program in which one is comfortable, and to only progress to another program if one has such a desire. This allows the dancer to get sufficiently confident in their dancing abilities, so they can attempt learning new steps that are built on a foundation of skills already learned and assimilated.
Six of these eight programs are managed by Callerlab, the International Association of Square Dance Callers. In addition there are several high level unmanaged programs. Having managed programs allows modern western square dance to be an international activity. Callerlab is the internation association of square dance callers, and is the largest square dance association in the United States. ...
The program lists The dance program lists are as follows. After the name of the program is an indication of the number of steps included as of Aug. 2005. There is occasional adjustment of the programs. The tendency is to reduce the number of steps at the lowest level (Mainstream) so that there is less required learning time to achieve a controlled common level of dancing proficiency.
Callerlab's seven managed lists:
- Mainstream - 69 calls
- Plus - 31 calls - 100 calls total
- Advanced 1 (A-1) - 46 calls (and concepts) - 146 calls (and concepts) total
- Advanced 2 (A-2) - 35 calls (and concepts) - 181 calls (and concepts) total
- Challenge 1 (C1) - 79 calls (and concepts) - 260 calls (and concepts) total
- Challenge 2 (C2) - 86 calls (and concepts) - 346 calls (and concepts) total
- Challenge 3A (C3A) - 83 calls (and concepts) - 429 calls (and concepts) total
There are also C3B and C4 lists which are not officially maintained by anyone.
There is an alternative dance program managed by the American Callers Association, called the "1" floor dance program, which consists of 66 steps at the moment. Its intention is to create a dance program that is more accessible.
Note: Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 are technicly one level but are seperate lists and are thus in some regions treated as two levels.
Learning square dance Callerlab recommends that the Mainstream program be taught in no less than 56 hours. Depending on the length of the individual class and how often you meet, it can take a half year or longer to learn the full program. In Europe, most notably in Denmark, there have been recognized a series of partial dance levels with corresponding dances available at those partway points (Mainstream 23, 45, 53, 68). In America, clubs sponsoring classes often hold "Red-light/Green-light" dances, where alternating tips are called at a level where classmembers can participate. These accommodations allow dancers to begin attending dances quicker in the learning cycle.
Calls and concepts
Calls A call is an individual dance move a caller will have the dancers make. A series of calls make up a figure (or choreography) a series of figures makes up a tip. Examples of calls: [Do-Sa-Do], Square Thru, Pass Thru,
Concepts A concept is an addition to a call. Some of the concepts have more obvious definitions as in "As Couples" do this or in "Tandem" do that. However more complex concepts names don't give away the defintion as in the "Checkpoint", "Concentric", or "Emulate" concepts. Many more concepts exist.
To explain how a concept works lets take the call "Pass Thru" and apply the concept "Tandem" to it. "Pass Thru" means two people, who are standing opposite to each other, step forward, pass each other (passing right shoulders where they would otherwise collide), and stop with backs to each other and standing in the original opposite's footprints. The "Tandem" concept pairs two people, who are standing one behind the other (i.e. in tandem to each other), and lets the pair act as if they were one person during the execution of a specific call. Therefore, in a "Tandem Pass Thru" two tandem pairs of people execute the "Pass Thru" call as if they were two individuals, resulting in a completely different ending formation than a normal "Pass Thru".
Dress code Modern western square dance developed a dress code when its popularity in the United States increased after World War II, and began soaring during the '50s and early '60s. This may have been due to the visibility of square dance performers such as Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw's traveling troupe of "teenage cowboy square dancers", as well as how square dancing and the west were portrayed in western movies and early television. The popular clothing styles of those times (poodle skirts) also helped influence the look that has become known as "traditional square dance attire".
Men wear long-sleeved western and western-style shirts, dress slacks, scarf or string ties (bolos) or kerchiefs and sometimes cowboy hats and boots. Women wear specially made square dance outfits with petticoats. Partners will oftentimes have color- and pattern-coordinated outfits. This style of dress is somewhat of a misnomer, as it has nothing to do with early traditional square dancing, but it has become the "look" of "modern western square dance". For the university, see Stetson University. ...
Women wearing petticoats A petticoat (also known as underskirt in the UK or slip in the US) is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt, dress or saree. ...
At the non-challenge levels of modern western square dancing participants are often required to wear western-style square dance outfits, or "traditional square dance attire", especially at large dances. Over the years, there has been many discussions within square dancing circles about relaxing the dress code, and this has led to the adoption of alternative attire designations— "proper" attire and "casual" attire. Clubs that sponsor dances are free to select a less restrictive dress code and are encouraged to advertise the dress code that is appropriate for their dances. Some clubs drop the "traditional" dress code requirement for classes and for their summer dances, and some, like challenge groups and gay square dance clubs, have never had a dress code.
See also Square dance is a folk dance for four couples that was first described in 17th century England but was also quite common in France and throughout Europe, but which has become associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country. ...
This article needs cleanup. ...
Gay square dancing is square dancing as it is generally danced in the Gay and Lesbian community. ...
Square dance clubs are the primary form for organization within the recreational activity of square dancing, and more specifically western square dance. ...
Line dance is a formation dance where a group of people stand in a line or in lines, and they all execute the same dance moves. ...
When people think of square dancing they tend to think of people in there late fifties mostly older. ...
External links - Callerlab- International Association of Square Dance Callers
- Dosado.com- A good homepage for modern western square dance
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