CALLERLAB KnowledgeBase

This summary page points to material useful for doing single party nights or other dances aimed at people with no prior dance training. These dances are intended to be stand-alone ... Read More

This Dance Resource is a compilation of Beginner Party Dances, Community Dances, Contra Dances, and Traditional Square Dances. Dances are grouped by type and listed in HTML code for easy ... Read More

The CD Journal (formally titled CDP Journal) is published several times a year by the Committee for Community and Traditional Dance (CCTD). The Community Dance Program Journal is aimed at ... Read More

Cal Campbell has put up over 200 teaching videos for Community Dance and party night dances. Sometimes the written description of a dance isn't enough to figure out how it ... Read More

This report provided Questions and Answers concerning the Square Dance Video produced by the Minnesota square dancers ... Read More

This is a set of CDs and guidebooks that can be used by teachers or community leaders as a user friendly resource for teaching square dancing ... Read More

Dean Dederson posted a question in the Sustainable Square Dance group in Facebook. The answers provided by Barry Johnson and Joni Micals constitute an excellent Winning Ways story on using ... Read More

Square Dancing is an overwhelmingly social activity. Therefore, it is essential that square dance groups create a social environment that feels welcoming, engaging, and safe. Events in recent years have ... Read More

Welcome to the CALLERLAB Square Dance KnowledgeBase Notice On February 18, CALLERLAB went live with an updated version of the main CALLERLAB website. (https://callerlab.org) The new site has been reorganized ... Read More

This article summarizes several experimental approaches to teaching new dancers known to be in use at the time of writing. All of these systems are aimed at the recruiting of ... Read More

This square dance marketing plan has been developed by CALLERLAB members in support of our mission: “To foster the art of square dance calling, and improve caller skills.” Just like ... Read More

We received the following information from Mary Knoppe with information about a square dance video program made available to viewers on Public Access television in the Santa Clara Valley area ... Read More

This is a report from Eddie Harry with information about the 25th Anniversary of the Square Dance as the official State Dance of Washington. (10-01-2004) ... Read More

The desire for a tape to show at square dance demos, showing the fun and excitement of Square Dancing, has developed into a 15 minute Square Dancing Infomercial in Minnesota’s ... Read More

This summary article from Julian Pritchard describes the various teaching and dancing recordings their group has been using to learn and to dance in the absence of a live caller ... Read More

In the past there have been plans that provide for a Program with less calls (ABC, Community Dance Program, Basic 1, etc.) with little thought to moving those folks who ... Read More

For many years, as a lead-in to the main convention, CALLERLAB has hosted a 1-1/2 day seminar focusing on how to call square dance parties for non-dancers. CALLERLAB has posted ... Read More

Each year the CALLERLAB Convention provides two full days of education and information sessions. For many years audio recordings have been made of selected sessions, and latterly some have also ... Read More

Each year the CALLERLAB Convention provides two full days of education and information sessions. For many years audio recordings have been made of selected sessions, and latterly some have also ... Read More

This summary points to the primary program-related documents that have been officially published by CALLERLAB. This includes program lists, call definitions, timing charts, lesson checklists, teaching tips, formation charts, standard ... Read More

This book traces the development of Modern Western Square Dancing from its earliest origins through to the present day. Understanding the evolution of our activity can shed valuable insights for ... Read More

The Sustainable Square Dance system is designed to create a 50 call entry program that can be taught quickly, roughly 12 weeks, and yet serve as a realistic destination program ... Read More

This article was posted on their website by the Ontario Square and Round Dance Federation. It discusses the health benefits of square dancing and also contains links to other materials ... Read More

This summary article contains a table (see below) that points to a number of media articles about square dancing or people involved in square dancing. They frequently contain information useful ... Read More

This 2-page document lists some of the commonly used sound equipment used for square dancing and where it may be obtained. It is a handout from a presentation at the ... Read More

Despite its popularity, the history of square dance has been sparsely documented. Only a few currently published and available books offer any detailed discussion of the development of this form ... Read More

The CDSS site contains material about a variety of country dance forms including square dancing, contra dancing, and English country dancing. In addition to historical and cultural information, there are ... Read More

The IAGSDC is an umbrella organization for square dance clubs around the world that serve the LGBTQ community. Their History Wiki presents a wide range of historical information about LGBTQ ... Read More

This article contains the text of a keynote address by Eric Henerlau at the 66th US National in Cincinnati in 2017. It is full of great ideas for growing square ... Read More

This summary article contains a table (see below) that contains links to the interviews that Bob Brundage did with a wide variety of notable people in the square dance community ... Read More

