Unfortunately there is very little music in square dancing that could be considered modern. In general, our music reflects the age group that makes up the majority our activity. So how are we going to attract the teens, twenties and thirties?

We have many up tempo rock and roll, modern country, and music from the 70’s and 80’s (such as "Neutron Dance") which sound modern even though they are actually ten or twenty years old. The sound is still good and will appeal to a wide audience, so if we are selective in what we use, we won't scare young people away with our music. The following is a list of criteria for choosing music that both young and mature aged dancers will like to dance to:

1. Use familiar music - most singing call records will be based on familiar tunes (modern or traditional). If the dancers know the original song it will help. Select songs that you are likely to hear on popular radio stations. Many fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties songs still sounds good and are still getting lots of air play on the radio.
2. Select the music to suit your audience - don't use inappropriate music. Be aware that some tunes sound dated. They may have been popular when you called them in the 60’s or 70’s, but times and styles may change. Don’t be your own worst enemy by calling certain records just because they are in your collection and you want to give them an airing.
3. Use only good quality music – unfortunately, some record companies have very thin sounding music. Some square dance labels use electronic (midi) music, which can sound good or bad. Listen carefully to the music - if it doesn't have a full, live sound (like real musicians), then don't use it.
4. Scratched records sound terrible. Look after your records, and replace them or throw them away if they get damaged. Young people have good hearing and will hear the scratches even if the older dancers can't.
5. The tempo - has the melody of the original song been drastically speeded up or slowed down to fit the square dance tempo of around 126 beats per minute? Minor changes of tempo are OK, but if the entire sound and feel of the original song has been changed, it may loose it's appeal.
6. Musical arrangements - do the "mixers" and "figures" sound the same musically? Are there any musical interludes, or key changes? Most dancers get a lift from these.
7. Does the music suit the mood - you can't dance to up-tempo music all night long. Try to judge the mood, and use music to suit the atmosphere. Or on certain occasions, you might select music to deliberately change the mood.
8. Timing – does the call on the vocal side of the record give enough time (or too much time) to execute the moves? Do you need to re-write the calls to make it flow better?

You must be able to comfortably call in the key that the song is recorded in (without straining to reach the notes). If you can't reach the notes, don't use the record!

The style or "feel" of the record must suit you. Some callers are good at Ballads, others at Rock and Roll, others at Sing-a-longs. Some can call them all. But if you can't, don't try to. Stick with the type that suits your voice best, even if it means not calling tunes that you like.

If you are not sure which styles suit you, ask your friends the following question: "Now be honest, does that style of Singing Call suit me or not?" Be prepared to listen to what they say, because even if you hear some things that you don’t like, it might be helpful anyway. Answers like "No, I don’t think that your voice suits that song at all" or "the call you did at last weeks dance was better" can be very helpful.

Listen to dancer reaction at the end of each call. Are they just giving polite applause, or are they genuinely enthusiastic in their clapping.

Presentation is everything! Don't just stand on the stage and call, show the dancers that you're enjoying yourself!

Everyone recognizes that some callers have better singing voices than others, however every caller must be able to carry a tune reasonably well. We all need to use Singing Calls, and we all need to use a good variety of musical styles in order to entertain the dancers.

Without going overboard, you can use a little flair and showmanship to carry a song to your audience. If done well, the dancers really like to hear this type of calling. In one song you might be a crooner, in the next you might be an actor - do what best suits your style.

You should try to sell the song to the dancers, not just call it. Make sure you give 100% to each call, so you can do it justice. But don't let the performance go to your head - remember that the calls are just as important as the singing!