Square Dance - a group of 4 couples that dance to figures announced by a Caller set to music. The figures are designed to move the dancers in a smooth flow around the “square” with the objective of having all the dancers interact and then resolving with the couples matching up with their original partner and returning to a home position.
A dance can have anywhere from 1 to 20+ squares with 1 to 5 squares common at most local clubs
A Square Dance usually lasts between 1.5 to 2 hours.
Caller – a person that acts as a DJ for the dance and selects the music. The Caller also announces the set of figures the dancers should perform to create a fun dance flow.
SQUARE – a set of 4 couples that are arranged so that the couples face inwards towards each other in a square formation. See the figure below. Squares are aligned so that couple 1 will have their back to the caller the remaining couples align every 90-degree increment around the sides of an imaginary square.
NOTE: The terms Boys / Girls are dance terms and are not genders. Many women dance the "Boy" position and men dance the "Girl" position. Also thoughout a dance many times the same dance positions will be paired together. i.e. boy-boy and girl-girl. All dances are people and the fun of dancing is to interact with all the people in the square.
A dance can have anywhere from 1 to 20+ squares with 1 to 5 squares common at most local clubs
A Square Dance usually lasts between 1.5 to 2 hours.
Caller – a person that acts as a DJ for the dance and selects the music. The Caller also announces the set of figures the dancers should perform to create a fun dance flow.
SQUARE – a set of 4 couples that are arranged so that the couples face inwards towards each other in a square formation. See the figure below. Squares are aligned so that couple 1 will have their back to the caller the remaining couples align every 90-degree increment around the sides of an imaginary square.
NOTE: The terms Boys / Girls are dance terms and are not genders. Many women dance the "Boy" position and men dance the "Girl" position. Also thoughout a dance many times the same dance positions will be paired together. i.e. boy-boy and girl-girl. All dances are people and the fun of dancing is to interact with all the people in the square.
Arrangement of a Square
Home – the starting position for a dance couple. There are 4 home positions one for each dance couple (see figure above). During a patter call both the boy and girl have the same home position. During a singing call only the boy has the same home position. At the end of each figure section the girl will rotate to the next couple position getting a new partner. After the 4th figure section, the girl will be back to the original home position.
TIP - square dances are organize into 10-to-15-minute TIPs which consist of a patter call and a singing call. In general, there about 3 to 4 TIPS per hour.
Call – a series of dance moves or figures set to music. A call usually lasts 3 to 5 minutes. A call can be a set of figures put together by the Caller which is called Patter, or a set of figures that match the lyrics of a song called a singing call.
Patter – a call that consists of dance moves that are arranged by the Caller. These moves are sometimes ad hoc and are many times memorized. Patter calls take the dancers around the square from their home position and have them interact using various dance moves. The Caller then resolves the dancers by calling a set of moves that returns the dancers to their home position with their original partner.
Singing Call – a series of dance moves designed to match the lyrics of a song. The caller mixes dance moves and singing the lyrics of the song. Singing calls consist of an opener, 2 figures, middle, 2 more figures, and closer section. The figures usually move the dancers so they get a new partner each time. At the end of 4 figure the dancers are back with their original partner. Each of these dance sections starts from a home position and returns to a home position.
Levels of Dancing – there are 5 levels of dancing. Each level builds on the number of moves / figures from before it. A beginning dancer starts at Social Square Dancing (SSD) which is 50 simple moves. There are dances for all of these levels so there is no need to move up unless you want to. Mainstream and Plus are the most common levels that dancers work toward over time. But it depends on the area you live in around the country.
Levels:
History of Square Dancing - Square dancing has a rich history that spans centuries and cultures. It evolved from European folk dances such as the English country dance, French quadrille, and Irish jigs, which were brought to North America by settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. In these early dances, groups of four couples performed a series of figures, or choreographed steps, which formed the basis for modern square dancing.
As the dance spread across the United States, it adapted to local styles, particularly in the American South and West. In the 20th century, square dancing grew in popularity with the rise of radio and touring dance callers who standardized the moves and styles. This helped spread square dancing across the U.S. and later to other countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan and parts of Europe. Square Dancing is always in English so dancers can travel anywhere and still dance.
Global interest in square dancing surged after World War II, with international organizations forming to promote the dance as a symbol of friendship and cultural exchange. Today, square dancing is performed worldwide, often at festivals and gatherings. Modern square dancing continues to evolve, incorporating music from diverse genres and blending with other dance traditions, while maintaining its roots in community, coordination, and fun.
TIP - square dances are organize into 10-to-15-minute TIPs which consist of a patter call and a singing call. In general, there about 3 to 4 TIPS per hour.
Call – a series of dance moves or figures set to music. A call usually lasts 3 to 5 minutes. A call can be a set of figures put together by the Caller which is called Patter, or a set of figures that match the lyrics of a song called a singing call.
Patter – a call that consists of dance moves that are arranged by the Caller. These moves are sometimes ad hoc and are many times memorized. Patter calls take the dancers around the square from their home position and have them interact using various dance moves. The Caller then resolves the dancers by calling a set of moves that returns the dancers to their home position with their original partner.
Singing Call – a series of dance moves designed to match the lyrics of a song. The caller mixes dance moves and singing the lyrics of the song. Singing calls consist of an opener, 2 figures, middle, 2 more figures, and closer section. The figures usually move the dancers so they get a new partner each time. At the end of 4 figure the dancers are back with their original partner. Each of these dance sections starts from a home position and returns to a home position.
Levels of Dancing – there are 5 levels of dancing. Each level builds on the number of moves / figures from before it. A beginning dancer starts at Social Square Dancing (SSD) which is 50 simple moves. There are dances for all of these levels so there is no need to move up unless you want to. Mainstream and Plus are the most common levels that dancers work toward over time. But it depends on the area you live in around the country.
Levels:
- Social Square Dancing (SSD) - 50 moves
- Mainstream Dancing - 17 moves
- Plus Dancing - 31 moves
- Advanced Dancing - 81 moves
- Challenge Dancing - 100+ moves
History of Square Dancing - Square dancing has a rich history that spans centuries and cultures. It evolved from European folk dances such as the English country dance, French quadrille, and Irish jigs, which were brought to North America by settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. In these early dances, groups of four couples performed a series of figures, or choreographed steps, which formed the basis for modern square dancing.
As the dance spread across the United States, it adapted to local styles, particularly in the American South and West. In the 20th century, square dancing grew in popularity with the rise of radio and touring dance callers who standardized the moves and styles. This helped spread square dancing across the U.S. and later to other countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan and parts of Europe. Square Dancing is always in English so dancers can travel anywhere and still dance.
Global interest in square dancing surged after World War II, with international organizations forming to promote the dance as a symbol of friendship and cultural exchange. Today, square dancing is performed worldwide, often at festivals and gatherings. Modern square dancing continues to evolve, incorporating music from diverse genres and blending with other dance traditions, while maintaining its roots in community, coordination, and fun.
