Square Up!

Square Dance's Slow, Twisting Death Spiral

2009-02-11T12:47:00.000-05:00

Tim and I were out dancing last night at a Challenge 1 club. I was talking with one of the oldtime dancers. He told me about dance nights twenty years ago when eight squares (sixty-four dancers) would show up for Challenge 1 dancing. We had two squares and two extra couples last night.

The square dance population is aging quickly. Since I started dancing with DC Lambda Squares eight years ago, I'm wagering that the average age of the club has increased eight years. And it's still a viable club. Elsewhere, it can be pretty glum in Square Dance Land. Many clubs have folded, or are down to a single square. Part of the cause is self-inflicted: many clubs have dress codes and are couples-only. When a partner dies, which is happening with increasing and heart-breaking regularity, the other partner, usually the wife often quits square dancing for good.

An old age square dance population also has other issues: mobility and focus both being challenging for older dancers. Thankfully, in the clubs I dance with, the dress code is relaxed, but it's still a couples world. Tim and I have been able to dance as a couple, but that would certainly change if we were dancing in a different part of the country.

In DC Lambda Squares, we have diminished numbers, too. Each year, getting new students for square dance classes is increasingly difficult. Because square dancing needs at least eight dancers, it is an activity that requires ample space, and a caller (it takes specialized training and knowledge to move square dancers around the floor). The expense of rent and caller fees looms large for clubs organized like DC Lambda Squares. Another kind of club arrangement is a caller club where the caller rents the hall, and charges a door fee to cover expenses. In either model, the dancers have to pay enough to keep the enterprise afloat. Lately, fewer dancers are doing that.

Can this downward trend be reversed? Probably so, but to do that will require some painful readjustment.

The biggest challenges for the activity appear to be its image, its learning curve, competing activities, and a viable support model.

Image may be the biggest public relations nightmare. Crinolines and cowboy boots keep people off the dance floor. People coming to the activity cannot picture themselves wearing the outfits, and in fact, more clubs are going casual except for regional square dance events. (My own aside, "They look so gay!") Frankly, the costumes are offputting for most people.

Has anyone noticed that square dancing is, well, square?

Other image issues include square dancing's rigid gender role prohibition about men dancing the woman's part, and to a (much) lesser extent, women dancing the man's part. One of the main reasons for gay square dancing was to provide a place where dancers could dance whatever they wanted, and in fact, many gay square dancers are skilled in both roles. Another image problem is that non-dancers remember their disastrous introduction to square dancing in grade school. Introducing children to square dancing when those kids are at an age where they *hate* the opposite sex usually means that they will never get over their aversion. And believe me, they always remember their square dance adventure in fifth-grade gym. It wasn't pretty.

Square dancing also has a big learning curve. It takes about a year to learn proficiently, the first couple of square dance programs (Mainstream and Plus about 100 calls or movements). Most potential square dancers don't feel they can commit to a year's worth of classes, before they get to dance. Instead, they would rather go to a dance, and simply dance! The learning curve is a killer! The square dance community is wrestling with this by offering ABC programs and other kinds of introductions to square dancing, but as long as square dancing remains an activity of aficionados rather than a social activity for dancers, those efforts are doomed to failure. In some ways, the ABC program hearkens back to country square dancing. In the old days, you came to the community dance. You didn't have to know the program, because the caller taught it to you as the night progressed. Dancing was a social activity.

Okay, I'm an aficionado. I like dancing on the edge - a program that challenges my skills. But you don't learn dancing in a class, you learn dancing on the dance floor, and maybe the square dance community needs to rethink completely its means of instruction and its daunting learning curve.

These days, square dancing has an extraordinary array of competing activities. Our society is rethinking what it wants to do socially. Square dancing not only competes with bowling or the Elks Club, but with the very notion about what people want to do with their "free" time. The demands on that time are increasing. People are working longer. Kids activities require more parental involvement. The internet has opened up new ways of social engagement that bypass old ways of getting out and socializing. This competition is real, and it's not only beating up square dancing, it's beating up all kinds of other socializing including bowling and the Elks.

