Fast Forward To Other Articles
STEPPING OUT IN STYLE STYLING TIPS FOR BETTER DANCERS TIPS ON BECOMING a BETTER DANCER
by Ed Foote
Most of this information, although generally known, has not been printed anywhere.
Dancers who follow these rules find they dance more, stand less, and in general have
a more enjoyable dancing experience.
1. Take hands with those standing beside you immediately after the completion of
any figure. This will help you t see the formation you are in (line, wave, etc.,) to do the
next call.
Hands should be joined within 1/2 second after the completion of any call. Failure to
join hands after a call will often result in sloppy lines or waves, which will cause the
square to break down trying to do the next call.
2. Believe the caller, no matter what he says. Often dancers will stop cold if a
caller tells them to do something and they do not know why he told them to do it. This
results in the needless breakdown of the square. Forget worrying about "why" and just
do as the caller says.
No matter what the caller says, do it. If a dancer refuses to execute a given command,
he has no one to blame but himself when this causes his square to break down.
3. If the caller calls a call you have never heard, do not give up and quit. In the vast
majority of cases the caller will tell you how to do the call after he has said the name,
especially if it is not one of the "Basic Mainstream" calls.
Even if you have never heard a call, if it is not complicated, there is no reason for you
not being able to do the call if the caller talks you thru it.
4. If you become completely lost:
A. Do not turn around. This will make it difficult for someone behind you to
help you recover. It is much easier to guide someone into place by guiding them from
the back.
B. Turn you head in all directions to see where you should go; and if
someone says to turn around or you see that you should turn around, they do it.
'Otherwise, retain you facing direction and let someone guide you into place.
C. Do not wander around. Stay put until someone either guides you into
place of tells you to go to a certain point. And do not be surprised that you get this help
- expect that you will get it and be ready to respond to it quickly.
If you want to help someone who is lost, try to avoid talking and instead use hand
signals. A very effective method it to point to the spot they should be in. If you talk, this
may cause you and others in the square to miss hearing the caller give the next call.
5. Whenever you pass thru with someone, always pass right shoulders, never left
shoulders. Only exception is from a left hand wave - there you will step straight ahead.
6. In crossing trails with someone, always pass left shoulders. The person on the
right will always cut in front of the person on the left, regardless of sex. Therefore, on
the call "Cross Trail Thru": after passing thru with the people in front, you will now cross
trails with your partner by passing left shoulders.
7. If you are positive you have done a call correctly, do not let someone who is
unsure of the call make you change your position. This will keep the square going.
8. Do not rush thru a call. Many people seem so worried they will not make it thru
that they are pushing all the time. This disturbs others in the square. It is better to
relax and move to beat of the music.
9. If a set consists of two strong couples and two weak couples, the strong couples
should be across from each other when squared up, never adjacent. This will give
each weak person a strong corner, and will provide each side of the square with
strong dancers when doing figures.
So if you and another couple visit a dance where the level is higher than you are used
to, if you dance together be sure to square up across from each other. Likewise, if two
new graduates dance in your square, be sure that you and the other strong couple
"square up across from each other.
10. If your square breaks down get to facing lines. Do this by squaring back up and
then have-the head couple slide to the right to form normal facing lines of four with
each girl to the right of a man. Now watch the other squares. Often the caller will get
the squares back to facing lines a couple times before finally getting to a left
allemande; when he does get them to facing lines, your square can now pick up the
next call land you are dancing again.
You may not wind up with your original partner or corner, but you are dancing and that
-is the name of the game.
This will not work every time, as sometimes the caller does not bring people back to
facing lines before a left allemande; but it works often enough to be worth doing. In
fact, some callers will intentionally bring people back to facing lines in order to pick up
those who have broken down early; if you do not accept this opportunity to get back
dancing, you may have a long stand until the next left allemande.
11. Try to understand the definition of the call rather than just memorizing a
position. If you understand the definition, you will be able to do the call from any
position; but if you have only memorized one position, you will be lost if the call is
used from any other position.
-When a call is presented, it is often taught by telling the boys to do something and the
girls to do something else. However, the definition of a call almost never involves a
person's sex, but rather is written for the outsides to do something and the insides to
do something else or the left-hand person does one thing and the right-hand person
does something else, etc. The definition is what you want to remember, not the
particular teaching set-up that was used.
