[Callers] How to explain the charms of square dances (was More on Programming)

[Mac Mckeever via Callers]

Sorry - I menat this to go to the group but only sent it to Tom by mistake....

Tom has mentioned some of the things I like to do to make squares more fun for contra dancers:
I have the band step up the tempo - usually around 128 bpm so the squares can be danced more aggressively than contras.I avoid visiting couples squares (with some exceptions)  I like to keep the dancer moving  as much as possibleI try to avoid pauses between figures and breaks.I like to use squares that have some figure that they do not normally find in contra - so they are doing something fun that wouldn't get otherwise.I especially like squares where the set seems really mixed up - bu then all of a sudden there is your corner or partner.
I get excited and have a lot of fun and hope some of that is passed to the dancers.
I rarely get complaints about calling a couple squares - but I wouldn't get a lot of complaints if I left them out either (but I would get a few - there are dancers who even ask me when they will be called so they can get a favorite partner).
What really hurts is when callers call squares that are boring or call them badly - then the dancers start projecting that to all squares.  In a conversation not long ago a dancer commented that she doesn't like squares except when one specific caller calls them.  My response was it wasn't squares she didn't like - just the way a lot of our callers present them
Mac McKeever
      From: Tom Hinds via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net>
 To: Jacob Nancy Bloom <jandnbloom at gmail.com> 
Cc: Shared_Weight_Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> 
 Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2015 8:38 AM
 Subject: Re: [Callers] How to explain the charms of square dances (was More on Programming)
   
Yes you are correct, pointing out the benefits of squares is a much  
better option than telling them to stay home.  I included that  
comment in hopes that callers might consider being less afraid of  
what dancers think.  I have no illusions that others would say that  
to a dancer.

One aspect that makes squares attractive is the changing patterns.  
For myself and others, dancing choreography that wasn't walked  
through is very enjoyable.  And changing the pattern doesn't have to  
be challenging.

For partner changing squares there's a certain satisfaction/challenge  
in performing the choreography well as a group and ending with your  
partner again.  Picking the correct square for this is crucial-not  
too easy and not too hard.

Some people enjoy dancing squares to music where the phrasing is less  
distinct.  It's hard for me to describe but it's like dancing without  
holding back.  Or could it be described as charging ahead?  Perhaps  
some of you can describe this gooder than I can.  This works well  
with driving old time music.

Although I don't enjoy the visiting couple type square, I understand  
that there are a number of groups who enjoy these types of squares  
with very fast music.  In central Virginia there're getting large  
turnouts.  I'm told that most of these dancers are young and not  
contra dancers.  I often hear of other groups in the country where  
young dancers are discovering squares.  Is this the future?



T

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