Basic Square Dancing, Terms and Calls

Click for  Call:

Acey Deucey; from waves, lines and other formations, centers trade, ends circulate. There are lots of surprises with this call as it can be used from lots of setups.

Coordinate; from a column, all circulate 1 and 1/2, center 6 trade, very center 2 veer out, lonesome dancers 1/2 circulate, ending formation is a 2 faced line.

Cross Fire; from a 2 faced line, ends cross fold, centers trade , all extend. Ending formation is a 2 faced line.

Cut the Diamond; from a diamond, centers diamond circulate, points(ends) slide together and trade resulting in a 2 faced line ( or some other line or wave setup).

Dixie Grand; starts in a double pass thru setup (dpt) or and eight chain thru setup (8ct); those (all) who can, right hand pull by, then all left pull by, then all right pull by.

Flip The Diamond; starts from a diamond, centers diamond circulate, ends(points) run into the vacant spot next to themselves. Finishes in a wave usually. I called this call by mistake, but since we went over it I thought you would want to have it in the list.

Follow Your Neighbor; starts in wave setup and work in your box of 4 dancers, infacers extend and cast 3/4, outfacers U turn back and roll (or cast 3/4 in place).

Half Breed Thru; from facing couples, all right hand pull by, then "if you are normal boy/girl set up" do a Courtesy Turn, but if you are "weird, on the odd side of each other" then do a U Turn Back. This results in "normal" couples facing each other. 

Linear Cycle; from waves or lines, all Hinge (or partner hinge if as a couple), then the "outfacers" Fold behind their partner, all do a Double Pass Thru, then Peel Off to end facing. If the hinge was right shoulder, then the DPT is Right shoulder and the Peel Off is to the Right, if the hinge was by the Left, then everything else is left also, Left DPT, Left Peel Off.

Load The Boat; from lines facing, centers pass thru, face away from each other, trade, then pass thru, ends circulate passing 3 dancers and face in immediately after passing the 3rd dancer, so everyone has 4 parts to do in this call.

Ping Pong Circulate; from a "heads pass the ocean setup (1/4 tag)", for illustration, girls circulate to the next girl spot, boys circulate to the next boy spot, all following a back of the appropriate person. We will do this from a lot of setups with boys and girls in mixed up spots, but I do the mixing, not you, you just dance your spot and enjoy the tunes.  

Split Circulate; from waves, first, identify your end of the setup and the 4 spots you are working in, then circulate to the next spot, it's either next to your current spot or ahead of you.

Spin Chain The Gears; from a wave, all arm turn 1/2, centers of each wave cast 3/4 while the ends U Turn Back, very centers of the new wave trade, each group of 4 dancers form a star and turn it 3 places. In the new wave the very centers trade then cast 3/4 with the other wave dancer while the outer 4 do a U Turn Back.

Spin The Top; from a wave, all arm turn 1/2, centers of each wave cast 3/4 while the ends move 1/4 around to meet the centers in a new wave (you will meet the person you started with).

Track 2; from a completed double pass thru setup(cdpt), work in "tandem, remember engine and caboose" and do a partner trade" then do 2 normal extends to form right hand waves.

Trade The Wave; from a wave, find the person who is facing the same direction that you are facing, then do a partner trade with that person. The result of the call converts a right hand wave to a left hand wave.

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Happy Dancing

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