Lesson 8 recap.  Here's the figures we covered:

• Split Two and around 1 to a line
• Double Pass Thru
• First Couple Left, Next Couple Right
• Ocean Wave
• Swing Thru

I've provided a brief description of each figure below, along with links to the Taminations website and the Saddlebrook Squares website.  

In Lesson 9 (November 18), we will cover these figures:

• Run
• Cross Run
• Pass the Ocean
• Extend
• Zoom

Great work by all!  and thanks to the Angels.  See you Sunday night.  Kirk.
 


1.Split Two (and around 1 to a line)
 
The active or directed dancers move forward between the two inactive dancers (splitting them). The inactive dancers move apart to let them through then move back together.
 
Taminations website
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/#link=b1%2Fsplit_the_outside_couple&name=Split%20the%20Outside%20Couple&level=true&title=Split%20the%20Outside%20Couple&animnum=0&action=ANIMLIST
 
Saddlebrook Squares website
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m13.htm
 
 
2.Double Pass Thru
 
Dancers move forward until all dancers have passed two other dancers. Dancers pass right shoulders.
 
Taminations website
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/#link=b2%2Fdouble_pass_thru&name=Double%20Pass%20Thru%20from%20Single%20Column&level=true&title=Double%20Pass%20Thru&animnum=0&action=ANIMLIST
 
Saddlebrook Squares website
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m13.htm
 
 
3.First Couple Left, Next Couple Right
 
Dancers, with each couple working as a unit, walk forward in an arc in the indicated direction. The center couple walks forward before taking the second direction given.
Taminations website
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/#link=b2%2Ffirst_couple_go&name=First%20Couple%20Go%20Left%2C%20Next%20Couple%20Go%20Right&level=true&title=First%20Couple%20Go%20Left%2C%20Next%20Couple%20Go%20Right&animnum=0&action=ANIMLIST
 
 
4.Ocean Wave (Step to), right hand and left hand
 
Dancers walk forward a small step and join right hands (for a right handed Ocean Wave – which is normally the case).
For a left handed Ocean wave, dancers walk forward  a small step and join left hands.
 
Taminations website
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/#link=b2%2Focean_wave&name=Step%20to%20a%20Wave%20from%20Facing%20Couples&level=true&title=Step%20to%20a%20Wave&animnum=0&action=ANIMLIST
 
Saddlebrook Squares website
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m07.htm
 
 
5.Swing Thru
 
Right Swing Thru (which is normally the case): Those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the right; then those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the left.
 
Left Swing Thru: Those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the left; then those who can turn 1/2 (180 degrees) by the right.
 
Taminations website
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/#link=b2%2Fswing_thru&name=Swing%20Thru%20from%20Right-Hand%20Wave&level=true&title=Swing%20Thru&animnum=0&action=ANIMLIST
 
Saddlebrook Squares website
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m07.htm
 

A pair of sharp-eyed dancers noticed that the explanation of "Circle to a Line" in my Lesson 7 blog used the figure that we have learned called "California Twirl".

There are 2 methods of Circle to a Line.   The easier method, which does not use a California Twirl, is best described as a slide to a line.  In this case the couple on the inside circle behind the outside dancers, just as we've done, and slide to the left.  The outside dancers slide to the right.  Much simpler.

See Circle to a Line at 1:25 of the video at this site (Saddlebrook Squares)
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m04.htm

Another great class.  We started with a review of figures learned in Lesson 6, then started in on several new figures.  What did we learn?

• Circle to a Line
  • Each group of facing couples Circle Left 1/2 (180 degrees). The left-side dancer in the new outside couple releases the left handhold and slides sideways to the left to become the left end of a One-faced Line (which faces the line formed by the other four dancers). All other handholds are maintained. The other dancers continue circling, gradually blending into the One-Faced Line by unwinding the circle. The final dancer replaces the unwinding action with a forward and left-turning twirl, walking under an arch made with the adjacent dancer, similar in action to a California Twirl.
    