12. Please don't talk while the caller is explaining something. You may not need the
help but others may, and you don't help the square by distracting people.
If a caller is walking the floor thru a call, don't get ahead of the caller's prompting even
if you know what is going on. It isn't smart - rather it is inconsiderate of fellow dancers
that need this help. And if you deprive these dancers a good understand of the call,
they may break the square down later and you'll be standing right along with them.
13. Don't knock you club, help it by being friendly and kind to all members and
guests. If you are asked to help on a committee or a job, try and do so; if everyone
refused to do any work, there would be no club.
Remember, all things considered, there are two primary reasons
for squares breaking down:
1. Failure to take hands with adjacent dancers at the completion
of every call to form good lines or waves.
2. Failure-to listen to or believe the caller. -
TOP NEXT LAST
If you wish to improve the appearance of your dancing, consider your style of dancing. Stylish dancing does not make a person a "show-off" or a snob. Style is the manner in which you express feeling of the music through your dancing. Good style improves the appearance of every type of dance: square, round, social, and night club dancing.
Three basic things contribute more toward good style than all others. They are balance, posture, and small steps. Stand tall, head up, chest up, tummy in, and "sitting room" tucked under. Think tall....move gracefully...maintain good posture at all times. Looking at your feet will destroy your posture and balance; it causes you to bend at the hips, protrude your rear end, bend the knees, bounce, and it interferes with your thinking and the musical mood. Concentrate on the music and be motivated by it.
Small steps contribute to good style. Balance and good posture are easier to maintain when steps are small. Mistakes will be smaller and fewer when steps are small, and you'll find yourself not rushing through your steps. Learn the basic figures well...use them naturally & properly. Good styling requires smooth well timed position and direction changes, and that figures be executed with a high degree of confidence. Confidence comes from knowing how to step or transfer weight, where to put your foot on each step, and which way to turn.
Strive to dance in a comfortable manner using relaxed body movements. When a movement or figures seem awkward, it probably looks awkward! Develop your own individual style and enjoy it. Avoid drastic deviations. One method of acquiring good style is to copy it, such as watching good dancers and teachers. Until you develop an understanding and appreciation for good style, don't be over impressed by "showy kid stuff." It also pays to watch the less stylish or qualified dancers to identify those things you would like to eliminate from your style. Style should suit YOU...with your own individual characteristics such as size, shape, and agility.
Each dancer should know - independently- the move they are to execute. There should NEVER be any pushing or pulling in any dance. It's okay to be wrong, but never okay to be vague. You must know what you are going to do. You should strive to be dancing with your partner, not just holding on!!
STEPPING OUT IN STYLE !!
Good styling is smooth dancing .... Smooth dancing is Good Styling!
Compiled by Steve Sandeman (second of a three part series)
Courtesy Turn. Ladies, are you careful to offer the gentlemen your left hands palm down for courtesy turns? Gents, are you aware that the courtesy turn has its pivot point between the two of you, and as she walks forward, you will actually back up? Remember, in the "Right & Left Thru," after the right-hand pull by, all that is left is the Courtesy Turn, so, ladies, be sure your left hand is held out with the palm down. If you aren't working together, this move will frequently become a "pushing & yanking contest!"
In the Ocean Wave, we are all aware that arms should have elbows bent, fingers up toward the sky and palm together. We remind you not to take hold of the other's thumb; rather, your thumb goes lightly around the back of the other's hand. Now!!...since we have the position right, on the "Swing Thru" or "Fan the Top," use a little pressure in the handhold to aid with the turn. This will help you and your fellow dancer. A limp hand or arm, i.e., "dead fish" handhold, during any maneuver like this is a real handicap-and certainly no joy-for the other dancers.
In Promenades, you are not walking but, rather, taking smooth, effortless gliding steps in which the ball of the foot touches and the slices across the surface of the floor before the heel is gently dropped to the floor. The length of stride should be fairly short with the movement coming mostly from the knees down. Each dance step must be coordinated with the beat of the music. If you find yourself getting behind, close up the square when promenading so that you get home on time. It's surprising just how BIG some squares get on a promenade!!
