ETIQUETTE

     

HSC_DanceHeavenly  Every club has its own rules for dancing.  The details of these lists may vary from club to club but these two samples represent the general ideas that everyone can agree on.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR SQUARE DANCING

I. Thou shalt square dance only for the fun which thee will find in it.

II. Thou shall not be a snob considering thyself too good to dance with any and all sitting out the mixers, or leaving a square lest thou be required to dance with those whom thou deemest unworthy of thy talents, for the gods of retribution are zealous gods, and will visit their mischief upon thee. and thou wilt be the one to goof the square.

III. Thou shalt be exuberant. but shalt act thy age. Do not offend others by thy high flung legs, and outflared skirts.

IV. Thou shalt go abroad and dance with other callers so thy opinions expressed as to merit of this one and that one are based on fact.

V. Thou shalt not let the stranger in thy midst sit on the sidelines and cool his heels, nor fail to speak to him.

VI. Thou shalt bathe diligently that the sweet aroma of soap and shaving lotion may assail the nostrils of thy associates.

VII. Thou shalt take care that the words of thy mouth are not scented with garlic or beer.

VIII. Thou shalt honor thy club and give thy loyalty, for if thou cants not do this, it were better to separate thyself from it and join thyself to another whose methods, members and callers are more to thy liking.

IX. Thou shalt not kill thy club with bickering and fault finding.

X. Thou shalt not forget that thou were once a beginner.
 
 
HERE IS ANOTHER VERION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
 
 
I     Thou shalt book only two tips with thy Partner on Club night, that others may benefit from thy fine personality and great experience.
II    Thou shalt not book thy tips more than two in advance, for thy club hath Guests that would like to dance with thee.
III   Thou shalt swing thy partner with gentleness and grace, lest thee cause pain or embarrassment to thy partner or thyself.
IV    Thou shalt wear thy club badge to all club nights and hoedowns, that thy name and thy club shalt be known to all dancers in the land.
V     Thou shalt strive to dance in different squares, that those with two left hands or less experience shalt benefit from thy talent and thy help.
VI    Thou shalt not get upset when thy square breaketh down, for thy smile, thy patience, and thy leadership shall restore order to thy square.
VII   Thou shalt honor thy caller and harken to his voice, for thy success dependeth greatly on his words. Further, thou shalt not anticipate nor dance ahead of thy caller, for he is of fiendish nature and may deliberately foul thee up and make thee appear an idiot in front of thy fellow dancers.
VIII Thou shalt not partake of strong drink before or during the dance, lest thy mind become befuddled and thee ends up with thy foot in thine own mouth.
IX     Thou shalt bathe diligently before the dance, thereby creating a pleasant aroma for thy partners and leaving the earthly smells to the factory and the barnyard. Thou shalt also take care that the words of thy mouth are not scented with garlic or beer.
X      Thou shalt strive to observe these commandments, for thy reward shall be great. Many friends shall thee have, and thy name shall be listed among the finest people in the land.

 

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Program-Related Subjects

for New Mainstream Dancers

This checklist contains information that will benefit the new dancer. It is recommended that this information be covered during the course of mainstream lessons. There is nothing magic about the timing of this information. Often, the topic will be spontaneous as an opportunity arises. The objective is to weave this information into a set of lessons.

  • Be a good listener.
  • Get in a squares quickly
  • Be a courteous dancer
  • Be on time for class and club
  • Be a thoughtful dancer
  • Be a cooperative dancer.
  • Take it easy.
  • Be a friendly dancer.
  • You're never through learning.
  • Enjoy youself - have fun.
 

If a square breaks down, the fastest way to resume dancing is to form normal (he/she/he/she) facing lines and watch for the rest of the floor to reach this formation. The caller will recognize when the broken square is in lines, and will assist them by taking the rest of the floor to lines and then calling "Everybody Go Forward and Back" before the next call. Dancers must learn that this movement allows them to resume dancing, but they may not end up with their own partner at the end of the sequence. They should be instructed to finish the sequence with their "new" partner and corner and "fix" partners & corners as they return to home.

Dancers may form lines by the following:

1. Return to home position as soon as possible.
2. Then the head ladies will take their corner's hand and head couples will back out
     to form lines at the sides of the square.
3. On the caller's command, "EVERYBODY go forward and back", they enter
     into the dance pattern.

 

  

   

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