18 September 2011
Samena Squares Newsletter #2
09/24/2011
Dear Friends,
How wonderful to see more new friends last Thursday. We are glad that you chose to join us.
For those of you who were here the first week, I still haven’t figured out what happened to the first newsletter. I hope that you have received it as I emailed it again. For those of you new to class this last week, you should have received it too. Or you can check out Newsletter #1 on my web site – www.callersusan.com, under the Samena’s New Dancer tab.
One of the pleasures of learning to square dance is that you can then dance anywhere. In the next few weeks we will be talking more and more about attending square dances at other clubs, New Dancer Dances or Student Level Dances. We will talk about what and where they are Thursday night. Please put the dates for the October dances on your calendar and plan to come.
Friday, October 7, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. First Friday Fun Fest hosted by the Whirlybirds at the Hayloft in Lynnwood; Dave Harry, calling.
Friday, October 28, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. Super Heroes and Villains Halloween Dance hosted by the Samena Squares at the Juanita Community Club in Kirkland; Susan Morris, calling. Costumes encouraged.
Sunday, October 30, 7 – 10 p.m. “Halloween” Student Level Dance hosted by the Freewheelers at the Lake City Community Club, Seattle; Dennis Webb, calling. Halloween costume contest.
The Samena Squares, as a square dance club, is part of the Mt. Baker Square Dance Council, which is an organization of square and round dance clubs. The geographic area served by the Council is from a bit south of the King County line up to the Canadian border and from the Cascades to Whidbey Island. The Council is one of many councils that comprise the State Square Dance Federation. The official name is the Square and Folk Dance Federation of Washington.
Here are a couple more web sites with lots of square dance information:
Mt. Baker Square Dance Council – http://www.sqdance.org/
Square and Folk Dance Federation of Washington – http://www.squaredance-wa.org/
Don’t forget that this week is the last open enrollment week. Feel free to bring friends, family, co-workers, etc. to class.
Enjoy the sun!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #2:
Dancer naming:
i, Couple: Two people standing side by side; for universal understanding of square dance commands the dancer on the left dances the boy/man part of commands, the dancer on the right dances the girl/lady part of commands.
ii. Heads, Sides, Couple Numbers: Head couples have their back to or face the caller/music; Sides are the other two couples; Couple numbers – #1 back to caller, #2 to their right, #3 to the right of #2 or face the caller, #4 to the right of #3.
iii. Boys, Girls: Actual Boys and Girls or those dancing the Boy/Girl part of the move.
1. Circle Left & Right: Join hands in a circle and move left or right as indicated; circles can be made with 2 or more people. CIRCLE LEFT & RIGHT – 8 dancers full around, 16 steps; 4 dancers full around, 8 steps.
2. Forward & Back: In a squared set for heads or sides, it is 3 steps and touch then back 3 steps. FORWARD & BACK – 8 steps.
3 a. Dosado: With person you are facing, step slightly left, walk forward to pass right shoulders, slide back to back, back up past left shoulder, slide to face to face start position. DOSADO – with corner/partner 6 steps, across square – 8 steps.
5. Promenade Family:
5 a. Couples: With partner walk together counter-clockwise to home position; right hands joined over joined left hands. PROMENADE – couples full around 16 steps.
5 b. Single File Promenade: Specified dancers walk single file counterclockwise inside the square or where indicated by the caller. SINGLE FILE PROMENADE – 4 dancers inside to home – 8 steps.
6. Allemande Left: Turn toward corner, left arm turn 180 degrees, let go and step through, end back to back with corner, facing partner. ALLEMANDE LEFT – 8 steps.
8. Right and Left Grand Family:
8 a. Right & Left Grand: Start facing partner, take right hands, walk by, offer left hand to next, walk by; continue alternating hands to the 5th hand (should be the dancer you started with). Boys are going counterclockwise; girls are going clockwise. RIGHT & LEFT GRAND – 10 steps.
9. Left/Right Hand Star: Indicated dancers step to the center of the formation to join the designated hand in a loose star; walk forward to starting position of next call. It is often a full turn but can be fractionalized. LEFT/ RIGHT HAND STAR – 4 dancers full around 8 steps.
15. Courtesy Turn: Girls (or right hand dancer) sticks out left hand in front palm down; Boys (or left hand dancer) offers left hand palm up to girl, place right hand on the small of her back; gently guide her forward, while backing up, turning as a couple to face opposite direction or the center of the set. COURTESY TURN – 4 steps.
16. Ladies Chain Family:
16 a. Two & Four Ladies Chain: Two (or four) girls step toward the center to make a right hand star; turn 1/2 way; offer left hand to opposite boy for a COURTESY TURN; end as couple facing center of formation. While girls are staring the boys take a step to their right to be in correct position for COURTESY TURN. TWO & FOUR LADIES CHAIN – 8 steps.
23. Grand Square: (32 beats of music) Each individual dancer tracks the four sides of a square in their quadrant on the floor. If you are toes-to-toes start by backing up; if you are far apart start by walking forward. Command is “Sides Face, Grand Square.” GRAND SQUARE – 32 steps.