Part of the solution is to identify social activities and situations that engage our society, and organize square dancing in those places. Saddleback Squares, anyone? (And I'm not kidding.)

So how can square dancing remain viable? The quickest way to turn it around is for clubs and callers to recognize that they will have to change radically their approach to the activity. The image has to change, and younger dancers have to be engaged in a manner that fits their lives: no long-term commitment to square dance classes, no outfits that make you feel like a freak, immediate gratification - if you come to a square dance you dance; no matter what your skills are, and great social and entertainment value for the money spent.

I think that can be achieved. It will be painful for the aficionados like me, but ultimately, it will save the dance. Our greatest challenge is to bring new people in the front door to enjoy our wonderful activity, because once they are in the door, they often decide to stay for the dance.

2008-08-08T09:01:00.002-04:00

Gotcha!

At square dancing last night, Dayle had us in facing lines, then he called Wheel and Deal. We stood there, confused, and broke down the square. Some of us tried to work with the line that we were facing. Wrong! We should have been working in our own line.

Note: How do you do that??? Should we shimmy around that couple that's in front of us? Maybe I'll just stand here. Doh!

Right couple moves in front of left couple, moving to face out and forming a completed Double-Pass Thru. I should know that! It seems that now that I'm dancing C1, my dancing at the other levels is going to hell in a handbasket, which is probably a C4 call.

2008-07-16T11:48:00.001-04:00

As Easy as ABC!

I was over at Kent, Brian, and Michael's last night. Kent and I were discussing the DC Diamond Circulate web site, then veered off into other square dance topics. He asked me if I had heard of ABC Square Dancing. I had heard about it, but hadn't really looked into it.

One of the challenges of square dancing is that if people are going to learn it, they have to make a big time commitment to it to take classes and learn the calls. Most people want to dance, rather than learn how to dance.

In the Olden Days before Modern Western Square Dancing, that's exactly what people did. The caller would teach the figure at the beginning of the dance, the new dancers would be designated the third or fourth couples in the square, and by the time the dance came to them, they knew how to do the figure. In ancient days, when people went to a square dance, they danced.

The ABC square dancing restores some of this immediate danceability back to square dancing. Couples, within a tip or two, learn basic calls that move them around the floor. By the end of an evening they know fifteen or so calls. The whole ABC program teaches 22 calls/formations/designations. Within three sessions, dancers will have learned all 22, and can become quite proficient in the ABC dance program.

If some of the dancers want to go on the Mainstream or beyond, they can then take square dance classes. The beauty and simplicity of the ABC program is this: you encourage people to dance first. Let them dance the first time they are out on the floor, and if they want to learn only those calls that's fine! They're square dancing, and that's what they want to do! You encourage dancers to dance immediately. You don't worry whether they will continue with square dancing; instead, you focus on giving dancers a great dance experience.

When A Dancer's NOT Supposed To Be There

2008-07-09T12:28:00.004-04:00

Several weeks ago I was in waves (trailing center) and heard the call "Motivate, Leading Ends Don't Move." After circulating and casting 3/4, I arrived in the center waiting for my star to form. It was only later (that evening, after the dance) that I realized it never would. My partners in the star were my original partner and her symmetric opposite whom I (and my symmop) had left behind at the call's start. I can't imagine being quick-witted enough to have caught that on the fly, on the floor. I guess this all comes under the rubric of "When the Formation isn't There." There are some calls that end with dancers in the spot where they began. Motivate is one of those, for the leading end ... and for the trailing center as well. The leading end does nothing but wander around, join in the star, and drift back to home. That's how the call above was able to work. The trailing center however has to Cast 3/4 both before and after the star. No one, even at C1 (where this all happened), would expect dancers to do that solo. I wonder how many other "fixed-point" calls there are that could work with stationary dancers. I doubt there are many, but I'm sure if I keep dancing/moving, they'll come across me (sigh).

