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The Old Guy Entertainment
8251 Mondavi place
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
United States
ph: 909-985-3929
alt: 909-229-2348
oldguyen
Club Level 50 Overview
It takes a long time to teach Mainstream. CALLERLAB recommends 56 hours of class. Today’s lifestyles do not accept long classes. Even if we're lucky enough to start a nice-sized class, many students won't stay until graduation. The class simply lasts too long. New dancers’ eyes glaze over, they suffer from information overload, they can't absorb more new material, yet the class drags on and on.
For those few students who survive to the Mainstream plateau, Plus is too easy to reach. It's hard to resist the rush to Plus. All attempts to significantly alter the existing lists have failed. Yet there’s got to be a better way.
We propose a 50-call Experimental Entry Program which can be taught, standard application, in 10 weeks. This program is fun and easy for dancers to learn and for callers to teach and call. Because class is easier, you have more dancers instead of few survivors. Because the 50-call level is substantially below Plus, the Plus clubs cannot easily cherry-pick your new dancers. We propose to build a new base of new dancers at the 50-call level.
This program is NOT a stepping stone to Plus. It's designed to be a stand-alone experimental destination program, supported and endorsed by successful callers worldwide. We ask callers who participate in this experiment to teach the proposed 50-call Experimental Entry Program, then encourage dancers to dance at that Club Level for at least a year before they even think about moving up.
Dancers who learn this program are NOT “halfway to Plus”. Instead, they are ALL the way to the 50-call Club Level. Instead of classes lasting 30 weeks, let's teach a very reasonable 10 weeks. Instead of rushing dancers through the levels and out the door, let's allow people to dance and enjoy the 50-call Club Level for at least a year. Let's ask new dancers to share the Fun, Fitness and Friendship of square dancing by bringing in other new dancers.
If you choose to participate in this project, you'll get lots of help and support. We will collect and publish teaching techniques, choreography, entertainment methods and marketing strategies. We will publish a worldwide directory of callers and clubs who offer the Experimental 50-call Club Level. We will share our successes with each other and with the world.
Club Level 50 Call List )
Club Level 50
List of Calls
| 1. Dancer Naming: A. Partner / Corner B. Heads / Sides C. Couple #1,#2,#3,#4 D. Boys / Girls E. Centers / Ends 2. Circle Left / Circle Right 3. Forward & Back 4. Dosado 5. Swing 6. Promenade family A. Couples (Full, 1/2, 3/4) B. Single File Promenade C. Star Promenade 7. Allemande Left 8. Arm Turns 9. Right & Left Grand family A. Right and Left Grand B. Weave the Ring C. Wrong Way Grand 10. Left Hand Star / Right Hand Star 11. Pass Thru 12. Split Two / Separate Around 1 or 2 A. to a line B. and come into the middle 13. Star Thru 14. California Twirl 15. Courtesy Turn / Right and Left Thru 16. Ladies Chain family A. Two Ladies Chain (reg. & 3/4) B. Four Ladies Chain (reg. & 3/4) C. Chain Down the Line 17. Dive Thru 18. Lead Right / Lead Left 19. Veer Left / Veer Right 20. Couples Circulate 21. Bend the Line 22. Flutterwheel / Reverse Flutterwheel | 23. Sweep a Quarter 24. Grand Square 25. Circle to a Line 26. Square Thru / Left Square Thru (1,2,3,4) 27. Wheel & Deal 28. Double Pass Thru 29. First Couple Go Left/Right, Next Couple Go Left/Right 30. Zoom 31. Ferris Wheel 32. Rollaway 33. Box the Gnat 34. Ocean Wave family A. Step to a Wave B. Dosado to a Wave C. Allemande Left in the Alamo Style D. Balance 35. Trade family A. (Named Dancers) Trade B. Couples Trade C. Partner Trade 36. Swing Thru / Left Swing Thru 37. Run / Cross Run 38. Pass the Ocean 39. Extend (from 1/4 tag only) 40. Circulate family A. (Named Dancers) Circulate B. All 8 Circulate 41. Trade By 42. Touch 1/4 43. Single File Circulate, Split / Box Circulate 44. Centers In 45. Cast Off 3/4 46. Tag the Line (In/Out/Left/Right) 47. Half Tag 48. Fold / Cross Fold 49. Scoot Back 50. Recycle (from a wave only) |
This program and suggested teaching order can be easily and successfully taught, Standard Application, in 20 hours of class time. One 2 hour lesson per week = 10 week course. Two 2 hour lessons per week = 5 week course, etc. Some tweaking may be preferable, however before tweaking please contact the writers of this paper to hear the rationale behind the order and content.

