CALLERLAB SQUARE DANCE PROGRAMS
CALLERLAB has designated lists of calls that dancers in certain programs are expected to be able to execute without cues. Each of the following are danced by various groups in Nova Scotia. These are cumulative Programs so that all calls in the first program are included within the second program and so on down the list.
- Basic Program, Part 1 - about 30 calls
- Basic Program, Part 2 - about an additional 20 calls
- Mainstream Program - an additional 20 calls
- Plus Program - an additional 30 calls
- Advanced 1 (A1) Program - an additional 40 calls
- Advanced 2 (A2) Program - an additional 40 calls
- Basic Challenge (C1) Program - an additonal 100 calls
Thus a Mainstream Dancer knows about 70 calls, a Plus Dancer knows about 100 calls, an Advanced Dancer knows about 180 calls and a C1 Dancer knows about 280 calls. Knowing a larger vocabulary does not automatically make a better dancer. At a Mainstream Dance, the most desirable dancer to meet in the square is one who knows the Mainstream calls well, dances in time to the music, and is having fun.
Go to Mainstream Program
Skip to Plus Program
Skip to Advanced Program
CALLERLAB BASIC and MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS
(2011 Suggested Teaching Order)
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BASIC PROGRAM - PART 1
- Circle Left / Circle Right
- Forward &Back
- Dosado/Dosado to a Wave
- Swing
- Promenade Family
a. Couples (Full, 1/2, 3/4)
b. Single File Promenade
c. Star Promenade
- Allemande Left
- Arm Turns
- Right & Left Grand Family
a. Right and Left Grand
b. Weave the Ring
c. Wrong Way Grand
- Left-Hand Star / Right-Hand Star
- Pass Thru
- Half Sashay Family
a. Half Sashay
b. Rollaway
c. Ladies In, Men Sashay
- Turn Back Family
a. U-Turn Back
b. Backtrack
- Separate Around 1 or 2
a. To a Line
b. and Come into the Middle
- Split Two
- Courtesy Turn
- Ladies Chain Family
a. Two Ladies Chain (reg & 3/4)
b. Four Ladies Chain (reg & 3/4)
c. Chain Down the Line
- Do Paso
- Lead Right
- Veer Left / Veer Right
*16c.Chain Down the Line
- Bend the Line
- Circulate Family
a. (Named Dancers) Circulate
b. Couples Circulate
c. All 8 Circulate
d. Single File Circulate
e. Split/Box Circulate
- Right and Left Thru
- Grand Square
- Star Thru
- California Twirl
- Walk Around the Corner
- See Saw
- Square Thru (1,2,3,4) /
Left Square Thru (1,2,3,4)
- Circle to a Line
- Dive Thru
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BASIC PROGRAM - PART 2
- Wheel Around
- Thar Family
a. Allemande Thar
b. Allemande Left to an Allemande Thar
c. Wrong Way Thar
- Slip the Clutch
- Shoot the Star /
Shoot the Star Full Around
- Box the Gnat
*8c. Wrong Way Grand
- Trade Family
a. (Named Dancers) Trade
b. Couples Trade
c. Partner Trade
- Ocean Wave Family
a. Step to a Wave
b. Balance
*21c. All Eight Circulate
- Alamo Style
- Swing Thru / Left Swing Thru
- Run / Cross Run
- Pass the Ocean
- Extend (from 1/4 tag only)
- Wheel & Deal
- Double Pass Thru
- First Couple Go Left/Right,
Next Couple Go Left/Right
- Zoom
- Flutterwheel / Reverse Flutterwheel
- Sweep a Quarter
- Trade By
- Touch 1/4
*21d. Single File Circulate
*21e. Split/Box Circulate
- Ferris Wheel
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BACK
MAINSTREAM PROGRAM
- Cloverleaf
- Turn Thru
- Eight Chain Thru / Eight Chain 1, 2, 3, etc.
