I had an exhibition group from 1975-1998 and we did it with 32 dancers, but with 8 steps and turn and alternating couples turning. On Wednesday, July 24, 2019, 7:28 AM, john(a)modernjive.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Hi all,  I've just seen the video of Seth calling a Double Grand Square:https://www.facebook.com/seth.tepfer/videos/10204536010419503   Looks like the figure was created by Martha Edwards around 2009: http://www.westendweb.com/doublegrandsquare/http://dancecaller.blogspot.com… But I found a number of earlier references to "Double Grand Square".  Does anyone know whether any other versions of a Double Grand Square exist? 1955 https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-apr-13-1955-p-36/"… double grand square, never before presented for a local audience, is being prepared by B Squares under the direction of Bernice Braddon. Precision timing is the keynote of the square..." 1959 http://www.folkdance.com/LDArchive/1959October.pdfExhibitions Lariat Swingers Director:   Ace Smith Dance - DOUBLE GRAND SQUARE - American 1978 http://doczz.net/doc/577224/american-square-dance-marcy-1978"Keith does a fine job on his side, but the dancers felt that a double grand square in the opener, middle break and closer were too many. " 1979 American Square Dance Vol. 34 no. 3 (search for ""double grand square" dance") "Bob has used a grand parade in his opener, and a double grand square in his closer." Note: "grand square" is italicized, "double" is not. So it might just mean a Grand Square twice. 2005 http://squaredancehumor.blogspot.com/"This was one big double square with six side couples and two head couples. The other and even more difficult thing was I could not use my hands. To me square dancing is hands. Every since I started it was right hand this and left hand that. I can’t remember anyone mentioning anything about my feet. Patty was picking everything up just fine while I was slowly starting to get some if it with many gentle pushes and endless pointing by the other Stumblers. And of course there was the caller Ivan patient as ever saying, “George – to the right, the right, the other right . . . very good!” Bill, an experienced dancer, explained carefully how I was to count my steps, especially for the double grand square. Eight steps and turn, repeated eight times, that was the secret for my position."This one may not be serious! :-)   Thanks,     John   #yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038 -- #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp #yiv1181669038hd {color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp #yiv1181669038ads {margin-bottom:10px;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp .yiv1181669038ad {padding:0 0;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp .yiv1181669038ad p {margin:0;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-mkp .yiv1181669038ad a {color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-sponsor #yiv1181669038ygrp-lc {font-family:Arial;}#yiv1181669038 #yiv1181669038ygrp-sponsor #yiv1181669038ygrp-lc #yiv1181669038hd {margin:10px 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You can have like spokes of a wheel four couples deep where all the heads are facing the center or as alternating couples face their partner.You can also do four different contras at the same time where to number one couple is the furthest out from the center. On Wednesday, July 24, 2019, 8:12 AM, 'John Sweeney' john(a)modernjive.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Thanks, Otto.   What was the formation?  One square with four couples on each side?               Happy dancing,                                             John                                                                       John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574                          http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs                        http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent                                          http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs     From: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> Sent: 24 July 2019 13:45 To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Double Grand Square   I had an exhibition group from 1975-1998 and we did it with 32 dancers, but with 8 steps and turn and alternating couples turning. On Wednesday, July 24, 2019, 7:28 AM, john(a)modernjive.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Hi all,   I've just seen the video of Seth calling a Double Grand Square: https://www.facebook.com/seth.tepfer/videos/10204536010419503     Looks like the figure was created by Martha Edwards around 2009: http://www.westendweb.com/doublegrandsquare/ http://dancecaller.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-on-double-grand-square.html   But I found a number of earlier references to "Double Grand Square".  Does anyone know whether any other versions of a Double Grand Square exist?   1955 https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-apr-13-1955-p-36/ "A double grand square, never before presented for a local audience, is being prepared by B Squares under the direction of Bernice Braddon. Precision timing is the keynote of the square..." 1959 http://www.folkdance.com/LDArchive/1959October.pdf Exhibitions Lariat Swingers Director:   Ace Smith Dance - DOUBLE GRAND SQUARE - American 1978 http://doczz.net/doc/577224/american-square-dance-marcy-1978 "Keith does a fine job on his side, but the dancers felt that a double grand square in the opener, middle break and closer were too many. " 1979 American Square Dance Vol. 34 no. 3 (search for ""double grand square" dance") "Bob has used a grand parade in his opener, and a double grand square in his closer." Note: "grand square" is italicized, "double" is not. So it might just mean a Grand Square twice. 2005 http://squaredancehumor..blogspot.com/ "This was one big double square with six side couples and two head couples. The other and even more difficult thing was I could not use my hands. To me square dancing is hands. Every since I started it was right hand this and left hand that. I can’t remember anyone mentioning anything about my feet. Patty was picking everything up just fine while I was slowly starting to get some if it with many gentle pushes and endless pointing by the other Stumblers. And of course there was the caller Ivan patient as ever saying, “George – to the right, the right, the other right . . . very good!” Bill, an experienced dancer, explained carefully how I was to count my steps, especially for the double grand square. Eight steps and turn, repeated eight times, that was the secret for my position.." This one may not be serious! :-)     Thanks,      John     #yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330 -- #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp #yiv4671153330hd {color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp #yiv4671153330ads {margin-bottom:10px;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp .yiv4671153330ad {padding:0 0;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp .yiv4671153330ad p {margin:0;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-mkp .yiv4671153330ad a {color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-sponsor #yiv4671153330ygrp-lc {font-family:Arial;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-sponsor #yiv4671153330ygrp-lc #yiv4671153330hd {margin:10px 0px;font-weight:700;font-size:78%;line-height:122%;}#yiv4671153330 #yiv4671153330ygrp-sponsor #yiv4671153330ygrp-lc 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Oops. I wrote: Of course, I should have written either "for sixteen dancers" or "for eight couples". --Jim [That should be "for sixteen". --js]