THIS SQUARE DANCE WORLD by Chris Froggatt
The following articles appeared in the South Pacific Square Dance Review during 1998.
Dancing Standard at Conventions
Square Dancing in the 21st Century
"Looking the Part" is only part of the reason
Why do we wear the type of clothes we do at square dances? Why do the men wear long sleeve shirts and bolo ties? Why do the women wear long dresses and big petticoats - particularly in the hot climate of Australia?
I can recall my first caller saying to me that he would not allow anyone to wear jeans into the dance hall, nor would he let a man in who was not wearing a long sleeve shirt and a bolo tie. Although this was typical of the attitude of twenty to thirty years ago when we had dancers bulging out of the halls, it is not the case now.
My first caller and his wife also explained that the main reason was courtesy towards our fellow dancers and our image of well-dressed, well-behaved good living people. Men are required to wear long sleeves to prevent sweaty arms from wiping on their partners. Although women are not required to wear long sleeves, they should not wear "backless" dresses for similar reasons. The same applies to not permitting intoxicated people into the dance, and requesting everyone to take care of their personal hygiene (don't eat garlic before the dance).
Tradition plays a part, but those who have been around for a while will tell you that the styles have changed over the years. We no longer see the floor length gingham dresses and checked shirts - now we see beautiful colours, sequins, and western shirts (thanks to the wide acceptance of Country Music stars such as Garth Brooks).
It has been said that the clothes we wear can be off-putting to prospective new dancers, as they look expensive, or they may not want to look so different to "normal". There are those who wish to see the dress codes relaxed, hoping to attract more people to the activity with a more casual standard. Would this make people more relaxed about square dancing - particularly younger people? I wonder. I see nothing wrong with neat casual attire, but I would not like to see T-shirts and tracksuits become the norm. I may be getting older now, but when I started square dancing at the age of sixteen I was not put off by the dress code - and I still look forward to seeing everyone dressed up for the dance each week. I remember one lady saying that she liked square dancing because she was allowed to wear short dresses (compared to the street attire of the day).
When Line Dancing was booming, the dress code (cowboy hats, boots, fancy shirts etc.) did not turn people away. In fact I believe it was part of the reason why it was so successful. Look at other popular activities - to play tennis eventually you need a tennis racquet, shoes and clothes. If you want to play golf, you need golf clubs etc. There is always going to be some expense involved in starting an activity.
It is interesting to watch as beginners gradually change from wearing plain coloured casual clothes to square dance attire. Usually the ladies will start to wear a colourful skirt, and next a petticoat. Soon after you will see the men wearing western shirts, and sometimes even brightly coloured ones (they would never have been caught dead in pink or yellow before square dancing). The transformation is often subtle, and usually takes some time, but when it happens, you can tell that they are thinking like square dancers.
Different people learn in different ways, and at different speeds. Some people will pick things up rapidly, while others may struggle. What seems simple to some seems difficult to others.
When you apply this philosophy to square dancing, you can see that the length of time required for learning the BASIC or MAINSTREAM Programs will vary. Within each group you will have some who have great aptitude, many who will catch on at a steady pace, and a few who require a lot more time and patience to master it all.
How many times have you heard it said that young people learn quickly and older people learn slower? This may be true in a general sense, however if you were to have a group made up entirely of teenagers, you would probably find the same range of learning abilities as you would with a group made up entirely of sixty year old people.
If it's not Fun, it's not Worth It
Over the past twenty-five years I have had the privilege of teaching many people to square dance. They have included doctors, trades-people, teachers (now there's a challenge), scientists, children, mothers, grandparents etc. A few have been totally blind or completely deaf. I know of callers who have taught wheel chair groups and intellectually challenged children.
All have had something in common - the desire to learn and to have fun! The more important of these two things is the desire to have fun. If the caller cannot provide instruction in a fun atmosphere, most people will find something else to do.
