SQUARE DANCING
What is it?
BROAD PICTURE
Square Dancing is World-Wide. There are over 9000 clubs across the world
NATIONAL PICTURE
Britain has about 200 clubs, and we are very fortunate to have one right here in Warrington.
IT’S A PARTY! It’s danced for fun, every time you do it. Four couples form a square and dance a pattern of moves sung by a caller. Learning the basic steps is easy – an experienced square dance caller teaches the moves with the names of the calls that are danced.
THE MOVES are combined into a whole dance pattern, danced to a variety of music from current pop to all-time favourites. The team of eight follows the calls. Each arm turn brings a surprise, and as the pattern concludes everyone is back with their original partner.
THE SYSTEM
There are 9 levels of square dancing, each one needing us to learn more and more moves! But most of us settle for the generally used ones to gain the most enjoyment and the greatest social mixing.
Each level can take a year so to learn, so you do need to dance regularly.
Mainstream and Plus are the main levels danced, and these are the ones we do here at the Allemanders.
After learning these levels, anyone who wants to can progress to the Advanced and then the Challenge levels.
This may sound very formal, but it does away with the embarrassing situation of arriving in a square and discovering that you don’t recognise any of the moves being called or danced!
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