Touch A Quarter Century

2008-07-09T11:58:00.007-04:00

Wasn't able to dance much at this convention but almost every tip was instructive:

1. All 4 Couples, Partner Tag — what an interesting (?) idea, applying "All 4 Couples" (meant for facing couple calls) to a single couple call. Or, what is the difference between All 4 Couples, Partner Tag vs the simpler Partner Tag? The answer lies in one of the subtler passages from Callerlab's Advanced Definitions (p. 21):

At the end of the call, you must adjust to the nearest static square footprints of the wall you are facing. For example, if you end facing the head walls, adjust (without turning) to the nearest head position. If you end on that spot, you don't adjust.

i.e., with "All 4 Couples, Partner Tag," after partner tagging, you advance to the original footprints of your partner's corner, facing in the opposite direction. I won't mention who in my square went wandering right-shoulders past his corner etc.

2. In Your Blocks, Split Square Chain Thru — I'm a sufficiently inexperienced C1 dancer that at first this call struck me as a paradox. How could you move (split) outside of your block!? Well of course you don't. "Split" means do the first part of the call and then quarter in to the inactive dancers and do the rest. If your block is t-boned (couple facing facing singles), the couple are the inactive dancers and all works well. (Note: if the couples in the blocks are near the center, it could get really messy!)

3. From Waves, Ends O-Circulate, Centers Butterfly Circulate — I'll let you figure this out yourself. Hint: you know how the next call begins!

I Belong to a Cult

2008-06-14T20:47:00.002-04:00

I went to a Challenge workshop this morning at Ett's. She had various lists most popular and least popular calls for C2 levels and above. There's actually a person out there somewhere who surveys Challenge dancers and their tastes!

We asked Ett about the various Challenge level lists. C1, C2, and C3A all have official lists. C3B and C4 do not. C4 is the place dead square calls end up, and get resurrected. Is it a museum or mausoleum? I don't know, because I don't ever expect to get there.

Challenge has a mythology surrounding it. Purportedly, it's full of angry-looking dancers debating definitions at undisclosed locations, by invitation, only. I've certainly discovered that! And I've only been dancing C-1 since last Thursday, just kidding.

Tim and I often compare square dancing to religion: Square dancing has its own scriptures (the official Callerlab dance definitions, which leads to an important question; because C3B and C4 are acknowledged as levels but their lists are not quite canonical, could they be, in fact, appocryphal?¹ Inquiring minds want to know). Square dancing has its own rituals from "Square up!" to the "Thank you!" at the end of every tip. Of course, there's high church complete with petticoats and bolo ties, and low church which allows for short sleeved shirts and shorts. Orthodoxy lines up gender and position, and heterodoxy claims you can be any position in square dancing, whatever you want to be.

I do know this: square dancing is endlessly fascinating. Each level has its thrills and excitement. As I move through the levels, I gain new insights about why different square dance calls are what they are.

It does teach me about God and religion, too. If the square dance definitions are revelation, let's just say there is, at times, a capricious, contradictory, mysterious higher power underlying their enigmatic and arbitrary application. And that makes square dancing lots of fun!

¹Callerlab does not have program lists for C3B or C4. Vic Ceder, Lynette Bellini, Ben Rubright, and others have published C3B and C4 lists. Mona Tomqvist maintains an extensive Challenge square dance site.

Square Dancing at Str8 Events

2008-03-27T12:22:00.004-04:00

There's a lot of square dancing to be had in town! In addition to the gay hoedowns and fly-ins, there's the straight Festivals like WASCA's.

I wonder why not more gay/lesbian dancers go to these events.
I can think of a few reasons. Feel free to add your thoughts.

Some possible reasons why NOT:
-some gay dancers only dance the opposite gender role (boys dancing as girls, vice versa). and therefore not feeling welcome...
-too many events, not enough vacation time, therefore prioritize which ones to attend.
-strict dress code (that stifles one's style).
-your reason here <>

Some reasons why YES:
-if it's local, why yes! no need to worry about extra costs.
-most of them charge only $40 for 3 days and nights of non-stop dancing!!!! $40 only!!!
-a chance to dress up, traditional square dancer style (of course you can do that and MORE (er, also LESS ;-O) at gay fly-ins
-a chance to represent the gay square dance community
-if Club night dancing is not enough, you'll become seasoned within your level in no time.
-Plus DBD dancing for hours and hours and hours!
-general square dancing at any level with plenty of strangers! helps you improve
-you get to dance again to fantastic callers that you've met at fly-ins.
-your reason here <>