Combining Variety with Repetition
The secret is to get the fast learners to help the slower learners without them realising it. The challenge is to get the fast learners to enjoy learning and dancing at a pace that is not too fast for the slower learners. Some of the common mistakes that callers make are:
It may seem impossible to cater for all learning speeds at the same time, but this is not necessarily so. I have found that by combining variety with repetition, you can achieve this easily. This requires a lot of work and devotion from the caller. It takes time to create lots and lots of different ways of calling the same things (e.g. varied combinations of a limited number of calls; different sequences that fit well into singing calls; ensuring that all sequences are comfortable to dance and are not rushed, etc.).
The time and effort taken by the caller will result in an enhanced ability to present the teaching material in several slightly different ways over a period of weeks. By using this method, the material is revised regularly for the slower learners, and at the same time it provides subtle variety for the faster learners. It does not become boring or "old hat" as it might, if exactly the same routines and singing calls were repeated each week. This variety is also good for the callers, as it requires them to keep track of what they call from week to week, while including an element of fun.
Revision using variety should result in an interesting learning experience, along with the opportunity to reinforce good habits. The overall effect is that the dancers become much more competent, and hopefully will be less likely to drop out because due to being left behind.
Do you remember the good old days? The days when life seemed a lot simpler, when things that you bought seemed to last a lot longer, and when you could get value for your money? You remember those days - before computers, before day light saving, before unleaded petrol, before CALLERLAB!
Back then the dance halls were always full, and there were plenty of young people dancing (like you and me). Back then you could learn to Square Dance in a few short months. Back then there weren’t so many moves to learn. You were either a beginner, intermediate (after six months or so) or advanced (everyone was advanced after their first year of dancing). You only needed to know the Basic 75, unless you danced to "high fallutin" challenge tapes. Ah! The good old days.
For some years now, we have been dancing to the Callerlab Programs - Basic, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced etc. These Programs had a stabilising effect on Square Dancing by stemming the explosion of new moves that cropped up in the sixties and seventies, after the Basic 75 was no longer the norm. The Callerlab Programs were adopted world wide, and they have enabled anyone to dance anywhere in the world, because we all danced the same Programs.
However, as these Programs developed, there were those that held the view that there were too many moves to learn. It took too long for beginners to reach club level. Club level was usually Mainstream, and for some it was Plus. Callers had to teach 70 to 100 moves to beginners before they became "competent" dancers. You could only hold one beginners class per year if you were to teach all the moves successfully.
Well it seems that there are lots of people who long for the way things used to be, especially in America. In fact there is a proposal being put forward to the next Callerlab Convention by the "Ad-Hoc Committee" that is intended to make Square Dancing as easy to learn as it used to be. This proposal is called "Target 2000".
Target 2000 aims to replace the existing Basic, Mainstream and Plus Programs with a totally revamped new three tier system:
From conversations I have had, and from the articles that I have read in various Square Dancing publications, it is obvious that the proposals put forward by the Ad-Hoc Committee have certainly got everyone's attention.
Last month I outlined the Callerlab Ad-Hoc Committee into alternative dance program’s Target 2000 proposal which, if accepted, could be introduced in the year 2000. Even callers who have previously not followed Callerlab programs seem to have an opinion about the proposed T 2000 programs. I personally have strong views, and was one of the first to write to Callerlab, stating my concerns about such drastic changes to the Basic, Mainstream and Plus Programs that are successful world-wide.
My main concern is that there would no longer be a Mainstream Program, and any dancer who wanted to go beyond Basics would have to learn Plus. Although I have been calling Plus for many years, I believe that it is not for everyone, and Mainstream is a good viable Program. By eliminating the Mainstream Program, there would no longer be that "intermediate" stage that dancers could stay at for as long as they wished - a place where they can relax and enjoy the atmosphere. New dancers would either dance "Square Dancing" or "Plus".
I don’t believe that the proposed "Square Dancing" Program will offer the happy medium that the current Mainstream Program does. I also believe that the "Target 2000" Proposal might have the opposite effect to its intention because there is too much emphasis on the destination, and not enough time devoted to having fun on the way. While it might work for some dancers, there is the danger of leaving a lot of people behind. By comparison, when driving a long way to a Convention, if you rush to get there, you could end up too tired to enjoy it when you arrive. I believe that the recommended teaching time for each of the T 2000 Programs should be at least doubled.
