Mainstream Definitions – From Tech Squares Class MIT. Click a title to see a video [next page]
U-TURN BACK: Typical starting formation – dancer. Dancers turn around 180° in the direction they were just turning, if any. If they were not just turning, dancers turn toward their partners if they have one, or else toward the center of the square, or in either direction if they are facing directly toward or away from the center of the square.
BOX THE GNAT: Typical starting formation – man and lady facing. Dancers join right hands with the dancer across from them. The man walks forward and turns 180° to the right to stand in the lady’s original position while the lady walks forward under their joined hands and turns 180° to the left to end in the man’s original position. Dancers end facing each other in each other’s original positions with right hands joined.
CIRCULATE: Typical starting formation – lines or waves. Trailers (dancers facing into the square) walk forward to take the position of the dancer ahead of them. Lead centers (centers facing out) flip over to end in the other center position facing in. Lead ends walk forward in an arc to end in the other end position facing in. Ends in lines or waves. On Couples Circulate, the dancers circulate, maintaining couple handholds.
COLUMN CIRCULATE: Typical starting formation – columns. The #1 dancers (those facing out of the column) flip over to end in the adjacent position facing in. All other dancers walk forward one position to end in the original position of the dancer in front of them. Ends in columns.
DIVE THRU: Typical starting formation – eight chain. The centers raise their joined hands and walk forward while the ends walk forward under the arch, and the new ends California twirl. Ends in a beginning double pass thru.
RUN: Typical starting formation – couple or mini-wave. The designated dancer moves forward in an arc to end facing the opposite direction in their partner’s original position. The non-designated dancer moves without turning into the designated dancer’s original position.
HINGE: Typical starting formation – mini-wave. Dancers 1/2 trade. From a mini-wave, this is equivalent to arm turn 1/4. Ends in a mini-wave. On Couples Hinge, each couple works as a unit and hinges with the other couple. Couples Hinge starts in a two-faced line or one-faced line and ends in a two-faced line.
SWING THRU/LEFT SWING THRU: Typical starting formation – wave. In each wave of 4 dancers, those who have right hands joined arm turn 1/2, and those who now have left hands joined arm turn 1/2. On Left Swing Thru, dancers who have left hands joined arm turn 1/2, and those who now have right hands joined arm turn 1/2.
FACING COUPLES RULE: Calls from waves that start with an arm turn (for example, Swing Thru) can also be called from facing couples. In this case, the dancers step to a right-hand wave (unless the call explicitly starts with left, in which case, they step to a left-hand wave) and do the call.
STEP TO A WAVE: Typical starting formation – facing dancers. Dancers 1/2 pass thru; that is, they step forward and slightly to the left to take right hands. Ends in a right-hand mini-wave.
TOUCH 1/4: Typical starting formation – facing dancers. Dancers step to a right-hand mini-wave and arm turn 1/4. Ends in a right-hand mini-wave.
WRONG WAY GRAND: Typical starting formation – dancers facing their partners. Same as Right and Left Grand, but with men walking clockwise and ladies walking counterclockwise.
ZOOM: Typical starting formation – box with tandem dancers. Leaders (those facing out of the box of 4) turn away from center and walk in an arc to turn 360° and end behind their starting position, facing the same direction. Trailers (those who start facing into the box) walk forward into the position ahead of them. Ends in a box with tandem dancers.
ALLEMANDE LEFT TO AN ALLEMANDE THAR: Typical starting formation – squared set. Dancers allemande left, right pull by with the next, and left arm turn with the next until the men are in the center. The men make a star while maintaining forearm grips with the ladies. This is an allemande thar. Centers back up slowly while the outsides walk forward.
DO PASO: Typical starting formation – squared set. Dancers face their partners, left arm turn with their partners until they are facing their corners, right arm turn with their corners until they are facing back towards their partner, and left arm turn with their partner, blending into a courtesy turn to end facing in as a couple. Ends in squared set.
LEFT-HAND STAR/RIGHT-HAND STAR: Typical starting formation – facing couples. Dancers place the designated hands into the center of the box to form a star. They walk forward turning the star as far as directed. The ending facing direction is dependent on the next call.
PASS THE OCEAN: Typical starting formation – facing couples.
- Pass thru.
- Face in (90° turn)
- Step to a right-hand wave.
SHOOT THE STAR: Typical starting formation – thar. Dancers arm turn 1/2 and step forward. On Shoot the Star to Another Thar, dancers shoot the star, right pull by with the next, and left arm turn 1/2 with the next to end in a thar. On Shoot the Star Full Turn Around, dancers arm turn all the way around (360°) and step forward.
