Advanced Level Modern Square Dance Singing Call Figures

Here are a few modern square dance singing call figures that will make any Advanced level singing call dancing fun, interesting, and engaging. Singing calls even at the higher levels are important to include in a square dance caller’s program to break up the drills of involved choreography and remind all present that simply relaxing and dancing to beautiful music that has a melodic hook is an important part of the night’s program.

These four Advanced choreography figures will do the trick:

CALLING TIP! If you plan to call at any level, inject  a couple of singing call figures that are more involved  and reinforce the call figures with similar choreography in the hoedown portion  prior to presenting them in the actual singing call for improved dancer success.

Heads (Sides) Wheel Thru
Swing Thru
Switch the Wave
Acey Ducey
Turn & Deal
Touch a Quarter
Split Circulate
Follow Your Neighbor & Spread
Swing Corner & Promenade

Heads (Sides) Touch a Quarter
Those Boys Run
Circle Four Halfway
Touch a Quarter
Follow Your Neighbor
Trade the Wave
Switch the Wave
Turn & Deal
Swing Corner & Promenade

Heads (Sides) Touch a Quarter
Walk & Dodge
Swing Thru
Switch to a Diamond
Boys Circulate
Diamond Circulate
Cut the Diamond
Wheel & Deal
Swing Corner & Promenade

Head (Side) Ladies Chain
Sides (Heads) Pass the Ocean
Extend (the Tag)
Motivate
In Roll Circulate
In Roll Circulate
Swing Corner & Promenade

Advanced level is for the dancer that has been dancing Mainstream level and PLUS level square dancing for at least 2 years, and they want to start or is currently participating in regular weekly dance with a local group. You must have and be able to execute all choreographic moves already learned proficiently at the PLUS level and be able to commit to weekly classes to learn the A-1 and A-2 basics and work well in a team environment. Call for more information!

Shaun Werkele
303-250-4735

 

Mission Statement: The purpose of this post is to create a greater visibility of the square dance activity for future dance population growth on a national and local level. The coaching information provided here serves as a source for square dance caller education training and perspectives on dance. Future articles will be developed to improve the programs of square dancing and how those learning to square dance call can help contribute to the preservation of both modern western square dancing and traditional square dancing and to aid in the growth of the square dance activity.

 

Square Dance Calling: Advanced (A-1 & A-2) Singing Call Figures

There really is no better way to find out how fun and enjoyable Advanced level square dancing is until you give it a try and see for yourself! As a group, everyone will become stronger dancers, new dance moves are learned, you will have lots of laughs, and there are SO many different square dance choreography ideas that you will learn. On day one, so much is taught that opens new doors in challenging and highly technical dance moves that will make for lots of fun. If you dance already, check into a class for Advanced level, you will enjoy it immensely!

If you are a modern square dance caller, it also is important to use some singing calls in your program if you are actively calling and/or teaching the Advanced level. Keep in mind that square dancing is about music first, and the enjoyment of dancing is and will always be centered around this basis. Below are four Advanced modern square dance singing call figures that will fill the bill and make singing call dancing at the A-1 and A-2 levels fun, interesting, and of course, a little more demanding:

CALLING TIP! Once you change your overall choreographic approach and use many good choreographic figures, the dancer’s abilities will increase dramatically!

Heads (Sides) Square Thru Four Hands
Touch a Quarter
Split Circulate and Cross
Wheel Around Once and a Half
Turn & Deal
Touch a Quarter
Split Circulate
Split Circulate and Cross
Swing Corner & Promenade

Heads (Sides) Touch a Quarter
Those Boys Run
Circle Four Halfway
Touch a Quarter
Split Circulate and Cross
Step & Slide
Peel Off
Square Thru 3 Hands
Swing Corner & Promenade

Heads (Sides) Pass the Ocean
Chain Reaction – Turn the Star 1 /2
Boys Run
Pass the Ocean
All Eight Circulate
Linear Cycle
Swing Corner & Promenade

Heads (Sides) Square Thru Four Hands
Touch a Quarter
Split Circulate
Scoot & Dodge
Chase Right
Quarter Thru
Explode the Wave
Girls Fold
Swing Corner & Promenade

Anything and Cross comes in handy for singing call figures, so add this simple foursome to your calling arsenal of choreography. Educate yourself as a caller first, then apply that learning to teaching the dancers to expand their abilities!

Advanced level is for the dancer that has been dancing Mainstream level and PLUS level square dancing for at least 2 years and they want to advance in difficulty. As a prerequisite, they need to be participating in regular weekly dance with a local group. You must have and be able to execute all choreographic moves already learned proficiently and be able to commit to weekly classes to learn the A-1 and A-2 basics and work well in a team environment. Call for more information!