Although I disagree with the T 2000 proposal, have tried to put myself in the position of the Ad-hoc Committee members. How would I respond to the problems being experienced in the USA? What solutions would I come up with? I started doing a lot of thinking.
In 1986 I travelled across the world to my first Callerlab Convention in Baltimore. I clearly remember meeting callers who had previously only been famous names to me. I remember talking to these callers about the nuts and bolts of calling. I particularly remember a conversation I had with Gary Shoemake (one of the great callers on the Chaparral label) who even back then had strong ideas about the large number of calls that new square dancers had to learn. He spoke of duplications that should be eliminated to make square dancing easier to learn (such as pass to the centre and dive thru).
On my return to Australia, everyone seemed to be happy with the way things were. However I remember Australia’s Ron Jones saying Callerlab should combine the "best of Mainstream and Plus" into a single program. At the time I thought that there would be many opinions about what is "the best" and what to leave out.
At my second Callerlab Convention in 1993 in Kentucky, I remember some callers were not quite as happy as before. There was talk of diminishing class sizes and club memberships in the USA. However, at the time there was a square dancing boom happening in Europe, with many European clubs dancing Basic and Mainstream in large numbers. I can remember several U.S. callers saying that it wouldn't last, and soon they would be just like America with a rush to Plus and Advanced. I thought that this was a strange attitude.
Over the last two months I have written about the Callerlab T 2000 programs, which was proposed to replace the current Basic, Mainstream and Plus programs. Although I have just learned that the T2000 proposal was defeated (by a very small margin) at the recently held Callerlab convention, I still think it is important to print the final part of this series.
At the 1993 Callerlab Convention in Kentucky I had a conversation with Jerry Story (one of the great callers from Royal Records). It was late at night, after all the official meetings were over, when all the really important stuff happens. Jerry was not happy with the way square dancing was going in the USA, and was very vocal that things had to change. Later I read an article written by Jerry on the Internet titled "One Dance Level". In this article he spelled out very clearly what he saw were the major problems with Square Dancing in the USA. Problems such as dancers being rushed through learners class resulting in many new dancers graduating with a poor knowledge of the Basic, Mainstream and Plus. There was a general lowering of Club Level to "Soft Plus". Jerry wrote that part of the problem was the names "Basic" and "Mainstream" which implied "ordinary". It feels better to be called a "Plus" or "Advanced" dancer. A good point.
Jerry later became Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, which produced the T2000 proposal. Another premise behind the T2000 proposal is the belief that people do not wish to spend a year or more learning to square dance, and the intention is that the T2000 Programs will make square dancing easier and quicker to learn. New clubs would be formed that dance the "Square Dancing" Program, thus creating a new base of square dancers who would not suffer the current "push to Plus" that has swept the USA.
Although it is hard to argue against this logic, I believe that their problems are in part the consequence of club committees in the USA demanding that callers teach their classes in 20 to 25 weeks. This results in callers not having time to entertain the dancers. Instead of being able to use an interesting variety of themes and musical styles combined with clever use of the Basic and Mainstream moves, callers are forced to concentrate on teaching a lot of moves in an unrealistic time frame. This is the reason that some dancers have never been taught how to dance properly. It is also why there are so many dropping out and the survivors either become "Soft Plus" or "Techno Dancers".
The real problem I see is that the T2000 programs do not offer anything new to fix any problems that are currently being experienced in the USA. The "real" destination will still be (an officially sanctioned version of) "Soft Plus". It will become OK to continue to teach and call the same way, but without feeling guilty. Club committees will no longer be criticised. The T2000 proposal will not change the status quo in the USA, it will simply say that it is good, and that all other countries should do the same.
The ACA (American Callers Association) tried to do a similar thing years ago. Some big name callers left Callerlab to form the ACA in the belief that major change to the square dance programs was necessary. ACA tried a similar experiment to T 2000, but the problems in the USA appear to have only gotten worse. I don’t believe that Callerlab should go down the same path. The problem is not in the Programs, but in how the callers use them.