Have DCLS members actually discussed these things in the past? (Just curious)

Relay the Deucy, Redux

2008-03-18T12:28:00.003-04:00

Butch Adams called for us last night, and brought a different take to Relay the Deucy. To keep us all honest, here's the definition of the call:

RELAY THE DEUCEY - Starting formation - Parallel Ocean Waves. TIMING - 20

All Circulates in this definition refer to the Original Circulate path established by the ends of the original ocean waves. No dancer ever stops moving during this call; the pauses written into the definition (i.e., the action described as "half-circulate") are there for clarity of description and for teaching purposes only. Each end and the adjacent center dancer turn one-half (180°). The new centers of each ocean wave turn three-quarters (270°), while the others half-circulate, forming a six-person wave and two lonesome dancers. The wave of six, working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2, while the others half-circulate. In the wave, the center 4 turn 1/2, while the other four dancers half-circulate. The wave of 6, again working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2, while the others half-circulate. Finally, the center 4 of the wave turn 3/4 (becoming the centers of the new waves), while the outside 4 half-circulate to become the ends of the final waves.

STYLING: Basic swing thru styling is utilized for turning movements within the ocean wave formations. Circulating dancers do the circulate action with arms in natural dance position, blending to hands up ocean wave formation at the conclusion of the call.

The rest of what I write here is a "cheat," but it's based closely on the definition. Here goes:

Partners trade.
Centers cast off 3/4s and the ends move forward. (The out-facer end moves to the end of the six-person wave forming in the center. The in-facer end moves forward alongside the wave.)
The center wave of six does a grand swing thru. The two outside dancers move forward alongside the wave. Those on the ends of the wave, move off of the wave in a forward direction.
The six dancers remaining in the wave spin the top while the outside dancers step to the ends of the forming new waves.

Butch provided a couple of other hints, too: If you are an out-facer in the original waves, you are going to be (mostly) moving along the outside. If you are an in-facer, you'll be working in the wave in the middle of the formation.

Relay the Deucey

2008-03-09T11:24:00.003-04:00

Relay the Deucey is a hard call to teach, to workshop. I've never seen it done successfully. I've come to think a large part of the problem is dancers not knowing how to Half-Circulate.

Teaching or workshopping Relay the Deucey should begin with dancers in parallel waves. Then the end dancers should Half-Circulate eight times, with an emphasis on how small the Half-Circulate is for a trailing end, how large for a leading one. Finally, Partner Trade and repeat.

It should also be clear that there are six parts to Relay the Deucey:

1. Partner Trade

2. Centers Cast Off 3/4

3. Center Six Trade

4. Center Four Trade

5. Center Six Trade

6. Centers Cast Off 3/4

—with dancers at every part doing a Half-Circulate if not otherwise directed!

Dancers should be able to dance each part, stop, look around, understand where they are, what they're doing, where they're going. Callers should not buy into the cop out that Relay the Deucey is harder to do slowly and in stages. It's an illusion that dancers know what they're doing if they can fluff their way through at higher speeds.

What's in a name?

2007-12-23T13:10:00.001-05:00

"Make Magic" — I've wondered why this C1 call is so named. Most sensibly, it should be a call that takes you to a Magic Column. But there's only one formation from which this happens: a 2 by 4 formation with a center box circulate and outside couples facing in. This, by the way, has a name of its own. It's called a Quarter Box. The idea is that any 2 by 4 formation with outside couples facing in takes its name from the center, e.g. Quarter Diamond. What should be Quarter Wave, however, is ordinarily called a Quarter Tag.

A Question & a Plea

2007-12-10T10:09:00.000-05:00

Relay The Deucey, Motivate, Chain Reaction—what do they all have in common? They often break squares down. And the reason why is also something they all have in common: they depend on stars or star-like formations and there are four different paths (the maximum) an individual dancer may have to dance through.