Square Dance ABC spells an easy way for people to try square dancing at any time, with little or no commitment but with lots of fun.
The Square Dance ABC Marketing Engine
What if we sold square dancing instead of square dance lessons? What if new people could start any time they choose, instead of waiting for the next class to begin? No experience required, take three different beginner dances in any order, new people and their friends can join at any time. You're selling dancing instead of lessons. Experienced and inexperienced are all welcome! You always have an available product. Now that's a HUGE advantage!
Square dancing is a well kept secret from new customers. Beginner classes usually start only once a year. By the 3rd or 4th week of class, it's too late to accept new people. Most of the year, we offer no product to the public.
In the good old days, it was easy to start a beginner class. Just print a few flyers and announce the class at your dances. You could count on having a nice-sized class every year. Times have changed. Nowadays it's hard to get enough people for a class and it's becoming harder each year.
Why not drastically expand our selling opportunities with the new Square Dance ABC Marketing Engine? You already know what a "one-nighter" or "square dance party" is. One-nighters are well suited for new dancers. It's easy to convince people to try square dancing one time. Most people who try it, like it. Square Dance ABC is a series of three different one-nighters. Call the "A" one-nighter this week, call the "B" one-nighter next week, call the "C" one-nighter the third week, then begin again with the "A" one-nighter on the fourth week. Keep it running for several weeks, continuously adding new people.
Upon completing all three one-nighters (in any order), people have attended three separate fun dances but they have also learned 22 square dance calls. They can attend your "ABC" dances using these calls. Square Dance ABC can be used continuously as stand alone dances or it can be used to build up people for a class. Why not do both? Keep running the ABC dances for occasional dancers and start regular classes for those ABC dancers who inquire about where to go from there.
The next time someone hires you for a one-nighter, use Square Dance ABC! Tell the person who hired you for the one-nighter that you actually have THREE different shows you can do. With Square Dance ABC, each one-nighter becomes the chance to get hired back two more times!
We're starting a focus group to develop and publish a booklet about "How to build your own Square Dance ABC program." We need experimenters to try it and report what works. We will collect and publish good Square Dance ABC choreography. Three square dance record companies have already pledged to produce singing calls featuring Square Dance ABC figures. We will publish a directory of clubs and callers worldwide who offer Square Dance ABC and a website will be available for publicity, hints, techniques, resources, and links. Working and sharing together, we will help each other bring new people into square dancing through Square Dance ABC.
We will also explore variations such as teaching Square Dance ABC in one weekend, using it in schools or city recreation departments, etc. It's time to rethink the old ways. We live in an "instant gratification" society. Market research shows square dancing has a strong positive image. Let's use new methods to package and deliver square dancing to today's busy society in a form they can readily accept.
If you have any questions or comments, send them in! Chances are good that someone else has the same question. Working together, we'll make this project as easy as A-B-C!of opportunity for Fun, Fitness and Friends!
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| Allemande Left |
| Circle Left / Circle Right |
| Courtesy Turn |
| Dancing Naming: |
| Partner / Corner |
| Heads / Sides |
| Couple #1, #2/ #3, #4 |
| Boys / Girls |
| Dosado |
| Forward & Back |
| Pass Thru |
| Promenade |
| Right and Left Grand |
| Stars (Right-hand / Left-hand) |
| Swing |
| Weave the Ring |
Individual A, B, and C dances include these calls:
| A | B | C |
| Arm Turns (Right / Left) Bend the Line Couples Circulate Lead Right Veer Left / Right | California Twirl Right and Left Thru Rollaway Star Thru | Grand Square Ladies Chain family: Two Ladies Chain Four Ladies Chain Separate around 1 Split Two |
Dancers learn the individual square dance calls required to square dance at classes, which are usually taught by square dance callers, and are usually sponsored or organized by square dance clubs. In addition to sponsoring classes, clubs also sponsor special social and dance evenings, as well as larger dances, which are usually open to the general square dance community (i.e. non-club dancers).