I am not against change, but I believe that the winds of change should be more like a cooling breeze than a hurricane. Let’s take the best points from the T2000 proposal and combine them with the best of what is working now. Over the past few years we have seen many moves (such as cross trail thru, curlique, triple trade etc.) deleted without too much pain. Let’s eliminate any redundant or duplicated moves from Mainstream and Plus (by majority decision). Combine the remaining Basic and Mainstream moves into a program called "Square Dancing", and promote clubs that dance at this destination. Rename Plus and Advanced to something less emotive. Finally, have callers take charge of teaching classes instead of Club Committees, and make sure that there is enough time to have fun on the way.
There are many interesting calls in the Basic Program. In Basics we are introduced to "ocean waves", which opens up a whole range of concepts that need to be mastered for smooth progression into Mainstream and beyond. Let's have a close look at ocean waves:
An ocean wave of course, is simply a line of four people where each dancer is holding hands with a dancer who is facing the opposite direction to them. The majority of calls that start from an ocean wave have the dancers using arm turns or moving in a circular path. Some examples are: Swing Thru - the definition states "those who can, turn by the right one half [180o], then those who can, turn by the left one half [180o]"; Trade - the definition states "any two directed dancers exchange places by walking forward in a semi-circle to end in the other dancers starting position". And as we progress along into Mainstream, there will be calls that require one quarter turns (hinge) and three quarter turns (cast off ¾, fan the top, etc.) as well.
As the turning action may cause confusion for some dancers, I thought that the following may prove helpful (extracted from an article in a recent issue of American Squaredance magazine):
"The most experienced dancers will tell you that positioning yourself properly will aid you greatly in your dancing. If the call has you turning ¼ and you go just beyond ¼, you may not be able to find the next person for the rest of that call (or the next call). If you undershoot, you may be able to get through the call, but you may end up out of position with the other people in the square, and that could cause things to go wrong later.
One of the ways that can help with positioning is to always try to line up with the walls of the hall that you are dancing in. This will help you make sure that your turns are really ¼, ½ or ¾ you can count the walls for each ¼ turn you need to do (¼ turn = 1 wall, ½ turn = 2 walls, etc.). Touching hands after completing each turn can also help you to recognize your position in all of your formations."
The above explanation may sound over simplified to the many dancers who do not have a problem recognising their position in the square after completing a turn, but as with all concepts, the simple things seem to work best. Remember that some dancers do not have a built in compass. It is very important to remember that all arm turns are done with a "firm but gentle" hand hold. Make sure that your arm turns are smooth, and avoid pulling or pushing at all cost.
Pushing and pulling will not help anyone to learn, and will surely cause anxiety or resentment. If you need to help someone into position to complete the call correctly, simply use gentle hand pressure and a reassuring word to assist them on their way. Make sure that they maintain their sense of balance, so that they recognize why you have "put them" where you did. That way they will have a good chance of seeing the right way to do it next time.
You will get a lot of pleasure from successfully helping a fellow dancer through a move they are unsure of. But in this complex square dance world, be sure to keep things as simple as possible. Learning the Basics should be fun, and getting it right the first time (or second or third time) is not essential to the eventual success that will be achieved with a little help from our friends.
Dancing Standard at Conventions
This article was inspired by an e-mail that I received from Keith Howard (NSW Caller). Keith wrote: "I would like to comment on the standard of dancing at National Conventions. I was in a square at the Adelaide National that had major troubles with the most basic of moves, not to mention Mainstream. Other dancers in the square were becoming frustrated. This does not give other dancers or the caller the right to chastise. This action will cause more harm than good. Dancers should take the time to assist the newer members of our pastime, rather than discourage.
What was required after the first number was a joke to brake the tension, which I provided. I feel the dancer having trouble should not be discouraged or chastised for their mistakes, but be given a little assistance and compassion. They are trying to enjoy themselves as well. Every one had to learn at some stage. Even I had some trouble in some numbers throughout the convention."