Star formations, if failed, break a square down because there's no saving line, no other line of four, to rebuild on by imitation. And star formations often fail when dancers are imperfect team players (it takes four dancers to make a star: if one smarty-pants dancer has skittered on ahead, a tardy dancer may not see the formation and so fail to dance the call!).

Now to the question and the plea. When teaching or workshopping any of these calls, why don't callers put us dancers through all four paths. It's absolutely essential for dancers who dance by position and it's no waste of time for dancers who dance by definition. An entire cycle of Relay The Deucey and Motivate can be achieved by having the dancers Swing Thru in between the four iterations. The same can be accomplished for Chain Reaction by an Extend & Outsides Trade (i.e. Finish Ping-Pong Circulate).

I've had some very good teachers and workshop callers, but I'm baffled why none of them has done this. I don't think any of these calls can be considered to have been successfully workshopped unless the dancers have managed to get through an entire cycle (as above) ... from left-hand waves!

Armchair Square Dancing

2007-12-02T11:43:00.000-05:00

I've just come across a terrific resource: Vic Cedar's Choreography Database. With a few clicks you can read sequences involving your "favorite" calls, at varying levels of difficulty. Not for everybody—but those for whom this is appropriate ... you know who you are!

Left, Reverse, Mirror, Arky

2007-12-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

I learned C1 a year ago. According to Callerlab's Basic Challenge (C-1) Definitions (10/12/06), the definition of the "Left" modifier begins "Do the call interchanging right with left, clockwise with counter-clockwise, and promenade with reverse promenade." I'd heard of "Reverse" and "Mirror" and even "Arky"—none of them as yet official modifiers. I'd supposed that "Reverse" applied to "Beau" and "Belle" and "Arky" to "Men" and "Ladies" (to follow Callerlab's antique terminology), while "Mirror" perhaps combined "Left" and "Reverse".

In double checking for this posting, however, I notice Callerlab's Advanced Definitions (10/31/06) for the "Left" modifier states

Do the call interchanging right with left and if also applicable belle with beau. (Left should only be used to modify calls where a right hand turn or shoulder pass is clearly part of the definition. The term Reverse is commonly used when the major interchange is Beau with Belle such as Reverse Swap Around.)

—no mention of "counterclockwise" or "promenade". What a difference a couple of weeks makes! I wonder what others dancers think of this and where "Mirror" fits in.

The Tandem Concept in Plus

2007-12-02T10:04:00.000-05:00

I think the Tandem Concept should be introduced in Plus. Little need be done with it, but how it simplifies the definition of Track II: Tandem (Trade and Touch)! Compare that with the convoluted definition in Callerlab, which even so doesn't dispense with "dancers work[ing] 'in tandem'."

Searching Callerlab

2007-12-02T09:43:00.000-05:00

Oh Brave New World (no, not a call)! Searching with Adobe Reader through Callerlab's Basic and Mainstream Definitions (the 10/19/06 iteration) I find, what I've long suspected, that Pull By is nowhere defined! The closest one gets is in the "Dancing Hand Positions" (associate right!) — "Pull By: The action brings two people toward each other. Hands should be droped before bodies cross a common plane." Whatever the "action" might be is nowhere specified. I wonder how many on the committee have been using the search function.

Should Box The Gnat be a gender call?

2007-12-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

Recently I was at a dance where the caller called (or seemed to call) Box The Gnat for facing dancers of the same gender. He maintained (or I thought he maintained—such is the Fog of Floor) that at our level (A or above) gender didn't matter. I should mention that he has subsequently denied all of this. But it got me thinking what a genderless definition of Box The Gnat might be. I propose, Slide Thru And Roll. The whole arm thing then just becomes a co-gender flourish.

P.S. Oh yes, I see that my definition isn't genderless, but it does allow the call to be made for two facing dancers of whatever gender.

Circle to a Line

2007-10-19T15:59:00.000-04:00

Circle to a Line is one of those calls that you learn in Mainstream one way, but you never ever dance it the way you learned it. The call is fraught with terror when square dancing with people that you've not danced with because you don't know whether they will dance its definition, or whether they will dance it the way every one else dances it....

Here's the definition:

CIRCLE TO A LINE: Starting formation - facing couples. TIMING - 8 steps.