With the "Half Sashay," and not "Rollaway with a Half Sashay," the one in the lady's position or the right-hand person slides left while the left-hand person steps back, then to the right, and forward to complete the call. The "Rollaway with a Half Sashay" is most widely used today, where the lady rolls across to the left as the gent side-steps to take her former position. Men, a slight firm assist with the right hand helps start the move; then quickly let go and take her right handed with your left hand. Never, ever, is there any pulling or "slinging" the lady across!!
Hands, in all cases, should never be used to jerk or yank!! They serve as guides, and support. Hands are important in square dancing , and the smooth dancer is one who has discovered how his or her hands may be helpful in making the motions of the dance more comfortable for the others with whom he or she dances.
Arm Turns. With any arm turn using a forearm hold, don't make it a grip; the pressure of the palm on the inside of your partner's forearm is all that is required. Men, you have the advantage in strength...don't man-handle the ladies!!
At the completion of any movement, immediately extend your hands and take the hand(s) if those standing next to you. This will help you to see the formation you are in (line, wave, etc.) For correct square orientation. If you become completely lost, do not turn around; this will make it difficult for someone behind you to help you recover. Do not wander around. Stay in place until someone helps you-and be ready to respond quickly. Pointing to a place someone should be in is far better than talking (or shoving!!), as you and others in the square may miss the next call. If you have executed a call correctly, do not let someone who is unsure of their position make you change yours! Remember!...'Tis better to have goofed and recovered than never to have danced at all!!
STEPPING OUT IN STYLE !!
Good styling is smooth dancing .... Smooth dancing is Good Styling!
Compiled by Steve Sandeman (Third of a three part series)
Some dancers worry that they will not have sufficient time to complete the call and tend to PUSH their way around the square. This is not necessary!...the caller will allow enough time for each move. To take fewer than the number of required steps for comfortable dancing means that you'll be rushing things. Relax and move to the beat of the music...of the music...of the music.
QUICKEES: Keep Stars & Promenades even and STRAIGHT!...Keep hands up in promenade...SMILE!!...Don't rock back, or balance, on the Grand Right or Left...Don't jerk, push, or over-exaggerate any of the movements...Try(!) completing a Grand Square in 64 beats, taking one step for each beat!! Be Unique!!...TRY(!) Dancing proper back-to-back Do-SA-Dos!!
SKIRT WORK:
Ladies, there is no strict "rule" for skirt work, as it's really an individual feeling for the music and use of your skirt. A few guidelines, however, may help. When your hand is free and there is time, you may flip the skirt forward or back, as it feels comfortable for you. On "Weave the Ring", grasp a hand full of petticoat through your skirt and flare it (slooowly) as you weave past the men; as you pass right shoulders, bring your right shoulder forward a bit and, with your right hand, flare the skirt; as you pass left shoulders, rotate the left shoulder slightly forward and with your left hand, flare the skirt again.
If you like the "Skaters" promenade position with left hand joined and the gent's right hand at the small of the ladies's back, this leaves the ladies' right hand free to do skirt work-with the music-on the promenade.
There are a few other places where the ladies can exercise good skirt-work. Such is the case with "couples Circulate" where the lady should hold the skirt and petticoat with the free hand when the ladies are on the end of a line formation.
SWING:
Most new dancers are taught the "walk-around" Swing because it is easier for new dancers to learn. If you use the "Buzz-Step" Swing where right feet are forward, side by side, and the left foot pushes, much as pushing a scooter, keep in mind that the action is to be smooth with no bouncing up and down. If you gents think a twirl follows every Swing, we must tell you, the twirl is strictly the ladies's choice and is best left off unless you are moving into a promenade when the twirl is done as you progress forward. Never twirl the lady when the next call is "Circle Left" or "Allemande left". IF there is a twirl, remember, men, your left hand merely assists the woman, it does not wind her up!! Ladies, if you do not wish to twirl, do not put your hand up for the gent to take hold of it. And, men, every time you Swing a lady, she becomes your new partner. Finally, on this point, a lady will enjoy a Swing much more if her feet stay on the floor!!