• Separate (around 1 to a line, and around 1 and down the middle)
  • Separate around 1 to a line: The designated dancers (e.g, heads) turn back-to-back and start walking forward in opposite directions around the outside of the square away from each other until they meet another dancer.  The sides then step apart to let the head dancers step in between to form a line.
    
  • Separate around 1 and down the middle: The designated dancers (e.g., heads) turn back-to-back and start walking forward in opposite directions around the outside of the square away from each other until they meet another dancer. The sides then step apart to let the head dancers step in between and then proceed into the middle as a couple.  The side couples then slide together.
    
• Wheel and Deal
  • Each couple works as a unit. Wheel and Deal is danced as one smooth motion, even though the descriptions below break the motion into two parts.
    From a Two-Faced Line: Each couple steps forward and then wheels 180 degrees toward the center of the line, with the original center dancers acting as the pivots about which the couples turn. Couples end facing each other.
    From a One-Faced Line: The couple on the left steps forward. Then each couple wheels 180 degrees toward the center of the original line, with the original center dancers acting as the pivots about which the couples turn. The couple that started on the right ends in front of the other couple.
    
• Double Pass Thru
  • Dancers move forward until all dancers have passed two other dancers. Dancers pass right shoulders.
    

In Lesson 8, we'll cover the following figures:

• First Couple Left, Next Couple Right
• Split the Outside Couple
  
• Ocean Wave
  
• Run and Cross Run
  
• Swing Thru
  

Good work and see you on Sunday November 10.  Kirk Rockerbie

Well, that was good time. We reviewed some previous figures, and learned some new figures.  So what did we review?  

• Lead right and veer left
• Circulate (boys, girls, ends, centers, couples, all 8)
• Chain down the line
• Grand Square (sides face  grand square)
• Ladies backtrack

New figures we learned were:

• Trade (boys, girls, ends, centers, couples, partner)
  • Partner trade is the same as a California Twirl with no hands.  The couple must be facing the same direction.
    • All other trades occur when dancers are in a line, for example, with men on the ends and ladies in the center.  In this case, men move forward to take the position of the other man in the line. Ladies, who in the center, similarly move forward to take the position of the other lady.
• Right and Left Thru
  • Remember Pass Thru and Wheel Around?  Right and Left Thru achieves the  same result.  Couples are facing each other.  Each dancer extends his/her right hand and does a pull by, with the men given the ladies a courtesy turn to face the other couple.
• Flutterwheel/Reverse Flutterwheel
  • Couples are facing each other.  
    • Flutterwheel - the ladies extend their right arms and do a right forearm pull by, then using their left hands take the opposite man back to the ladies starting position.
    • Reverse flutterwheel - the men extend their left arms and do a left forearm pull by, then using their right hands take the opposite lady back to the mans starting position.
• Sweep 1/4
  • Used in conjunction with a Flutterwheel or Reverse Flutterwheel for now.  The couples sweep another 1/4 around in the direction they were travelling in.

For those dancers eager to see what we'll be learning in Lesson #7, here's the list of figures:

• Circle to a Line
• Separate
• Split Two
• Wheel and Deal
• Double Pass Thru
• First Couple Left, Next Couple Right

With Lesson#6 behind you, you are one-third complete of the course.  Congratulations and keep up the good work!  Kirk Rockerbie

https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/
​https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/

Circulate
In the case of men, ladies, ends, centers and all 8 circulate, the general rule is that directed dancers will move forward along the circulate path to the next position.  For couples circulate, couples will move forward to the next position.  Here is a link to a video that lets you see real dancers perform  circulates.
https://www.videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/m08.htm

Well that's lesson #5 tonight and everyone is doing great!  Tonight we reviewed Grand Square and Square Through (4 hands, 3 hands and 2 hands).  What did we learn tonight you ask?  Here's what we did:

1. Lead right and veer left, and Lead left and veer right.  In this example, the Head couples while holding hands with their partners turn out to the right to stand in front of and face the side couples on their right side.  When the caller says "veer left", the two couples step up and slide apart with the ladies joining right hands in the middle.  Lead left and veer right would have the head couples lead to the left and stand in front of the side couple on their left side.  When told to "veer right", the couples would step up and slide apart to allow the ladies in the center to hold left hands in the middle.
2. Circulate (mens, ladies, ends, centers, all 8 and couples). I will post detailed explanations of each of these on Monday Oct 22. In the meantime, you can visit Saddlebrook Squares and see the videos of dancers performing these figures.
3. Ladies backtrack. When in a single file promenade or couples promenade around the square, the ladies, when hearing 'ladies backtrack', will peel off to the right and promenade in the opposite direction of the men.  The caller might then say, for example, ' when you find your partner, swing and promenade".

I hope you had a great time tonight!  In Lesson #6 we will learn

1. Trade (mens, ladies, ends, centers, partners, couples)
2. Right and left through
3. flutterwheel 
4. reverse flutterwheel
5. sweep  a quarter

​

Lesson 4 was mostly review, with two new figures introduced - Square Through and Grand Square.

Square Through is one of the most widely used figures in square dancing.  We learned how to do a Square Through 4 (that being 4 hands around), Square Through 3 (that being 3 hands around), and Square Through 2 (that being, you guessed correctly, 2 hands around).  Both the Saddlebrook Squares and Taminations websites would be worth visiting to further study Square Through.

We also learned Grand Square -- which  is usually called as Sides Face Grand Square.  In this figure all dancers are in motion at the same time, with each dancer completing an individual square with the larger square.  The heads start by stepping forward into the center, and the side stepping backwards,

We will review Square Through and Grand Square as part of Lesson 5, and learn some new material as well.

Keep up the good work!  Kirk Rockerbie

​Well that was fun last Sunday night.  I hope the new dancers had a good experience and look forward to future lessons.  So what did we cover?  Well, we reviewed all figures from Lessons 1 and 2, and then went through four new figures which were:

1. U turn back
2. Bend the Line
3. California Twirl
4. Dive Through

Each of these figures is shown with real dancers on the Saddlebrook Squares website at 
https://videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/#mainstream

U-turn back and California Twirl are demonstrated in Lesson 1c.
Bend the Line is demonstrated in Lesson 4
Dive Through is demonstrated in Lesson 7.

Should you have any questions, please contact me at your convenience.

Remember, no lesson on October 7.

Another great lesson!  So what did we cover?  Here's the list:

• Right arm turn (the brother to Allemande Left)
• Stars (right hand and left hand, in the centre of the square)
• Star thru and slide thru 
• Ladies rollaway
• Half Sashay
• Ladies in, men sashay

We also learned the positions in a square, which consists of 8 dances (4 couples).  The positions are:

• Heads (couples 1 and 3)
• Sides (couples 2 and 4)
• Corner (men, that's the lady on your left. ladies, that's the man on your right)
• Partner):

Next lesson, we will cover the following figures (for those that want to refer to Taminations to see what's coming):

• California Twirl
• Bend the Line
• U-Turn Back
• Dive Thru

Don't worry ... we will review all that we have learned so far before proceeding onto any new material.  
Keep up the good work and have fun!

That was a fun filled first Lesson!  Congratulations to the new dancers for advancing through some of the basic figures of square dancing.  We covered a lot of ground, and here's all the figures and movements we covered:

Circle left and circle right
Forward and back (or up to middle and back)
Promenade (single file promenade, couples promenade, and wrong way promenade)
Dosado
Allemande left
Right and left grand
Weave
Pass thru
Wheel around
Ladies chain across
Swing

That's impressive.  We'll review all this at Lesson 2 and add a few more figures.  You may be asking if there are any internet sites that you can go to see what we did.  Good question.  Here are two sites that of are great assistance in demonstrating the figures and movements.

Taminations
https://www.tamtwirlers.org/taminations/
- look under "Basic 1"

Saddlebrook Squares
https://videosquaredancelessons.com/lessons/
- look under "Review Mainstream Lessons"

See you on Sunday. Kirk Rockerbie