This article documents a Japanese study on the effects of engaging in dance activities, or playing musical instruments, in individuals displaying symptoms of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Their overall conclusion: ... Read More

This newsletter article describes a Pinterest board established by the Canadian Square and Round Dance Society (CSRDS) that contains material useful in the promotion of square dancing ... Read More

This summary article points to some places where recordings of interviews with callers have been collected ... Read More

Thanks to Kurt Gollhardt for producing this single page that alphabetically lists the calls used in the Sustainable Square Dance experimental lesson system. The sheet highlights the calls from the ... Read More

This account from Jerry Junck describes a seemingly trivial change in the way dancers are seated during breaks which he believes has improved the social atmosphere of the group and ... Read More

CSDS (Ceder Square Dance System) is a comprehensive program that incorporates under one roof all the facilities needed by square dance callers ... Read More

The Square Rotation Program (SQROT) is used at a dance to assign dancers to squares. The objective is to ensure a thorough mixing of dancers such that each dancer dances ... Read More

This book traces the history of the American Square Dance from its earliest roots to modern day. It was compiled by reviewing the documents and artifacts donated by the Square ... Read More

This Winning Ways story from a newer caller explains how she is using the SSD program to teach new dancers ... Read More

North Shore Squares dances in Evanston, ILL and has been using the Sustainable Square Dance (also known as SSD and Club 50) teaching list as their intake level. To help ... Read More

The Mount Baker Council in the Seattle area had good success running a “No Experience Necessary” dance in partnership with a local YMCA ... Read More

This discussion forum moderated by Cal Campbell has a wealth of material about square dance modular choreography. The purpose of the group is education in the use of square dance ... Read More

There are some differences in culture and customs between straight and gay square dance groups. Callers who have never called for a gay group before often have questions about what ... Read More

Square dancing is enjoying a surge of interest from both dancers and callers in the greater Chicago area. Clubs in Glenview, Wilmette, Evanston and Arlington Heights, as well as Chicago's North Side, will ... Read More

Barry Wonson edits an Australian caller newsletter called Behind The Mike. It consistently presents a wealth of useful information for callers and dance leaders. You can subscribe to have editions ... Read More

The following table is a register of documents that CALLERLAB has published for external distribution and usage. Each table column can be sorted by clicking on the up/down chevrons in ... Read More

This podcast is for the purpose of square dance education. These are audio files that have been digitally re-mastered from albums and videos previously released on the various music labels ... Read More

There are two YouTube channels that collect videos related to square dancing and square dance history: squaredancehistory, and squaredancehistory2. The first (squaredancehistory) contains 100 video clips recorded at the November ... Read More

Last Update: (EDT) CALLERLAB is working hard to keep up with the ramifications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this page is to provide you with timely and ... Read More

Useful links to other square dance information ... Read More

Saddlebrook Squares of Tucson, AZ and their caller Larry Kraber have made and excellent set of teaching videos for the Mainstream and Plus programs. These videos are available online or ... Read More

This book is an authorized biography of a true square dance legend: Marshall Flippo ... Read More

This article aggregates a number of sources for obtaining music suitable for square dancing. It includes both music specially produced for square dancing and also sources of alternative music ... Read More

This presentation session covered how to plan for events that are larger than a standard club dance, either in duration or number of dancers. This could range anywhere from a ... Read More

IDEA: Many gas stations have advertising on top of their pumps. In many cases this space is for sale and could be used to advertise square dance lessons or events ... Read More

IDEA: Recruiting new callers: Once a year in our area, a club in our area has an "amateur callers night". It is announced a few months in advance. Criteria is ... Read More

The Kittyhawk Squares are a social club that square dances and not a square dance club that socializes. We have an excellent home dance location: The Lathrem Senior Center of ... Read More

Mike suggested that they contact the local Co-operative Extension Office (4H) to see if they would be interested in sponsoring the teens as a part of 4H. Not only was ... Read More

Claudia Littlefair is the editor of the Alberta Chatter newsletter. This edition provides a wonderful compilation of a number of articles dealing with advertising, marketing, promotion, and recruiting ... Read More

The AL e MO Squares, 150 members strong, will celebrate their 25 Anniversary in May 2003. They are holding an Anniversary Dance and through personal contact, by club members, they ... Read More

In March 2003 the Akron Area Square and Round Dance Federation sponsored a Saturday afternoon Leadership Seminar for all member clubs and clubs from the neighboring Federations. All area callers ... Read More

There is some good news for square dance clubs that want to grow. A solid solution is available to help any club willing to be smart and progressive. But the ... Read More

The Dancers category contains articles with information for dancers or regarding dancers. This includes topics such as recruiting, training, and retention of dancers, information about starting and operating clubs, holding ... Read More