- Pass to the Center
- Single Hinge / Couples Hinge
- Centers In
- Cast Off 3/4
- Spin the Top
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- Walk and Dodge
- Slide Thru
- Fold / Cross Fold
- Dixie Style to an Ocean Wave
- Spin Chain Thru
- Tag the Line (In/Out/Left/Right)
- Half Tag
- Scoot Back
- Recycle (from a wave only)
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*Suggested Teaching Order Calls in italics may be deferred until later in the teaching sequence. Recommended placement of some of these calls has been indicated with an asterisk.
CALLERLAB recommends that the Mainstream Program, calls 1-68, be taught in not less than 58 hours. CALLERLAB also recommends that calls be taught from more than a single position (formation and arrangement) and that styling and timing be included as a part of the teaching program.
Callers are reminded to limit their calls to the advertised program. Calls from a list other than advertised should not be used unless htey are walked through or workshopped first.
NOTE TO DANCE PROGRAMMERS
There is NO program called the "Mainstream/Plus Program". No dancer is required know Plus calls to attend a Mainstream open dance. Please advertise dance programs as Mainstream or as Plus, NOT Mainstream/Plus
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CALLERLAB PLUS PROGRAM
(Revised 2006, Edited 2010)
The Plus Program is understood to include more creative use of the Mainstream moves from other than standard positions. For this reason, CALLERLAB recommends that the Plus Program calls be taught in not less than nineteen sessions of two hours each (total 38 hours). If conducting a Plus workshop, use only PLUS calls. If conducting a workshop for PLUS Dancers who want more, workshop should be labeled appropriately.
PLUS LIST - TEACHING ORDER
- Acey Deucey
- Teacup Chain
- Ping Pong Circulate
- Load The Boat
- Extend
- Peel Off
- Linear Cycle (from waves only)
- Coordinate
- (Anything) and Spread
- Spin Chain The Gears
- Track II
- (Anything) and Roll
- Follow Your Neighbor
- Fan the Top
- Explode The Wave
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- Explode and (Anything) (from waves only)
- Relay The Deucey
- Peel The Top
- Diamond Circulate
- Single Circle To A Wave
- Trade The Wave
- Flip The Diamond
- Grand Swing Thru
- Crossfire
- All 8 Spin The Top
- Cut The Diamond
- Chase Right
- Dixie Grand
- 3/4 Tag The Line
- Spin Chain & Exchange The Gears
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BACK
CALLERLAB ADVANCED PROGRAM
(Revised December, 2010)
| A-1 PROGRAM
| A-2 PROGRAM
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- All 4 Couples / All 8 Concept, such as:
- All 4 Couples Right and Left Thru
- All 4 Couples Star Thru
- All 4 Couples Chase Right
- All 8 Swing Thru
- All 8 Switch the Wave
- All 8 Walk and Dodge
- All 8 Mix
- Checkmate the Column
- Diamond Chain Thru
- Hourglass Formation:
- Hourglass Circulate
- Cut/Flip the Hourglass
- In/Out Roll Circulate
- Mini-Busy
- Motivate
- Pass and Roll
- Pass and Roll Your Neighbor
- Peel and Trail
- Recycle (facing couples)
- Remake Family
- Remake
- Grand Remake
- Remake the Thar
- Scoot and Weave
- Scoot Chain Thru
- Single Wheel
- Slip / Slide / Swing / Slither
- Spin the Windmill
- Split/Box Counter Rotate
- Split/Box Transfer
- Split Square Chain Thru
- Swing and Mix
- Switch the Wave
- Switch to a Diamond / Hourglass (Waves only)
- Trade Circulate
- Trail Off
- Transfer and (Anything)
- Zig Zag / Zag Zig
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BACK
In an Advanced Dancing program, dancers are expected to understand the Mainstream, Plus and Advanced calls from most, but not necessarily all, formations, positions and arrangements. Dancers are also expected to understand the concept of calls they dance.
The Preface of the CALLERLAB Advanced Definitions contains important information regarding such rules as Facing Couple Rule; Ocean Wave Rule; Right Shoulder Rule; Split vs. Box; How dancers are named; Starting Formations; Glossary of Description Terms; etc. All callers that call the Advanced Program should be thoroughly familiar with the Preface and should be able to explain how these rules are used at the Advanced Program to their dancers.
In Advanced dancing, the "left" version of the calls is part of the program even though they are not explicitly listed.