[Callers] ACK! First time calling night of *squares* -- any last minute advice?

[Woody Lane via Callers]

Hi Amy,

I've been calling squares for a long time. If they are western/southern 
squares, they are very different than contras, and the caller's role is 
very different, both in terms of the dancers and of the music/band. If 
the dances are New England quadrilles, then they are essentially contras 
in square-formation. My comments are primarily about the former rather 
than the latter, although the underlying principles are the same.

Squares are fun! Smile a lot; be playful. I would suggest that you don't 
spring new things on the dancers during the dance, especially if these 
are contra dancers, but don't hesitate to do something like (especially 
for an opening): swing someone in your square; now swing someone in a 
different square; now swing someone you've never swung before; now run 
back home and swing your own! Which can get lots of folks giggling like 
10-year-old kids.

Call to the dancers, not to the music. I'm not saying "ignore the 
phrasing", but OTOH, you don't want folks standing still waiting for the 
phrase to come around while one other square struggles to catch up. Scan 
the room; do not call to the slowest square(s). You can call one move 
ahead of most of the dancers. Use your voice.

Most western-style and southern-style squares are not phrased to a 
32-bar tune. OTOH, by keeping the phrasing in your head while you call, 
or at least listening to the tune, you can skillfully weave the calls so 
that, when the music comes around to the top of the tune, you can begin 
a new part of the dance. Subtle, but very satisfying all around. You can 
use moves like: Swing your partner, promenade, all join hands and circle 
left -- all which take up music and can bring the entire room together.

Not every break has to be grand-right-and-left or its variations or 
Alamo-style complexities. Simple breaks work, and they can be used as 
refreshing breathers after the main figure -- a way for the dancers to 
experience a reset. A variation of: join hands 8 and circle left all the 
way around, swing your partner, now promenade home -- will work as a 
simple break. (or even just "circle left all the way around" -- good for 
weddings, etc.).

Put laughter in your voice. Lead your friends through the dance, like at 
a party, not just prompt.

Good luck!

Woody

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
http://www.woodylanecaller.com
home: 541-440-1926 cell: 541-556-0054
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On 2/4/2017 9:26 AM, Amy Cann via Callers wrote:
> It's a friendly low-key local community dance, and they know I'm 
> mainly a contra caller, so the potential for hurled tomatoes is low -- 
> but I still want to not stink too much.
>
> Any suggestions for dance choices or thought-habit adjustments?
>
> Back to scribbling on my 3x5 cards and re-reading Lloyd Shaw...
>
> Amy

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