Be a Square Dancer...not a Square "Stander". When not active, do not stand motionless in place like some bit of statuary but, rather, move slightly to the rhythm of the music. This constant being in motion keeps you alert and ready for whatever is to happen next. The importance of motion in time with the music's tempo cannot be overemphasized, for it is the element of which we "dance". Don't "fall asleep at the switch"....you're really never an inactive dancer at any time!
This article may be reprinted with no further permission from the authors and/or publications. Permission has been granted in advance for the reprinting with the stipulation that credit be given to the contributing author/publisher.
by Dick Waibel
TOP PREVIOUS LAST
DANCE STEP - Shuffle your feet. Put your weight on the ball of your foot, lift your heel off the floor and take short, smooth gliding steps. Lifting your entire foot tires you more rapidly and breaks the dance rhythm.
MUSIC - Be a dancer, not a walker! Listen to the music, pick out the beat and take a shuffle step with each beat of music. Walking a call instead of dancing a call does not look good, throws your timing off, affects the timing of the entire square, and results in an uncomfortable dance feeling.
POSTURE - Stand erect and tall with your shoulders back and knees slightly bent. BE A PROUD DANCER. Do not lean forward when dancing - this does not look good and will tire a person quickly. Keep a loose relaxed feeling and enjoy the music and calls.
TIGHT SQUARES - Keep your squares tight, do not spread out. When dancers form large squares they will be slow in executing the calls. The reason is, they are forcing themselves to cover much more ground. When the squares are small, you have ample time to do the calls.
BELIEVE THE CALLER - No matter what the Caller calls, DO IT!!! Often dancers will stop if the Caller tells them to do something and they do not know why he told them to do it. This results in a needless breakdown of the square. Don’t worry about the ‘why’ - do as the Caller says. It is the Caller’s responsibility to guide you through a call.
DON’T RUSH A CALL - Don’t rush through the calls! Sometimes dancers seem worried they will not make it through a call and they rush, push and jerk. This disturbs others, can hurt a person and many times causes the square to break down. Just relax, move to the beat of the music and enjoy the call.
UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION - In learning a call, try to understand the definition of the call rather than just memorizing a position. If you understand the definition, you will be able to do the call from any position. Be sure you have your own personal dictionary of square dance terms and use it.
ASK THE CALLER - After a call is taught and if you are not sure of the correct definition, ask the Caller to explain it again without using the terms "boys" and "girl’s.
ARM RESISTANCE - Any time you use your arm to execute a call (e.g.. Allemande Left, Star Thru, Swing Thru, Touch ¼, Turn Thru, etc.), offer resistance with the arm you are using, stiffening it slightly. This smoothes out the move and enables you to exercise control of the call. DO NOT have limp spaghetti arms. This causes you to lose your positioning and result in the square executing the command incorrectly and/or breaking down.
GENTLEMEN - The man is always responsible for guiding the ladies to start a call correctly. Men should always be gentle with the ladies when holding their hands, turning them or guiding them in the proper direction. Be firm, BUT NOT ROUGH! Too much show of strength on the part of the man can be painful to the ladies. MEN, always make an effort to be gentle (the ladies do not care how strong you are!).
JOINING HANDS - At the completion of any call, you should immediately join hands with the dancer or dancers standing next to you. This helps you to see the formation you are in (e.g., Lines, Waves, etc.) and aids you in doing the next call. Hands should always be joined within one-half second after the completion of any call. Failure to join hands often results in sloppy lines or waves, confusion on where you are, which in turn, causes the square to break down.
IDENTIFY YOUR POSITION - Always be aware of the position you are in before you start a call and right after you complete the execution of a call (e.g., are you an end, center, couple, boy, girl, etc.). This aids you in performing the next call correctly.
SKIRT WORK - Ladies, hold your skirt in your free hand about waist high and use a very slightly rhythmical flourish to move the skirt in front and back. Your right hand moves with your left foot, and your left hand moves with your right foot.
COURTESY ON THE FLOOR - Please DO NOT talk while the Caller is explaining something to the dancers. You may not need help but others may and you don’t help the Caller or the square by distracting people. If a Caller is walking the dancers through a call, DO NOT get ahead of the Caller’s prompting even if you know what is going on. It is not smart! It is inconsiderate of your fellow dancers who want to learn what is being taught. If you deprive your fellow dancers of a good understanding of the call and they break down later, you will be standing right along with them.