There are two issues here. Let’s look at them separately.
Tolerance Towards Our Fellow Dancers
Keith is absolutely right! We must not chastise dancers for their inexperience. It may not be their fault - they were probably advised to go to the Convention by someone with good (but misguided) intentions. Good dancer etiquette must apply in all cases - be polite, try to help if you can, and perhaps gently explain what is expected. After all, one bracket won’t ruin your Convention.
I recall one bracket at the 1997 National when a dancer said to me "You will have to pull me through, I’ve only been dancing for 3 months". Most dancers have been in a similar situation at some time.
What Should Be Expected Of Us
In the past, before we ventured out onto a Convention floor (or any other large combined dance for that matter) there was an unwritten rule that said "you do not go to a Festival, Society Dance or Convention until you had at least 12 months dancing experience". This was impressed strongly on us all by our callers. These dance functions were for experienced dancers only, and the dancing (and calling) standard was expected to be high.
So why has this changed?
It is possible that callers are not as strict now, as they don’t have as many dancers to call to - we might discourage them if we make too many rules. When we announce up-coming dances, perhaps we are trying so hard to raise enthusiasm that we forget to mention the unwritten rules any more. Also, as it takes at least 12 months to learn Mainstream, perhaps the unwritten rule should be reworded to say "dancers are required to be competent at Mainstream (or whatever the advertised dance level)".
Another factor is that Dancers have worked hard to encourage their friends to enter the square dance activity. They want them to feel part of it, and to join in the fun. If the new dancer asks whether they can go to a certain dance, it might be hard to say no (I will look after them, and make sure that they dance in my square).
It can be very intimidating for the novice dancer to have all those unfamiliar calls thrown at them. Encouraging them to attend may have a negative result (despite good intentions).
Unfortunately, these incidents have resulted in many experienced dancers not attending Conventions and Society Dancers anymore, as they will not get to dance in good squares very often. No matter how you try to explain it, you can’t blame them.
We need to sit down and think about what we are trying to achieve. I believe there is more at stake than just trying to get the largest crowds possible. If we get a large crowd this time but they don’t enjoy the dancing, they won’t come back next time.
At certain dance functions, we should encourage everyone to attend (catering for all levels of dancer experience) and advertise the dance appropriately. At these dances, the level should be announced before each bracket. However, for other functions (particularly Conventions) we must be more realistic in the advertising, and spell out the minimum dance standard.
Dancing Standard at Conventions
This article was inspired by an e-mail that I received from Keith Howard (NSW Caller). Keith wrote: "I would like to comment on the standard of dancing at National Conventions. I was in a square at the Adelaide National that had major troubles with the most basic of moves, not to mention Mainstream. Other dancers in the square were becoming frustrated. This does not give other dancers or the caller the right to chastise. This action will cause more harm than good. Dancers should take the time to assist the newer members of our pastime, rather than discourage.
What was required after the first number was a joke to brake the tension, which I provided. I feel the dancer having trouble should not be discouraged or chastised for their mistakes, but be given a little assistance and compassion. They are trying to enjoy themselves as well. Every one had to learn at some stage. Even I had some trouble in some numbers throughout the convention."
There are two issues here. Let’s look at them separately.
Tolerance Towards Our Fellow Dancers
Keith is absolutely right! We must not chastise dancers for their inexperience. It may not be their fault - they were probably advised to go to the Convention by someone with good (but misguided) intentions. Good dancer etiquette must apply in all cases - be polite, try to help if you can, and perhaps gently explain what is expected. After all, one bracket won’t ruin your Convention.
I recall one bracket at the 1997 National when a dancer said to me "You will have to pull me through, I’ve only been dancing for 3 months". Most dancers have been in a similar situation at some time.
What Should Be Expected Of Us
In the past, before we ventured out onto a Convention floor (or any other large combined dance for that matter) there was an unwritten rule that said "you do not go to a Festival, Society Dance or Convention until you had at least 12 months dancing experience". This was impressed strongly on us all by our callers. These dance functions were for experienced dancers only, and the dancing (and calling) standard was expected to be high.