Couples circle left one half (180°). The lead dancer in the couple who started on the inside (man's position) releases the left handhold, but retains the handhold of the dancer on his right to become the left end dancer of the line. The released dancer moves forward under the raised arm arch formed by that dancer and the adjacent dancer to become the right end dancer in the line.

STYLING: The circle portion is the same styling as in circle eight. As the man breaks with his left hand to form a line, he should lead the line several steps before turning. After the end lady has released her right hand, and while retaining the right hand of the man beside her, together they will raise their joined hands and make an arch. Then as the line begins to straighten out, she will move forward under this arch, turning left face gradually under her own left arm so that instead of backing up she is moving forward to the end of the line.

This call can be confusing. Although the definition states that the starting formation is facing couples, it is implicit in the movement of the call that one of the couples is a lead couple. If the dancers do not know who is the lead couple or who is the inside couple, they will not be able to perform the call. Most callers help out by preceding the call with a directed couple lead right, and that couple, then, is the lead couple.

Callers, help me out here, if this call were ever called from facing lines, is the lead couple that couple where the man is one of the centers of the line? It seems so from the definition, but I'm not sure. The big take away here is that you have to know whether you are the lead couple.

Of course, the biggest problem is determining whether the couple facing you is going to actually circle to a line, or do the shortcut. The shortcut is easy: the lead couple cross-folds around the other couple, and that couple moves left two or three steps. It isn't nearly as classy as the definition, but it gets you to the right place.

You should always know the definition, and be prepared to dance it. Most likely, though, you'll be dancing the shortcut. Of course, if you insist on dancing the definition at DC Lambda Squares, you may break down your square.

Teacup Chain

2007-09-24T21:25:00.000-04:00

Andy Shore in his workshop covered (among many things) Teacup Chain. Here is the definition for Teacup Chain:

TEACUP CHAIN -Starting formation -Static Square, or proceeding from everyone doing a Left Arm Turn with partner. TIMING - 32

The caller will specify two ladies to move to the center at the start of the call, e.g., "Head ladies center for a Teacup Chain". For the rest of the definition, these two ladies will be called the "specified ladies". The specified ladies (both Head ladies or both Side ladies) move to the center and Star Right three-quarters to meet their corners for a Left Arm Turn. At the same time, the other two ladies move to the right around the perimeter of the square to their corners, and do a Right Arm Turn. Following the Arm Turns, the specified ladies move around the perimeter of the square to their new corners for a Right Arm Turn, while the other ladies go to the center and Star Left once and a quarter to meet their new corners for a Right Arm Turn.

The specified ladies then move to the center and Star Left once and a quarter to their new corners for a Right Arm Turn, while the other ladies move to their new corners (around the perimeter of the square) for a Left Arm Turn.

Finally, the specified ladies move to their new corners (their original partners) for either a Courtesy Turn or a Left Arm Turn leading into the next command, while the other ladies move to the center and Star Right three-quarters to meet their new corners (their original partners) for either a Courtesy Turn or a Left Arm Turn leading into the next command. Everyone finishes with his/her original partner.

Andy workshopped Side Ladies Teacup Chain and All Ladies into the Center for a Teacup Chain. The crucial point for the ladies to remember is that they are going to proceed from man to man in promenade order. That is, after the hollerin' in the middle of the square the starring ladies will proceed counter-clockwise to the next man, who will turn them, and point them in the right direction. In the meantime, the women on the outside, will proceed (counter clockwise) to the next man in promenade order, too.

For the men, they must remember that they meet the incoming lady with the same arm that she offers, then point the women either into the center or to the right. In an All Ladies, the man will be pointing both directions, but that's more to be experienced than talked about.

So the big takeaway with Teacup Chain, is that when all is said and done in the middle of the square, the ladies are moving in the promenade direction to the next man! It doesn't get much simpler than that.

That Chain Reaction Ett Called Last Night...

2007-08-31T18:23:00.000-04:00

Ett called last night, and in her spirit of lefty-ness, why are left calls so difficult for most of us? I posed this question to Cissie, and she said that she thinks its because dancers just move to the position they think they should be in. This is the ultimate in positional dancing, and it fails dancers completely on a Chain Reaction that's called from a left position (left-hand wave in the center).