STAR PROMENADE: Typical starting formation – 4-person star in the center and 4 people on the outside. Centers retain the star handhold and promenade with the designated dancers. Instead of joining hands with their partner, each dancer places an arm around their partner’s waist.
TRADE BY: Typical starting formation – trade by. Centers pass thru while the ends trade. Ends in eight chain.
WALK AROUND YOUR CORNER: Typical starting formation – squared set. Dancers face their corners and walk in a circle around their corners, with their right shoulders into the center of the circle.
SEE SAW: Typical starting formation – dancers facing their partners. Dancers face their partners if necessary and walk around their partners passing left shoulders until they are facing their corners.
WHEEL AROUND: Typical starting formation – couple. Each couple works as a unit to turn 180° to the left to end on the same positions they started on. On Reverse Wheel Around couples turn 180° to the right.Four Ladies Chain 3/4 is the same, except ladies turn the star 3/4.
CROSS RUN: Typical starting formation – wave or line. Designated dancers run toward the center of the line to end in the position two away from where they started. Ends cross run into the far center position; centers cross run into the far end position. Non-designated dancers move without turning into the nearest vacated position, as on Run. Ends in a wave or line.
EXTEND: Typical starting formation – 1/4 tag or parallel waves.
- From a beginning double pass thru (zero tag), the centers step to a wave. Ends in a 1/4 tag.
- From a 1/4 tag, centers step forward to make waves of the same handedness with the outsides. Ends in parallel waves (1/2 tag).
- From parallel waves (1/2 tag), the leaders step thru to make couples, and the trailers step forward to make a new wave of the same handedness. Ends in 3/4 tag.
- From a 3/4 tag, centers step thru to make couples. Ends in a completed double pass thru.
FERRIS WHEEL: Typical starting formation – two-faced lines. Leaders do their part of Wheel and Deal while the trailers step forward to form a momentary two-faced line and wheel and deal in the center. Ends in a beginning double pass thru.
FLUTTERWHEEL/REVERSE FLUTTERWHEEL: Typical starting formation – facing couples. On Flutterwheel, the right-hand dancers make a two-person right-hand star and turn halfway while the left-hand dancers slide left. Centers join their left hands with the other dancers’ right hands. Dancers turn the star another half to end as couples. On Reverse Flutterwheel, the roles are reversed; the left-hand dancers make a two-person left-hand star, join their right hands with the other dancers’ left hands, and finish turning the star.
SCOOT BACK: Typical starting formation – mini-wave box. Leaders flip over into the position next to them (as on run or trade). Trailers extend, trade, and extend. Ends in a mini-wave box.
SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE: Typical starting formation – mini-wave box. Leaders flip over into the position next to them (as on run or trade). Trailers walk forward into the vacant position ahead of them. Ends in a mini-wave box.
SWEEP A QUARTER: Typical starting formation – facing couples. Sweep a Quarter may be called after a call that ended with all dancers moving in the same direction around the center of their box. Couples continue circling 1/4 in the same direction they were previously moving. Ends in facing couples.
TURN THRU: Typical starting formation – facing dancers or right-hand mini-wave. Dancers step to a wave, right arm turn 1/2, and step thru to end back to back with each other. From a mini-wave, dancers omit stepping to a wave as they already have right hands joined. Ends in dancers back to back.
CLOVERLEAF: Typical starting formation – completed double pass thru. Leaders turn away from each other and walk forward in an arc turning 270° to end facing in the center. Trailers follow the leaders, going through the same motions, to end behind the leaders. Ends in a beginning double pass thru. If only some dancers are designated, the designated dancers do the leaders’ part without stepping into the center, while the others step forward into the center.
CAST OFF 3/4: Typical starting formation – couple or mini-wave. From a mini-wave, dancers arm turn 3/4 pivoting around their joined hands. Ends in a mini-wave. From a couple, the centers walk forward in a 270° arc around their handhold while the ends back up. Ends in a couple facing in.
DOUBLE PASS THRU: Typical starting formation – beginning double pass thru. Dancers walk forward passing right shoulders with two dancers. Ends in a completed double pass thru.
FIRST COUPLE GO LEFT/RIGHT NEXT COUPLE GO LEFT/RIGHT: Typical starting formation – completed double pass thru. Working as a unit, the first couple flips toward the given direction, while the next couple walks forward and flips toward the second direction. If directions were opposite, dancers adjust to end in facing lines. If directions were the same, ends in promenade.
PASS TO THE CENTER: Typical starting formation – eight chain. All pass thru, and the new ends partner trade. Ends in a beginning double pass thru.
ROLLAWAY: Typical starting formation – couple. The right-hand dancer moves forward toward their partner turning 360° to end on the other side of their partner. The original left-hand dancer slides over to the right. Ends in a couple with the dancers having switched positions.