The individual square dance calls are categorized as belonging to a particular dance program, or level of difficulty. Each dance program has a list of defined dance steps, which is associated with it. These lists of dance steps are managed, and universally recognized.
Mainstream Program List |
| 1. Dancer Naming 2.Circle Family BR> a. Left b. Right 3.Forward & Back< 4. Dosado 5.Swing 6. Promenade Family a. Couples (full, 1/2, 3/4) Single File, Star 7. Allemande a. Left b. Left Arm Turn c. Right Arm Turn 8. Arm Turns 9. Right & Left Grand Family a. Right and Left Grand b. Weave the Ring c. Wrong Way Grand 10. Star Family a. Left b. Right c.Star Promenade 11. Pass Thru 12.Split the Outside Couple 13. Half Sashay Family a. Half Sashay b. Rollaway c. Ladies in, Men Sashay 14. Turn Back Family a. U Turn Back b. Backtrack 15. Separate 16. Courtesy Turn 17. Ladies Chain Family a. 2 Ladies (reg & 3/4) b. 4 Ladies (reg & 3/4) c. Chain Down the Line 18. Do Paso 19. Lead Right 20. Right & Left Thru 21.Grand Square 22 Star Thru 23.Circle to a Line 24. Bend the Line 25.All around the Left Hand Lady 26. See Saw | 27. Square Thru Family a. Square Thru b. Left Square Thru 28. California Twirl 29. Dive Thru 30. Wheel around 31. Thar Family Formation b. Wrong Way Thar 32. Shoot the Star ( Full Around)< 33 Slip the Clutch 34 Box the Gnat --------------------------------- 35.Ocean Wave Family a. Right Hand Wave b. Left Hand Wave c. Wave Balance 36. Alamo Ring 37. Pass the Ocean 38. Extend (1/4 Tag Only) 39. Swing Thru Family a. Swing Thru b. Alamo Style Wave c. Left Swing Thru 40.Run Family a. boys, b. girls c.ends d. Centers, e. Cross 41. Trade Family a. Boys, Girls, b. Ends, c. Centers d. Couples, f. Partner 42. Wheel & Deal Family a. Lines of Four b. Two-Faced Lines --------------------------------- 43. Double Pass Thru 44.1st/2nd Couple go Right/Left 45. Zoom 46.Flutter Wheel Family a. Flutterwheel b. Reverse Flutterwheel 47. Sweep a Quarter 48 Veer Family a. Left, b. Right 49.Trade By | 50. Touch 1/4 51.Circulate Family a. Boys, Girls, b. All Eight, d. Ends, Centers, f. Couples, g. Box, h. Split h. Single File (Column) 52. Ferris Wheel ------------------------------- 53. Cloverleaf 54. Turn Thru 55. Spin Chain Thru 56. Pass To The Center 57. Spin The Top 58.Center In 59.Cast Off 3/4 60.Walk & Dodge 61.Slide Thru 62.Fold Family a. Boys, Girls, c. Ends d. Centers, e. Cross ------------------------------- 63.Dixie Style--Ocean Wave 64. Spin Chain Thru 65.Tag Family (In/Out/Left/Right) 66.Half TagBR> 67.Scoot Back * Fan the Top (Moved to Plus) 68.inge Family 69.Recycle (Waves Only) ------------------------------- Color Code For New Dancer Hoedowns. Clubs are asked to advertise and Callers are asked to call within the given level for the Month of the Hoedown. DECEMBER-- or first dance (1 THRU 34) JANUARY------ or second dance (1 THRU 42) FEBRUARY---- or third dance (1 THRU 53) MARCH--------- or forth dance (1 THRU 62) APRIL----------- befoe graduation (1 THRU 69) There is NO program called Mainstream/Plus.Please advertise as Mainstream OR Plus or Alternating Mainstream and Plus |
I have been Square Dancing for over 30 years . I have always had an interest in calling and I told myself when the time is right to start calling, I will know it. Well, the time is here and I am ready. So let's square them up and get dancing.
So check out my next few pages.
Welcome
To The Old Guy
Entertainment
Square Dance Caller Site

The Old Guy Entertainment
8251 Mondavi place
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
United States
ph: 909-985-3929
alt: 909-229-2348
oldguyen