Paws and Taws

 

Okay, so what is Square Dancing?

Eight people work as a team (called a square) to successfully complete a set of complex figures delivered in real time. The caller choreographs the figures either on the fly or ahead of time, but the dancers do not know what is coming next. The figures are called calls, and they are put together in groups of 12-25 calls called sequences. Each call takes from 2 to 16 beats of music (typically in 4-4 time, though sometimes in 2-4 time). Each sequence starts and ends at home position, and the goal of the square is to solve all the puzzles in the sequence and return to home.

It's a Challenge

Modern square dancing is a mental and physical challenge. It is dancing, it is thinking, it is teamwork. You can't do it by one's or two's. Moving in rhythm to the music keeps you physically fit. Reacting quickly to the square dance caller's calls keeps you mentally on your toes. And your team of eight dancers depends on you to keep those toes moving.

Learning the basic steps is easy. Experienced square dance callers teach you the moves and the names of the calls that you dance. You practice those moves until they feel as natural as walking. Then even more fun begins as you join a club. Your square dance caller combines the basic moves and steps into whole dance patterns. You and your teammates follow the calls-each arm turn brings a surprise-and as the pattern concludes all the arm turns bring you back to your partner.