This report is from the Hubs Square dance Club in Geauga County, Ohio and their caller, Ray Miller. It concerns the Hubs and their accelerated square dance class for the ... Read More

An account of how clubs in Texas increased their membership by rethinking how they approached recruiting and lesson plans ... Read More

One of our members runs a local bed and breakfast which happens to be an old farm (Victorian farmhouse and a big old barn). At his suggestion, we’ve started having ... Read More

During the early 1990’s, the Valley Trailers Square Dance Club of Northridge, California had lost much of its membership from earlier years. The club had also fallen on bad times ... Read More

The Gnat boxers of Wooster, Ohio have 22 members in their new dancer group for the 2002 –03 dance year. They have 4 singles, 2 men and 2 women, and ... Read More

In the various square dance magazines and web sites you can read how square dance clubs and national organizations have plans for advertising square dancing, for “improving” our public image, ... Read More

Hard work and perseverance has paid off for the 49’ersSquare Dance Club of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There are 24 new dancers in their 2002-03 class. Their promotional efforts started in ... Read More

This is a report on teen dancers in Petaluma, CA as reported in the Press Democrat By Janet Parmer ... Read More

The Boomerangs is a club that is not a club. We are not a dancing club; rather we are a teaching council with multitiered classes. We exist for one purpose, ... Read More

For the past six years, Hank Lutcher from Cogan Station, PA has been teaching Modern Western Square Dancing six weeks each year at the Jersey Shore School District #6 Jr ... Read More

Realizing a marketing opportunity in having the non-dancing public see a large Saturday dance, the club recently advertised their dance to the general public. Non-dancers were invited to attend at ... Read More

So in the fall of 2003 the club decided to try a different approach. We had heard about the accelerated lesson program at the 52nd National Square Dance Convention® and ... Read More

What?...a Saturday morning square dance class? Why not! People take walks, run, ride a bike, walk the dog, or go to a gym for exercise on Saturdays. Why not learn ... Read More

At the meeting of the Central Ohio Council of Dance Clubs (COCDC) on May 4, 2009, it was announced to the council representatives that we were forming a group to ... Read More

The ALPS program that I have been using for the last several years is not original to me. It is an adaptation of a number of different concepts such as ... Read More

Report from Dave Harry describing how combining a "no experience necessary" floor with a Mainstream dance introduced 15 squares of non-dancers to our activity ... Read More

IDEA: We used to go to an annual 1-day festival. In the evening they had a non-dancer hall. We could bring non-dancing friends and they would spend a couple of ... Read More

In 2012 CALLERLAB commissioned an Ad Hoc committee to work with ACA to document a condensed teaching system that some callers had been using successfully for some time. The Press ... Read More

DOCUMENT: This document was prepared by the Caller Training Committee to assist those callers who are mentoring newer callers ... Read More

The Promoting Square Dancing category contains articles containing information pertaining to the promotion of the square dance activity in general, as opposed to promotion of a specific event or club ... Read More

Ceder.net is a comprehensive collection of resources related to square dancing ... Read More

This site provides a comprehensive list of upcoming special events as well as regular dances in a geographical area. You can search for dances by area, by level, or time ... Read More

Out of Sight is a book that teaches square dance callers how to manage choreography using a mental image system ... Read More

Report from Barbara Blencoe about how her square dance group and activity helped her rehabilitation from a stroke ... Read More

Report from Jean and Howard Lander about their success in starting up a new club in Peterborough, Ontario. The report contains much interesting information about how they advertised, promoted, and ... Read More

Most of the producers of Square Dance Music have joined together to provide this combined website for music specifically produced for use in square dancing. It is an all-inclusive site ... Read More

This music site contains a huge collection of the offerings of many of the square dance music producers and permits online purchase and download. The site also has a number ... Read More

This book is an excellent resource for someone planning a party night or beginner dance. “Dancing for Busy People” is a collection of over 400 dances using easy to teach ... Read More

The 18 dances featured in this short book use only four basics. Circle Right/Left, Forward & Back, Arm Turns, Star Right/Left. These four basics are used in big circles, line ... Read More

This book covers all the bases starting with the new caller just learning how to call and on through the old hands looking for ways to expand their collection of ... Read More

This article by Richard Powers discusses the findings of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 which found that dancing offers protection against dementia. Square ... Read More

This 78 page document is a detailed description of how callers can use dancer relationships as a tool for resolving squares. See the document abstract below for additional details ... Read More

This 28 minute video was produced by Dave Wilkinson in cooperation with the Sage Swingers in Maine. It does a great job of describing a little square dance history, explaining ... Read More