Here's the caller lab definition:

CHAIN REACTION Starting Position: Quarter Tag or Quarter line formation in which very center can Pass Thru with an outside dancer [At Advanced, this call is restricted to starting from right- or left-hand quarter tag formations
only.] Timing: 12

The very centers Pass Thru with the dancers they are facing, while the ends of the center line/wave Promenade 1/4 around the outside of the set. The original very centers and the dancers they are next to, Hinge. The centers Star (or Diamond Circulate) one spot, while the outsides Trade. Those who meet now Cast Off 3/4, while the others move up (as in Hourglass Circulate) to become the ends of parallel waves.

When Ett called Chain Reaction, from a left position and cued it VERY SLOW, we all did okay. The problem (and again, thanks to Cissie for the insight), is that the dancers move to form the star in the middle without giving it any thought. In the Chain Reaction from a left-hand wave, this causes all kinds of problems. Dancers proceed as if it's a regular Chain Reaction.

The Beaus on the outside may attempt to move forward toward the center, when they should just stand still. If a Beau moves forward, the Beau will come face-to-face with the opposite Belle. Both dancers will be very confused. The Belle will not be able to form the star in the middle because the Beau is in the way, The Beau is out of position to do the hinge so that the Beau can be in the star. Four desperate seconds later, the square breaks down.

(The Beau could save the situation by hingeing to the right, but that leaves the dancer from the very center of the wave facing the wrong direction, and probably disoriented.)

So... how about getting out your Advanced definitions, and doing some review? If you learn to dance by definition, you won't break down squares nearly as much. Dancing by position is a lot like dancing in overdrive. Most of the time it works, and then Ett calls Chain Reaction from a lefty wave, and you're in the wrong gear!

Thinking about Calls

2007-08-29T18:28:00.000-04:00

I've enjoyed how Brian and Kent taught Follow Your Neighbor, and also what Butch Adams added to it. Follow Your Neighbor was one of those Plus calls that I learned haphazardly and did unthinkingly. Here's my take on the call: it's a lot like Scoot Back and Fan the Top.

Here's the CallerLab definition:

FOLLOW YOUR NEIGHBOR - Starting formation - Box Circulate. TIMING - 6

Dancers facing in release hands with the person next to them (their "neighbor") and step straight forward, join adjacent forearms with the one they meet, and turn three-quarters (270°) to become centers of a new wave. At the same time, the dancers facing out follow their "neighbors" by moving forward in a three-quarter looping turn (270°), turning towards their "neighbor" to finish adjacent to their "neighbor" as the ends of the new ocean wave.

When done from right-hand boxes, the dancers facing in turn by the right hand and the dancers facing out loop around right-face, to finish in a left-hand ocean wave. When done from left-hand boxes, the dancers facing in turn by the left-hand and the dancers facing out loop around left-face, to finish in a right-hand ocean wave.

Here's my take on it: the Leaders do their part of a Scoot Back then Roll.

The Trailers do their part of a Scoot Back but Cast Three-Quarters rather than do a Turn Thru.

And that's the end of the call!

Warren, What a Dance!

2007-07-02T10:35:00.001-04:00

I was at a square dance on Saturday night to remember our club's square dance caller, Warren Jaquith. Warren died last March of a massive stroke doing what he loved, teaching a square dance class.

Warren's loss is quite evident, from the hole it's made in the club's dance schedule to the moments on the dance floor when you think it's a "Warren moment," but Warren isn't there.

So on Saturday, almost a hundred people gathered in a school gym in Takoma Park, Maryland to remember Warren, but more importantly, to square dance and have a party, because that's exactly what Warren would expect us to do on the last Saturday night in June. So we did.

We had a wonderful party, too. Barry coordinated the food. Nick took care of the door. Larry made sure that every last detail was set. Tom came with Warren's brother, cousins, and partners in tow, and several square dancers who knew Warren many, many years ago came to remember Warren's gentle humor, broad smile, and love of square dancing.