Shaun Werkele
303-250-4735

 

Mission Statement: The purpose of this post is to create a greater visibility of the square dance activity for future dance population growth on a national and local level. The coaching information provided here serves as a source for square dance caller education training and perspectives on dance. Future articles will be developed to improve the programs of square dancing and how those learning to square dance call can help contribute to the preservation of both modern western square dancing and traditional square dancing and to aid in the growth of the square dance activity.

 

Effective Goal Strategies For Square Dance Callers

Square Dance Calling: Make The Most Of Your Goals!

One strong focus for square dance callers to develop their abilities is to look for opportunities to improve within their personal boundaries of proficiency at various square dance events, whether that dance is a club based one, or a nationally recognized event.  Improving in your calling takes a deep commitment and much research with hours 0f practice in many different areas and working with an experienced square dance caller teacher is essential to becoming a successful caller.

Informational posts such as in this square dance resource that have been written very recently will set an understanding and a foundation for calling. In order to develop your own improvement on a personal level consider asking yourself this set of questions that will enable you to analyze your strengths and weaknesses as an entertainer and instructor in square dance:

• How would you describe your square dance calling progress?
• What are the most important skills you’ve learned so far?
• What have been your most notable calling experiences?
• What is your favorite part of calling? Your least favorite?
• What is the one future task or type of project you would like to do more frequently in the square dance activity?
• What do you perceive as being something you do really well when you call?
• What are you recognized or complimented for most often?
• What are your unique talents and capabilities?
• Which of your successes in square dance are you most proud?
• For what do most dancers come to you for help?

Below is a working goal outline that I have composed for modern western square dance callers because not having goals in place will make you stagnate and leaves you without a plan for improvement:

Set Achievable Goals For Yourself.

Realistic and effective goals push you to achieve greatness and also remain possible in terms of expectations. As you begin to create achievable goals for improving your square dance calling, you will begin to understand the value that this can provide both short term and long term. Achievable goals need to (be):

Begin:

• Define your precise goal with a desirable outcome.
• Set a goal plan that includes enough detail to be entirely effective. Make sure that it is simple and easy enough for success to occur. This can be as simple as you wish, or as involved as you can handle realistically. Which brings us to being…

Realistic:

• Include a description of your expected result or behavior.
• Upon accomplishment make an ending that you can see with tangible evidence of completion before you even start.
• Evidence of your goal achievement must allow for your own objective evaluation of its quality.
• Could other callers and dancers easily see the results of completing the goal? You will need a subjective opinion and evaluation to surmise the end result that you want.

Focused:

• Always set goals that describe a set schedule that is focused on what you want to accomplish. There should be a clear path to the your strategy, your goals and all of your objectives. By doing this you will be optimally focused on a particular area, whether that is choreography, music, teaching, or any other specialized area in modern square dance.
• Support for any goal, including square dance calling, needs to be available and accessible. Mentoring and coaching helps to create a focused and effective answer to your expectations.

Attainment:

• As stated in the Focused attribute, your goals should not be too grand or too small, but they should be challenging and push you to improve. Look at what it will take to achieve your end result as a caller and how that will affect square dancing as a bigger picture.
• Gather any knowledge and skills required to move your abilities forward and ask yourself whether you will need support from a coach or mentor? Make certain that you will have sufficient resources and time given everything you are honed upon doing. If your goal is too lofty, you may not be able to achieve it.
• Conversely, ensure that your goal is going to be sufficiently challenging. Keep in mind that more simple goals are easier to attain and usually take less time to reach.

Scheduling:

• Set a specific date by which you expect to succeed in your achievement.
• Is there a short term accomplishment that leads to a larger and more complete goal? Create a detailed breakdown in order to make that happen. Ensure the timeframe you encapsulate for  your calling goal coincides with the performance period for which you are planning to make your goal a success.
• Ask yourself if your time schedule for your goal is realistic and will it be attainable within the amount of time you had in mind? You might have to adjust this to allow for a longer timespan to accomplish your goal. For example, if you wanted to learn how to call Advanced level square dancing, then you would have to learn to dance the choreography first, then continue on with learning to call at that level. This goal would take a while to accomplish, so you would need to schedule this end result out for about a year or two.

Education Schooling and Coaching:

• If continued development is a priority for you, search for experienced callers that have a strong focus on effective improvement and provide the opportunity to let you grow within your square dance calling abilities. Attending a square dance caller school is a great way to establish your goals and recognize your weaknesses – and put together a working plan to succeed.
• A square dance calling coach will provide information and a plan regarding their focus on your development – you can also get feedback and direction that allows you to succeed!

 

Call with any question you might have regarding square dance calling, I would be glad to help you!

Shaun Werkele

303-250-4735

 

Mission Statement: The purpose of this post is to create a greater visibility of the square dance activity for future dance population growth on a national and local level. The coaching information provided here serves as a source for square dance caller education training and perspectives on dance. Future articles will be developed to improve the programs of square dancing and how those learning to square dance call can help contribute to the preservation of both modern western square dancing and traditional square dancing and to aid in the growth of the square dance activity.