THE MAINSTREAM PROGRAM

© Copyright 1994 by CALLERLAB, The International Association of Square Dance Callers. Permission to reprint, republish, and create derivative works without royalty is hereby granted, provided this notice appears.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Basis/Mainstream call definitions is to provide clear, concise, simple explanations of the terms and calls used in the Mainstream Program.

NOTATION OF AUSTRALIAN STYLING

In some cases, the styling that is described in the following Callerlab Definitions is not used by Australian square dancers and callers. This is most noticeable with the Promenade and Allemande styling, but there are also other subtle differences. These variations from the Callerlab styling are denoted in parentheses in a different Font, as in the following example:

(Australian styling variation for Allemande: All arm turns are in "pigeon wing" style ie. elbow bent, with forearm and hand pointing up. The dancers join hands palm to palm, with hands turned slightly so that the forearms are linked. The dancers use the forearm as a pivot, moving equally around each other. It is recommended that the dancers lean slightly away from each other during the arm turn.)

THE MAINSTREAM MOVEMENTS

50. CLOVERLEAF

Starting formation - completed double pass thru, or a single couple(s) on the outside of the square, facing out.

DEFINITION: The lead dancers separate and move away from each other in a three quarter (270 o) circle. When each lead dancer meets another lead dancer from the other side of the square, they become partners and step forward to the centre of the square. Each trailing dancer follows the dancer in front of him and ends directly behind that same dancer. A single couple facing out does the lead dancer's part as described, but they may not step all the way into the centre at the end of the call.

STYLING: Arms are held in natural dance position, skirt work optional. It is important to move slightly forward before turning away. When lead dancers meet and become partners, use couple handhold. Trailing dancers should follow footsteps of the lead dancers and not cut the corners. When trailing dancers become partners, use couple handhold.

TIMING: 6-8 beats from a completed double pass thru. If CLOVERLEAF is called for only four people, the timing is 6 beats.

 

51. TURN THRU

Starting formation - facing dancers.

DEFINITION: Each dancer steps forward to join right forearms with the other dancer. They turn by the right one half (180 o), release arm holds and step forward, ending back to back with each other.

STYLING: Use normal forearm position. Men's free hand in natural dance position. Ladies' skirt work desirable for free hand.

TIMING: 4 steps from point of contact.

(Australian styling variation for Turn Thru: All arm turns are in "pigeon wing" style ie. elbow bent, with forearm and hand pointing up. Each dancer steps forward to join right arms with the other dancer. They turn by the right one half (180 o), release arm holds and step forward, ending back to back with each other.)

 

52. EIGHT CHAIN THRU (1-8 hands)

Starting formation - eight chain thru.

DEFINITION: Facing dancers join right hands and pull by (this completes an eight chain one). The centre facing dancers join left hands and pull by while the outside dancers do a courtesy turn (this completes an eight chain two). Repeat these actions in sequence to achieve eight chain three, eight chain four, etc. Eight chain thru is the same as eight chain eight. Even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8) end in an eight chain thru formation. Odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7) end in a trade by formation.

STYLING: Use same styling as in courtesy turn and right and left grand. Emphasis should be placed on the courtesy turn in that portion of the basic so that dancers can maintain an eight chain thru formation and not be allowed to drift into a right and left grand type of movement.

TIMING: Box, 8 hands, 20 steps; 4 hands, 10 steps.

 

53. PASS TO THE CENTER

Starting formation - eight chain thru, parallel waves.

DEFINITION: All pass thru. The dancers now on the outside partner trade. Ends in double pass thru formation.

STYLING: Same as pass thru and partner trade.

TIMING: Box, couples facing in, 2 steps; couples facing out, 6 steps.

 

54. SPIN THE TOP

Starting formation - ocean wave.

DEFINITION: Each end and the adjacent centre dancer turn one half (180 o). The new centre dancers turn three quarters (270 o) while each outside dancer moves forward in a quarter circle to meet the same centre dancer with whom he started. Ends in an ocean wave which is at right angles to the original starting wave.

STYLING: Use same styling as in swing thru. Dancers who become new ends should have arms in natural dance position and hands ready to assume appropriate position for the next call.

