SQUARE DANCE RULES

Click on a rule or scroll through the list.

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Couples

Couples, unless otherwise specified may be any combination of men and women.

Facing Couples

Some calls, which normally start from ocean waves, can also be done when dancers are in-facing couples (e.g., all eight spin the top, grand swing thru, relay the deucey, spin chain the gears). In this case, the dancers first step into a momentary right hand ocean wave and complete the call, unless the caller specifically directs a left hand call (e.g., left relay the deucey), in which case the dancers step into a momentary left hand ocean wave and complete the call.

Facing Dancers

Facing dancers, unless otherwise specified, may be any combination of men and women.

Lost Squares

Dancers:

1. Return to home ASAP

2. Head ladies take their corners 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.

Caller:

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 they 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.

Ocean Wave

Some calls which normally start from facing couples can be done when dancers are in ocean waves (e.g., right and left thru). In this case the dancers have already stepped forward toward the facing dancers and are ready to complete the remaining action of the directed call.

Running

The directed (active) dancer moves forward in a semi-circle (180') around an adjacent (inactive) dancer to end in the adjacent dancer's starting position. Meanwhile, the inactive dancer, who may be facing in any direction, adjusts by stepping (without changing facing direction) into the vacated starting position of the active dancer. The active dancer doing the run has reversed his original facing direction. If the direction to run is not specified (right or left) and if the active dancer has an inactive dancer on each side, then centers run around ends and ends run around centers. Runs from an alamo circle are to the right unless otherwise directed.

Passing

Whenever two dancers are walking toward each other and are about to collide, they pass right shoulders and continue.

Same Position

Whenever two dancers are walking toward each other and are required to occupy the same position, they join hands in a mini wave, sharing that position.

Those Who Can

Refers to those who are so situated that they can execute intelligently the given call. This is to assume that some of the dancers are not in the proper position.

Trading

Any two directed dancers exchange places by walking forward in a semi-circle ending in the other dancer's starting position. Each trading dancer has reversed his original facing direction. If the trading dancers start while facing in the same direction, they pass right shoulders when they meet per the right shoulder passing rule.

This page was last revised on November 20, 1997

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