Top
Browse > Home / Square Dance / Correct Repair of Broken Squares

Correct Repair of Broken Squares

January 4, 2008

In 1986, CALLERLAB introduced a procedure for ‘LOST SQUARES’. It was approved with some small changes in 1987 and reads as follows:

The following method of returning to dancing once a square has broken down, shall be a uniform method to be taught to all dancers for class programs through all approved CALLERLAB dance programs:

  

DANCERS RESPONSIBILITY:

1. Return to home position as soon as possible.
2. The head ladies will take their corner’s hand and head couples will back out to form lines at the sides of the square.
3. On the caller’s command “EVERYBODY go forward and back”, they enter into the dance pattern.

    

CALLERS RESPONSIBILITY:

1. Recognize that a number of sets have broken down and have formed lines at the sides of the hall.
2. Place the dancing squares into lines that are in a normal boy/girl arrangement.
3. Give the command “EVERYBODY go forward and back” in a bold voice which is the command for the broken squares to enter into the dance pattern.

SO WHY NOT DO THIS?

We should make this a mandatory part of the learners curriculum.
 

Written by Roger · Filed Under Square Dance 

Comments

2 Responses to “Correct Repair of Broken Squares”

  1. graham on January 9th, 2008 2:13 am

    This is part of the learners’ curriculum

    In 2004 the Australian Callers Federation petitioned Callerlab to update the “Lost Squares” procedure as we felt that no-one used it as written - we didn’t form lines “at the side of the square”. We simply formed any normal lines. Also we wanted clarification on what to do in Hoedowns AND singing calls. Callerlab took our suggestions on board and the procedure was updated in Jan 2005. Check their posting (Your extract above is out of date.)

    http://www.callerlab.org/documents/pressreleases/PR_(05-01-17).pdf

    Of course I can’t speak for every caller in every club but it is certainly part of our curriculum and I feel most callers have good intent of using it. Whether it’s used often enough to become a natural response by dancers is another question. That maybe why we still see people struggle to form lines on a breakdown. Heck - maybe we don’t break down enough :-).
    We can all do well do revisit this at clubs periodically. And of course I’ll be watching to see what you do next time you break down :-).

  2. Editor on January 9th, 2008 9:17 am

    Thanks for the update Graham! It looks like we need on a new post on the updated repair procedure.

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Bottom