TIMING: 8 steps from point of contact.

 

55. CENTERS IN

Starting formation - whenever there is a couple with their backs to the centre of the set facing or standing behind another couple (eg. eight chain thru, completed double pass thru).

DEFINITION: The outside dancers step apart as the centre dancers step forward and between them to form a line.

STYLING: The active couple should use couple handhold and, if stepping in between couples facing the same direction, join hands in a line of four. If the active couple steps in between a couple facing in the opposite direction, use hands-up position with the end dancers.

TIMING: 2 steps.

 

56. CAST OFF THREE QUARTERS

Starting formation - any wave or line.

DEFINITION: Each half of the line or wave works as a unit and moves forward around a pivot point three quarters (270 o). If the adjoining dancers are facing the same direction, the end dancer becomes the pivot while the other dancer moves in a semi-circle around the pivot. If the adjoining dancers are facing in opposite directions, the pivot point is the handhold between them and they move equally around that pivot point.

STYLING: If joined dancers are in opposite facing directions, the handhold should be hands-up position as in swing thru. If joined dancers are in the same facing direction, handholds are as in couples handhold position. TIMING: 6 steps.

 

57. WALK AND DODGE

Starting formation - box circulate or facing couples.

DEFINITION: From box circulate formation, each dancer facing into the box walks forward to take the place of the dancer who was directly in front of him. Meanwhile, each dancer facing out of the box steps sideways (dodges) into the position vacated by the "walker" who was formerly beside him. Dancers end side by side, both facing out. If walk and dodge is called from facing couples, the caller must designate who is to walk and who is to dodge (eg., "men walk, ladies dodge"). Ending is a box circulate formation.

STYLING: Arms in natural dance position. Skirt work for the ladies is optional. Hands should be ready to assume appropriate position for the next call.

TIMING: 4 steps.

 

58. SLIDE THRU

Starting formation - facing dancers.

DEFINITION: Dancers pass thru. A man always turns right one quarter (90 o); a lady always turns left one quarter (90 o). Dancers end side by side with each other.

STYLING: Arms in natural dance position with skirt work optional for ladies. Hands should be rejoined in the appropriate position for the next call. TIMING: SS, heads, or sides, 6; Box, 4 steps.

 

59. FOLD FAMILY

Starting formation - any two dancer formation in which the directed dancer has a shoulder directly adjacent to the other dancer.

GENERAL RULE: Directed dancers step forward and move in a small semi-circle to end facing toward an adjacent dancer or position. The adjacent inactive dancer may be facing in any direction and does not move. If not specified, centres fold toward ends and vice versa.

DEFINITION: (a) BOYS FOLD, (b) GIRLS FOLD, (c) ENDS FOLD, (d) CENTERS FOLD: Directed active dancers fold toward the inactive dancers using the general rule. (e) CROSS FOLD: Starting formation - line, two-faced line, or wave. The directed (active) dancers who must either both be centres or both be ends, fold toward the farthest inactive dancer by walking in a semi-circle to end facing toward that same dancer. When the active dancers are both facing the same direction, they move forward in a semi-circle, pass each other and fold toward the inactive dancer.

STYLING: Hand position depends on starting formation, ie, hands up from a wave, couple handhold from a line or circulate. Using appropriate hand position, the inactive dancer should exert slight pressure to adjacent dancer and assist in initiating folding action.

TIMING: Fold, 2 steps; cross fold, 4 steps.

 

60. DIXIE STYLE TO AN OCEAN WAVE

Starting formation - facing couples or facing tandems.

DEFINITION: From facing couples, the right hand dancer steps forward and to the left to become the lead dancer in a tandem. Lead dancers join right hands and pull by. Moving to the other trailing dancer, each extends a left hand and touches to a left hand mini wave and turns one quarter (90 o). New centre dancers join right hands and form a left hand ocean wave.

STYLING: Lead dancers initially pulling by in the centre should use handshake hold as in right and left grand. When forming mini waves with trailing dancers, dancers must adjust to the right, using hands-up position and same styling as in swing thru.