So why has this changed?
It is possible that callers are not as strict now, as they don’t have as many dancers to call to - we might discourage them if we make too many rules. When we announce up-coming dances, perhaps we are trying so hard to raise enthusiasm that we forget to mention the unwritten rules any more. Also, as it takes at least 12 months to learn Mainstream, perhaps the unwritten rule should be reworded to say "dancers are required to be competent at Mainstream (or whatever the advertised dance level)".
Another factor is that Dancers have worked hard to encourage their friends to enter the square dance activity. They want them to feel part of it, and to join in the fun. If the new dancer asks whether they can go to a certain dance, it might be hard to say no (I will look after them, and make sure that they dance in my square).
It can be very intimidating for the novice dancer to have all those unfamiliar calls thrown at them. Encouraging them to attend may have a negative result (despite good intentions).
Unfortunately, these incidents have resulted in many experienced dancers not attending Conventions and Society Dancers anymore, as they will not get to dance in good squares very often. No matter how you try to explain it, you can’t blame them.
We need to sit down and think about what we are trying to achieve. I believe there is more at stake than just trying to get the largest crowds possible. If we get a large crowd this time but they don’t enjoy the dancing, they won’t come back next time.
At certain dance functions, we should encourage everyone to attend (catering for all levels of dancer experience) and advertise the dance appropriately. At these dances, the level should be announced before each bracket. However, for other functions (particularly Conventions) we must be more realistic in the advertising, and spell out the minimum dance standard.
The Best Years of Your Life
Why do so many people stick with square dancing for many years. Why is it that some people give up other activities when they become square dancers? Is it the challenge? Is it the mental or physical exercise that we get each week on the dance floor? Maybe this is part of it, but I don’t think that is the main reason.
Can you remember the fun you had when you were learning to square dance? The laughter, the new friends, the atmosphere, the joy and excitement of experiencing something new! Ask most experienced dancers and they will tell you that they had a ball learning to square dance.
If you think about it carefully, this was also the time that you met your current circle of friends. These are now the people you see every week, sometimes several times a week. The people that you now socialize with, go out to dinner with, and spend weekends away with. How long is it since you spent a weekend with your non-square dancing friends?
Could it be that the memory of the fun you had while learning Mainstream is part of what makes people want to learn more? To try and recapture the excitement of that early learning experience? Could it be that it is more than the challenge of mastering new concepts when progressing beyond Mainstream that makes it seem attractive?
These are a lot of questions. Most of them don’t require an answer, and are actually a statement of fact rather than a question. So where is this leading? That question is one that I will answer. Callers who teach square dancing (especially those who teach programs beyond Mainstream) must be aware of the reasons why people wish to learn. Learning (any level of) square dancing is not the same as enrolling for a University degree. People are not compelled to learn because their occupation depends on it. They can opt out at any time and not be penalized financially nor will they miss out on opportunities in their career.
However, it would be a great shame for them to miss out on the fantastic social side of square dancing because a bad learning experience changes their attitude. What was once been a fun activity could become a pressure situation, if it is handled badly by the caller/teacher. We callers have a responsibility to every square dancer not to ruin the feelings of fun and friendship. We must not emphasize only the learning aspects when we conduct a workshop or class. Learning Plus or Advanced, or any level can (and must) be enjoyable! For dancers to maintain their enthusiasm, we must compliment their learning experience with the same things that made their beginner class so memorable. The only reason why dancers will want to continue is if they are still enjoying their dancing!
There is no doubt that callers can sometimes get carried away with what they are doing - it has happened to me! We can get enormous personal satisfaction from inventing new and innovative choreography, and it can be frustrating to see that all our hard work is not working out exactly as we planned. Sometimes we need to step back and think about what we are trying to achieve.
Remember that there is more to square dancing than just square dancing! There will always be time for fun on the dance floor, and it can be the best years of your life.