How wonderful to see more new friends last Thursday. We are glad that you chose to join us.
For those of you who were here the first week, I still haven’t figured out what happened to the first newsletter. I hope that you have received it as I emailed it again. For those of you new to class this last week, you should have received it too. Or you can check out Newsletter #1 on my web site – www.callersusan.com, under the Samena’s New Dancer tab.
One of the pleasures of learning to square dance is that you can then dance anywhere. In the next few weeks we will be talking more and more about attending square dances at other clubs, New Dancer Dances or Student Level Dances. We will talk about what and where they are Thursday night. Please put the dates for the October dances on your calendar and plan to come.
Friday, October 7, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. First Friday Fun Fest hosted by the Whirlybirds at the Hayloft in Lynnwood; Dave Harry, calling.
Friday, October 28, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. Super Heroes and Villains Halloween Dance hosted by the Samena Squares at the Juanita Community Club in Kirkland; Susan Morris, calling. Costumes encouraged.
Sunday, October 30, 7 – 10 p.m. “Halloween” Student Level Dance hosted by the Freewheelers at the Lake City Community Club, Seattle; Dennis Webb, calling. Halloween costume contest.
The Samena Squares, as a square dance club, is part of the Mt. Baker Square Dance Council, which is an organization of square and round dance clubs. The geographic area served by the Council is from a bit south of the King County line up to the Canadian border and from the Cascades to Whidbey Island. The Council is one of many councils that comprise the State Square Dance Federation. The official name is the Square and Folk Dance Federation of Washington.
Here are a couple more web sites with lots of square dance information:
Mt. Baker Square Dance Council – http://www.sqdance.org/
Square and Folk Dance Federation of Washington – http://www.squaredance-wa.org/
Don’t forget that this week is the last open enrollment week. Feel free to bring friends, family, co-workers, etc. to class.
Enjoy the sun!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #2:
Dancer naming:
i, Couple: Two people standing side by side; for universal understanding of square dance commands the dancer on the left dances the boy/man part of commands, the dancer on the right dances the girl/lady part of commands.
ii. Heads, Sides, Couple Numbers: Head couples have their back to or face the caller/music; Sides are the other two couples; Couple numbers – #1 back to caller, #2 to their right, #3 to the right of #2 or face the caller, #4 to the right of #3.
iii. Boys, Girls: Actual Boys and Girls or those dancing the Boy/Girl part of the move.
1. Circle Left & Right: Join hands in a circle and move left or right as indicated; circles can be made with 2 or more people. CIRCLE LEFT & RIGHT – 8 dancers full around, 16 steps; 4 dancers full around, 8 steps.
2. Forward & Back: In a squared set for heads or sides, it is 3 steps and touch then back 3 steps. FORWARD & BACK – 8 steps.
3 a. Dosado: With person you are facing, step slightly left, walk forward to pass right shoulders, slide back to back, back up past left shoulder, slide to face to face start position. DOSADO – with corner/partner 6 steps, across square – 8 steps.
5. Promenade Family:
5 a. Couples: With partner walk together counter-clockwise to home position; right hands joined over joined left hands. PROMENADE – couples full around 16 steps.
5 b. Single File Promenade: Specified dancers walk single file counterclockwise inside the square or where indicated by the caller. SINGLE FILE PROMENADE – 4 dancers inside to home – 8 steps.
6. Allemande Left: Turn toward corner, left arm turn 180 degrees, let go and step through, end back to back with corner, facing partner. ALLEMANDE LEFT – 8 steps.
8. Right and Left Grand Family:
8 a. Right & Left Grand: Start facing partner, take right hands, walk by, offer left hand to next, walk by; continue alternating hands to the 5th hand (should be the dancer you started with). Boys are going counterclockwise; girls are going clockwise. RIGHT & LEFT GRAND – 10 steps.
9. Left/Right Hand Star: Indicated dancers step to the center of the formation to join the designated hand in a loose star; walk forward to starting position of next call. It is often a full turn but can be fractionalized. LEFT/ RIGHT HAND STAR – 4 dancers full around 8 steps.
15. Courtesy Turn: Girls (or right hand dancer) sticks out left hand in front palm down; Boys (or left hand dancer) offers left hand palm up to girl, place right hand on the small of her back; gently guide her forward, while backing up, turning as a couple to face opposite direction or the center of the set. COURTESY TURN – 4 steps.
16. Ladies Chain Family:
16 a. Two & Four Ladies Chain: Two (or four) girls step toward the center to make a right hand star; turn 1/2 way; offer left hand to opposite boy for a COURTESY TURN; end as couple facing center of formation. While girls are staring the boys take a step to their right to be in correct position for COURTESY TURN. TWO & FOUR LADIES CHAIN – 8 steps.
23. Grand Square: (32 beats of music) Each individual dancer tracks the four sides of a square in their quadrant on the floor. If you are toes-to-toes start by backing up; if you are far apart start by walking forward. Command is “Sides Face, Grand Square.” GRAND SQUARE – 32 steps.