Square Dance Nebraska - Ideas

Well Used Terms

Angel: An experienced dancer who attends class to fill out square and help demonstrate the proper way to perform various movements.

Banner Stealing: The practice of a square or more of dancers form one club attending another club's dance and receiving the other club's banner until the visit (or raid) is reciprocated.

Clogging: A dancing style originating in Appalachia with synchronized movements of the feet. Commonly performed in shoes having taps on them.

Contra: Line dancing popularized in New England. Now done with traditional and square dance movements.

Definitions (of calls): Each call has a specific way of being executed by determining ends, centers, leads, trailers, etc. Once the definitions are learned a dancer can execute a call whether or not they have been walk through the various positions.

Patter call: A series of square dance movements called by the caller, using music only to keep a rhythm. Partner changes are rare. (See Singing call.)

Programs: Various square dance calls organized by Callerlab into Basic, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced and Challenge categories. This provides dancers with an indication of material being used at a given dance.

Round Dancing: Couple dancing in a circle formation, using choreographed routines to a definite arrangement of music.

Singing Call: A series of square dance movements, called by the caller, to a piece of music that allows the caller to sing words to the song. The movements may be repetitive or not and partner changes are done.

Taw: The caller's partner who plays an important role in both classes and dances. Say "Hello" and remember that the Caller's Taw is a good source of information.

Tip: Normally a patter call followed by a singing call.

Workshop: Special classes after graduation which dancers may attend to learn new or more advanced movements or review those movements already learned.

Yellowrock: A friendly hug.