Square Dancing in the 21st Century
I was driving through Homebush recently, fascinated by the transformation that was taking place. Fabulous new structures were taking shape - new stadiums, arenas and fields. In less than two years the Olympic games will be held in Sydney! For around ten years I had worked about five kilometers from this site, and until recently not much had changed. It was quite startling to see the difference.
The world is constantly changing; in fact some of the things we once took for granted are no longer around. We can resist change, or we can accept change, and use it to our advantage. Either way, we usually can't stop it. The same philosophy applies to our square dance activity. We no longer have the huge crowds that they had in the fifties and sixties. Square dancing is no longer a regular part of National TV programs seen every weekend. Our beginner intakes are smaller, and it is no longer possible to bring our beginners up to club level in a few short lessons.
But should we simply lament the good old days, and wish things were as good as they used to be? No, we have to accept that we are about to enter a new millenium, and we can do something positive to shape the future to our advantage - or it will pass us by.
So how does an activity that some people see as a relic from the past, change and adapt itself to the twenty first century? Do we have to make drastic changes, or will subtle modifications make square dancing more acceptable to the wide world out there? It has been suggested that we need to change our fashions and our music to make square dancing more relevant to the 90's. But before we go ahead and change everything, we must keep the traditional aspects of square dancing that remain successful, and only change what doesn't work any more. The main thing we really need to update is the public perception of square dancing. The general public thinks that square dancing died out with the dinosaurs - most don't even know that we still exist.
Suggestions for Subtle Improvement
Once we actually get new people in the door, we have to make sure that we don't scare them away again. There are several things we can do straight away to make square dancing more attractive:
Delivering the Goods
With the New Year bringing a lot of promise for square dancing, perhaps it is opportune for us to take a closer look at what we are trying to achieve. Our obvious aim is to grow - to help square dancing become a more widely accepted activity. But before we can do this, we need to assess our values and philosophies.
Learning from Others
Much wisdom can be gained by watching and listening to others, even if it is what not to do! We can learn from those who came before us - the callers of forty years ago had a much smaller number of basics to call than we have today. Despite this, the variety and challenge in their calling seemed great. Listen to records or tapes from that era and you will be fascinated by some of the figures they used. Of course this was due to the expertise and imagination of those callers - despite fewer basics to call, lots of work was put into the choreography to provide challenge and variety.
We can also learn from those in "competitive" recreations. What has helped to make them popular? What has caused their demise? There might be some successful aspects of other recreations that can be adapted to square dancing.
The Ingredients for Success
The movie theatres offer something different each week. Ten-pin bowling and tennis offers a challenge for you to do better than your opponent, and the excitement of winning. Restaurants offer comfortable surroundings, good food and a chance to sit and talk. Horse riding, fishing and sailing offer relaxation combined with learning a skill. Chess, bridge and poker give the mental stimulation of pitting your strategy against that of your opponent. Basketball, football and many other sports require teamwork and training.
Each activity offers something different, but the ingredients needed for success are basically the same –achieving something by participation. Some activities are exciting, others are relaxing; some require long term commitment, while with others you can be a casual player; some are group activities and others you can do alone. Square dancing is probably the only recreation that can offer most of these in one package. Here are some hints for callers and club leaders:
You Need Enthusiasm – you have to believe in what you are doing, and you have to dedicate a lot of your time and thinking to eventually succeed. If you have the necessary potential, a lot of passion and commitment, if you really go for it, you will succeed. But it won’t be easy or smooth. You have to be prepared to face difficulties and to overcome them.
You Must Have Personality – you will not succeed if you can’t get along with people! Remember, you are not only trying to please yourself, but your whole audience. There are plenty of other activities for people to choose from, so the way you conduct yourself is vitally important. Everyone in your group is different and should be treated with respect.
You Must Learn the Skills – some of the calling techniques such as correct timing, phrasing and choreographic systems can be taught in Callers Schools, but the main requirement is many hours of practice. You also need the social skills of negotiation and problem solving.
Setting Goals – if you aim low, you will score low. If you aim high, you might just make it. Decide what you really want before you start, then make a realistic plan to achieve your goal.