DANCE TO OTHER CALLERS - Dance to as many different Callers as you can. This is one of the best ways to sharpen your dancing skills. Your Caller may advise you against going to a particular dance because the level of material will be too high for you. This is all right and you should follow the advice. However, if your Caller advises against visiting ANY clubs or ANY dances, then do not follow this advice.
SQUARE DANCE FOR THE FUN OF IT !!!
by Janet Neumann
TOP PREVIOUS
I believe that I can summarize my tips using these headings:
Dancing
Teamwork
Definitions
Identification
Precision & Breathing
Study & Practice
Have Fun
Dancing
This activity is called "Square Dancing", which I believe means to move with the beat of the music. If you move your feet in time with the music, you should not have to run to catch up nor be standing around waiting for the next call. I know this is ideal, but that is what we should strive for. A dance where the caller gives us the calls at the appropriate pace for us to keep moving and where we, as dancers, execute the calls as they are supposed to be done, is truly a beautiful sight. Of course, the reality is that callers don't always give the calls at the right time and dancers do make mistakes and have to be corrected. But if we all give our very best, we will get closer and closer to that beautiful picture.
Some other points about dancing--At a dance you need to make every effort to keep going even if a mistake is made. Try to correct yourself and keep the square moving. If you didn't see something, ask someone at the break, but don't stop in the middle of the square and ponder it. I insist on this same effort in a workshop. When the tape is going, everyone does their best to keep moving. Then when you are promenading home, you can raise your hand and ask for a repeat or a walk through or whatever, but you cannot yell "stop the tape, I don't see it". The benefit of this is that you make your workshops like a real dance where you either have to keep going or stand and wait for the next sequence. I believe strongly that you gain more from dancing, even if you are not in the correct positions, than standing at home or in the square with the tape stopped. If someone in the square, or the caller, says "lines facing", make any old line facing and keep moving. At least you will get more practice and you can ask questions at the break.
TEAMWORK
Square dancing can really only work when there is teamwork. Each square is a team of 8 people, and all 8 need to participate and contribute. Every square will have a weakest dancer, even if you have 8 top notch dancers, someone will be the weakest. So don't focus on who's in your square. If you start a tip saying "oh we have some bad dancers in this square so we won't get anything," you will be defeated before you start. Think positively knowing that you need to do the calls correctly and be in the correct position at the correct time. Everyone has the ability to help in the square. This does not mean you should push or pull people around. It means taking hands with people when you should, it means saying a definition or repeating the call to help someone who may be doing the wrong call or doing a call wrong, it means keeping your square tight and symmetric, it means communicating nonverbally with nods or pointing or a motion of the hand, it means waiting an extra second for someone who is behind and not just going on with your part and leaving them in the dust. No one likes to be helped when they don't need it, so subtlety and judgment are important. The goal is for the square to get through the sequence, not just one or two people.
DEFINITIONS
Definitions are the most important fundamental you can have. We all learn how to do calls by some definition, but often we quickly forget that definition and do the call by "feel". This is a major problem for higher level dancers. Most calls can be done from many positions even though most callers may only routinely use them from a few. I believe that knowing and saying the definition quietly to yourself while doing each and every call is absolutely crucial for success. The basic and mainstream definitions are the most important because they are the building blocks for all future calls learned. You may think it is foolish to say to yourself "half right and half left" when you hear swing thru, but if you always did that, you would have no trouble doing it from a left hand wave, a tidal wave, or a phantom setup. Sit down with a list of calls from Basic up to the level you are dancing and then say the call and follow by saying the definition. If you cannot quickly state a definition, you need to study. Only when you have the definitions readily available in your brain, will you be able to execute them in the square at a dancing pace. And back to teamwork, if the person beside you seems to be hesitating, saying the definition a little louder so they can hear it may mean the difference between continuing to dance or squaring up at home waiting for the next sequence.
If you do not know or don't think you have a good definition of a call, ask someone. Many definitions originally given to you may be long and cumbersome. You may be able to find a much quicker/shorter definition by asking around. For example, the call Shake Down can be defined as Belles do a three-quarters zoom and the Beaus do a run and roll. That definition works, but the call is so quick that it will be over before you decide if you are a belle or a beau. A quicker definition is everyone quarter right, counter rotate and roll.