They all said, Warren, that you were there. Your cousin, or maybe it was Tom, mentioned that you were out in the hallway, somewhere, drinking a very dry gin martini. And I don't doubt that at all. Thanks for a wonderful evening. Thanks for everything. It was just like downtown.

Warren's Dance Party, Downtown

First Niter Wowz Dancerz

2007-06-19T17:35:00.000-04:00

You have to hand it to Kent and Brian. They are singlehandedly going to restore square dancing's reputation in the gay-friendly community. They have done more to heal the childhood trauma induced by grade school P.E. coaches who "teach" "square dancing" than Dr. Spock and Oprah, combined. Actually, dancing to these two is a little like listening to an old George Burns and Gracie Allen radio show. I'm not saying which is which.

This much is clear: the jaded oldtimers were having just as much fun as the dozen new dancers at last night's open house. Chaz and KeithAnn had everything faultlessly organized. The DC Lambda Squares display was attention getting and served to get the newcomers thinking and talking about square dancing. Of course, Kathy and Mitch put together a wonderful spread, a special thanks for that.

Thank goes to all the veterans. Everyone's cheer and enthusiasm filled the hall. This occasion was festive, and the club members' spirited participation made it a (dare I say) fabulous evening. I hope that every first niter can be as fun as this!

More Breaking Convention News

2007-05-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

I would comment on the Honky-Tonk Queen contest, except I wasn't there. The winning queen was controversial - a radically new development in the history of the contest. On the other hand, Ward from Cadillac Squares was awarded a special 10-year Medallion for appearing (and not winning) in ten different Honky-Tonk Queen competitions. Congratulations, Ward!

Speaking of 10-year medallions, Lloyd Anderson, Abe Feldman, and Keith McDonald received their medallions as they walked across the stage to be embraced by Ett McAtee, then exit stage right. Ten years is a lot of convention memories, and lots of sore feet, not to mention hundreds of hours and thousands of tips. It's a happy, wonderful achievement.

The DCDC table continues to be a popular attraction. Even as I type these words, a hundred dancers, or so, are lined up ready to get their secret instructions on how to register early bird. It's a pretty bedraggled bunch, with fits and starts of consciousness. Lots of smiles and expectation are this morning's aroma, along with the coffee from the downstairs lobby.

That's about it for now. I'll report more, later.

Breaking News from Convention

2007-05-26T10:42:00.001-04:00

Yes! Team DC Lambda Squares is taking convention by storm. Busy secret operatives staff the DCDC Central Control, a conspicuously situated table, with an important mission: to infiltrate the international gay and lesbian square dance community, and ensure that square dancers from around the world get the not-so-secret message, that Washington, DC is hosting DC Diamond Circulate, 2009.

The crew working the crowd at the DCDC table

All appearances to the contrary (some of us do look like the dog dragged us in...), the DC dancers sparkle in the halls and on the sidewalks of Denver. This weekend is a gayla epoch in Denver, 1000s of gay bowlers, volleyball players, and of course, the stars: gay square dancers. The volleyballers are in the Denver Adams Mark, the bowlers took over the Marriott, and we're in the Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center. The 16th St Mall is lined with gay flags, and no wonder! 5,000 gay people in a four-square block area. You could meet your next husband here.

It's also interesting to note the relative ages and body types. The volleyballers appear to be the youngest and sleekest. I think some square dancers are headed over to their coliseum to do some recruiting. After all, you can't play volleyball forever. Those young 'uns need something to retire to.

Friday night, a couple of dozen people gathered in the Memorial room to pay tribute to Warren Jaquith and Vladislaw Schwartz. It was a very somber, but happy moment, because we truly remembered the happy times that their presence brought to square dancing and to our club. Warren and Vlad, we miss you, but we know that you are here dancing with us.

We're Squaring up for the Big One!

2007-05-21T12:38:00.000-04:00

Many DC Lambda Square dancers are heading out to Denver, Colorado this week. The annual convention for the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs begins on Thursday, May 24, 2007. All week prior to that is the Gay Callers Association caller school - so it's a full schedule of square dancing in Denver for the next eight days or so.

See ya in Denver! Yellow Rocks!