TIMING: SS, heads or sides to the wave, 6; all 4 couples to the wave, 8.

 

61. SPIN CHAIN THRU

Starting formation - parallel waves.

DEFINITION: Each end and the adjacent centre dancer turn one half (180 o). The new centres of each ocean wave turn three quarters (270 o) to make a new ocean wave across the set. The two centres of this wave turn one half (180 o) to reform the wave across the set. The two outside pairs of dancers of the centre wave now turn three quarters (270 o) to join the waiting ends and form parallel ocean waves.

STYLING: Hands up as in swing thru. It is important that the waiting ends remain in static position with hands ready to assume appropriate position for the next call.

TIMING: Box, 16.

 

62. TAG FAMILY

  1. TAG THE LINE: Starting formation - any line with an even number of dancers. FULL: Each dancer turns to face the centre of the line. Taking a short side step to the left, each dancer walks forward passing right shoulders with oncoming dancers until he has walked past all of the dancers from the other half of the line. The call may be followed by any one of the directions In, Out, Right or Left. When this happens, dancers turn in place one quarter (90 o) in the direction indicated.
  2. HALF TAG: Like tag the line, except the dancers stop walking forward when the original centre from each side of the line meets the original end from the other side. If started from a four person line, the ending is a right hand box circulate formation; from longer lines the ending is a right hand column formation.

STYLING: Arms in natural dance position, hands ready to assume appropriate position for the next call. A flowing type of movement can be achieved by taking a slight step forward before turning toward the centre of the line, thus avoiding the abrupt military type pivot.

TIMING: Facing lines with pass thru, tag the line full, 8 steps; three quarters, 7; one half, 6; one quarter, 5 steps. Two-faced line tag the line full, 6 steps; three quarters, 5; one half, 4; one quarter, 3. Partner tag, 3 steps.

 

 

63. SCOOT BACK

Starting formation - box circulate or quarter tag.

DEFINITION: From box circulate, dancers facing in step straight forward to join adjacent forearms, turn half (180 o) and step forward to end in the position vacated by the dancer who was facing out. Meanwhile, each dancer facing out runs into the position vacated by the dancer who is doing the forearm turn. When done from right hand boxes, the dancers facing in turn by the right and the dancers facing out run right. When done from left hand boxes, the dancers facing in turn by the left and the dancers facing out run left. Finishes in a box circulate formation.

From quarter tag, dancers step ahead, join forearms (right if centre wave was right handed or left if centre wave was left handed), turn half (180 o) and step straight forward. Those returning to the centre step to a wave (using same hands as original wave); the others finish as a couple facing out. Ending formation is a 3/4 tag.

STYLING: Similar to that of turn thru and fold.

TIMING: 6 steps.

 

64. FAN THE TOP

Starting formation - ocean wave or two-faced lines.

DEFINITION: The centres of the line or wave turn three quarters (270 o) while the outside dancers move forward in a quarter circle. The ending formation is at right angles to the starting formation. Centres remain centres and ends remain ends.

STYLING: Centre dancers use hands-up position and styling similar to that of swing thru. End dancers' arms are in natural dance position and hands are ready to assume appropriate position for the next call.

TIMING: 4 steps.

 

65. HINGE FAMILY

DEFINITION: A hinge is a half of a trade. Any two adjacent couples or dancers who can trade can also hinge.

  1. COUPLES HINGE: Starting formation - line or two-faced line. Working as a unit, each couple does half of a couples trade to end in a two-faced line at right angles to the original line.
  2. SINGLE HINGE: Starting formation - mini wave. Dancers do half of a trade with each other to end in a mini wave at right angles to the original mini wave.

STYLING: Couples use couple handhold and styling similar to wheel and deal. Single hinge use hands up position.

TIMING: Couples hinge, 3 steps; single hinge, 2 steps.

 

66. RECYCLE

Starting formation - ocean wave only.

DEFINITION: The ends of the wave cross fold as the centres of the wave fold in behind the ends and follow them around, then face in to end as two facing couples.

STYLING: All dancers, arms in natural dance position, hands ready to adjust for next call as quickly as possible.

TIMING: 4 steps.