IDENTIFICATION
Square dancing is loaded with identification. We have couples 1, 2, 3, and 4, heads, sides, belles, beaus, boys, girls, ends, centers, leaders, trailers, partner, and a whole slew of formations. You need to know which of these you are at all times, and you need to communicate that to your "teammates". When the callers says "boys trade" it may seem stupid to raise your hand, but if the other boy doesn't know who is who, you could break down. I would strongly suggest that you get in the habit of gently raising your hand or saying "leader, belle, etc" anytime you are an identified person. This will help you and the whole square. The way I learned to identify quickly was to practice at a lower level. When you go to a dance 1 or more levels below your top dancing level try this exercise. Each tip pick one identity (leaders, trailers, belles, beaus, ends, centers,) and then after each call quickly think to yourself which one you are (leader or trailer, belle or beau, end or center). You will almost always be one or the other. Also, take a tip and mentally point to your partner after each call. This may seem so fundamental....and it is. Good fundamentals make good dancers!
Identifying formations is also critical. You must know what right- hand waves, left-hand waves, R and L two-faced lines, tidal wave, R and L columns, zero tags, quarter tags, half tags, three-quarter tags and full tag positions are. Callers give us many cues about our formation. If they say in your "right-hand columns" or "check a right-hand column", look around and make sure your square has a right-hand column. The caller is probably saying that because someone is NOT in a right-hand column. Teamwork again--help each other, look around and be aware of the whole square. Don't just say, "I am in a right-hand column" and forget the rest of your square. If you don't try to help your square get into a right-hand column, you are as guilty of taking the square down as the person who is incorrect. If you get the whole square into a right-hand column you have a chance of continuing with the sequence. If you don't you will probably soon break down and stand at home.
If you are not in the correct position and you know who you are out with, try to correct it along the way when you are next to each other and can simply trade. But don't ever break down the square trying to fix yourself if the square is dancing. I believe it is important to know that you have an opposite in every square and you can use that as a tool if you are confused, but do not use it as your mode of dancing nor blame the opposite if they are wrong and you followed them. While on this topic, I must say that I also feel strongly that you should look and work in your own square only. You know you have a counterpart in every square around you, but if you have your head turned to copy the square next to you, I can assure you that you are NOT being a team player and you are basically saying you have given up on your own team. Use a counterpart only when the square has broken down and you are trying to make a formation so that you can get going again instead of squaring up.
PRECISION & BREATHING
Being precise in your dancing is vital. We do a tremendous amount of turning and casting in square dancing, and being a quarter off can, and will, often break the square down. I believe cast off three- quarters is one of the hardest calls in square dancing. It requires discipline to be certain that you have turned three walls, not five- eighths and not seven-eighths, but three-quarters. I count 1, 2, 3 to myself every time I do a cast three-quarters. Precision also means being lined up with the other dancers in the square and keeping the square tight. If you have two parallel waves, the dancers should be close enough side to side to touch hands easily without stretching out their arms. The dancers should also be close enough front to back to reach forward and touch the person in front of them. Some people may think this feels too tight, but it is not if you use square breathing appropriately. The square should be in constant motion. Every call has the potential for all dancers to need to breath even if they are not active in the call. For example, from a squared set, when "heads swing thru" is called, the sides should take a small step backward to allow room down the middle for the resulting wave. Then if the call was "lock it", the heads in the middle would do the call "lock it", but the sides should also move a step forward to bring the square back to an appropriate size.
STUDY & PRACTICE
Ongoing studying of definitions at all levels and constant practicing are essential to good dancing. Do not take it for granted that you will forever remember a call's definition just because you learned it once. Quiz with another person while traveling, review a few calls each day at lunch or while sitting at a long red light, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Do I sound like a broken record?? Good!!
Dancing, teamwork, definitions, identification, precision, breathing, study and practice, these are my keys to good dancing. If you do all of these, you will become a better dancer and that will lead to the last point.
HAVE FUN
Square dancing is a fun activity. Smile and enjoy yourself, it could be contagious!!