Articles in this knowledgebase are classified into several “types”. A type of “Documentation” indicates that the article describes documentation such as a reference manual, book, tutorial, or webpage(s). Type “Idea” is a short description of a raw idea, many of which have been abstracted out of a larger article such as a Winning Ways Story, but which are deemed interesting enough that they should be independently searchable. Type “Presentation” designates an article that describes a presentation, such as a session at a CALLERLAB convention, which may include pointers to handouts, an audio recording, or occasionally video. The “Resource” type refers to descriptions of resources such as websites, blogs, vendor sites, etc. that aggregate information and pointers, or to tools such as computer programs that provide functions specific to calling or dancing. “Summary” articles are compilations that discuss a topic area and point to other articles and resources relevant to the topic.
Click on a tab below to see all articles of that type, listed in alphabetical order by title.
DocumentationIdeaPresentationResourceSummary
“Selling” Square Dancing To New People
This article describes some dos and don'ts when talking to new people about square dancing. How to best make it appealing and engage their interest ... Read More
2019 IAGSDC Survey Results
This document summarizes the results of a survey taken by the IAGSDC of their member clubs to understand what efforts were being made towards recruitment and retention of dancers and ... Read More
2020 Caller Schools
This document contains a listing of Caller Schools sponsored and staffed by CALLERLAB members for 2020 ... Read More
A Step in Time – The American Square Dance (book)
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
Advertising Brochure Stressing Health Benefits
IDEA: It is a different approach. I am stressing the health benefits of square dancing. The idea is we will get these rack cards professionally printed. We will buy the ... Read More
All About Modules (book)
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
Alternate Lessons Systems Brochure
This brochure was produced by a CALLERLAB Ad Hoc committee. It explains and contrasts traditional lesson structures with multi-cycle and accelerated programs ... Read More
ARTS Letter Containing Promotional Materials (Aug 2017)
This letter from the ARTS organization contains promotional materials and plans useful to clubs planning to start a new class ... Read More
As I Saw It – Bob Osgood (book)
This book was compiled and edited by Paul Moore. It describes the life and career of Bob Osgood, one of the founding fathers of MWSD and through that lens provides ... Read More
Bad Advanced Choreography
Ed Foote writes about some relative common but nevertheless bad combinations to avoid when calling Advanced ... Read More
BC Westsyde Squares Recruits 29 New Dancers
This story describes how Westsyde Squares in British Columbia used marketing savvy and well targeted advertising to recruit a large new contingent of dancers. It contains a lot of great ... Read More
Becoming A Square Dance Caller 3rd Edition (Book)
When Bruce Holmes was learning to call, he had no luck finding a textbook to help him through the process. Now that he is a caller, he has written the ... Read More
174 Prospecting Ideas
Timberline Toppers is a club that has dramatically grown their membership by creating an effective plan and executing it repeatedly. One element of that plan is to use a variety ... Read More
Advertising Brochure Stressing Health Benefits
IDEA: It is a different approach. I am stressing the health benefits of square dancing. The idea is we will get these rack cards professionally printed. We will buy the ... Read More
Amateur Caller Night
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
Approaching Malls With Vacant Storefronts for Demo Spaces
Check out this article in today's Chicago Tribune. Our club reached out to a local shopping mall with lots of empty storefronts. The management company was very interested in bringing ... Read More
Buy Advertising Space In Your Local Mall
Blue Bonnet Squares in Houston bought an advertising display in a local mall to advertise their classes ... Read More
Caller Drill Program
IDEA: One of the most difficult parts of learning to call is finding opportunities to practice with live dancers. Today's computer technologies could compensate for some of that by providing ... Read More
CALLERLAB 2015 Brainstorming Session
IDEA: A "brainstorming" session was held during the opening session of the CALLERLAB Convention in 2015. The audience was seated at round tables with 8-10 people at a table. Each ... Read More
Collection Of Marketing and Recruiting Articles
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
How Rounds Are Scheduled Can Be Important
Jerry Junck reports on an observation from a club on Vancouver Island. Their format involved having a round between tips and they noticed that new dancers had difficulty getting into ... Read More
Ideas for Creating Social Connections
Cory Geishauser provides some ideas for stimulating socialization by getting people to ask questions about each other ... Read More
Include Non-Dancer Events At Festivals and Conventions
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
Marketing On A Shoestring Budget
This video shows the keynote address at the 2014 CALLERLAB convention in Reno, Nevada. It spawned the now famous catchphrase that "Nobody is talking about square dancing because nobody is ... Read More
66th US National Keynote by Eric Henerlau
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
Beginner Dance Party Leaders Seminar – Presentations from 2014
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
CALLERLAB Convention Audio Recordings (as of Oct 31, 2018)
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
CALLERLAB Convention Video Recordings (as of Oct 4, 2019)
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
Digital Music Presentation (Handout)
These handouts (Digital Music 101 and 102) were created for a presentation at the 2018 CALLERLAB Convention in Albuquerque. Digital Music 101 deals with the Windows considerations for downloading your ... Read More
Extended But Not Extreme – Plus
There are many calls for which we have well known "standard" applications, and we have even documented many of them in the Standard Applications documents. "Standard", however, does not mean ... Read More
History Of Computer Choreography Programs
During the pandemic a number of Zoom discussion groups emerged dealing with a variety of square dance topics. One was aimed at new callers and was hosted by Don Beck ... Read More
Introduction To Mental Image Choreography
Don Beck provides an introduction to his mental image choreography system to the Caller Coach committee at the 2013 CALLERLAB Convention. It provides a quick overview of how the system ... Read More
Large Event Planning
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
List of Sound Equipment For Square Dancing (CDLS 2017 Handout)
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
Marketing On A Shoestring Budget
This video shows the keynote address at the 2014 CALLERLAB convention in Reno, Nevada. It spawned the now famous catchphrase that "Nobody is talking about square dancing because nobody is ... Read More
NNJSDA Keynote Addresses From Roy and Betsy Gotta
At the Northern New Jersey Square Dance Association annual convention in 2018, Betsy and Roy Gotta delivered individual keynote addresses. Together, these presentations provide a wealth of insights and suggestions ... Read More
2020 Caller Schools
This document contains a listing of Caller Schools sponsored and staffed by CALLERLAB members for 2020 ... Read More
A Step in Time – The American Square Dance (book)
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
Alberta Chatter Newsletter
The Alberta Chatter newsletter is published every six to eight weeks. It contains articles on promotion, member retention, and general interest articles, as well as a regular column by a visually impaired dancer, ... Read More
All About Modules (book)
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
Audacity Audio Editor and Recorder Program
Audacity is a free multi-track audio editing program that runs on several platforms including Windows, Linux, and MAC OS. It permits recording from a variety of sources and producing a ... Read More
Becoming A Square Dance Caller 3rd Edition (Book)
When Bruce Holmes was learning to call, he had no luck finding a textbook to help him through the process. Now that he is a caller, he has written the ... Read More
Behind The Mike Newsletter
Behind The Mike is a newsletter for callers and cuers published out of Australia by Barry Wonson. It typically contains lots of material on choreography, music, teaching and other topics ... Read More
Behind The Mike Newsletter TOCs
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
Buddy Weaver Square Dance Music Podcast
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
Caller Training Materials
Newer callers or people wondering what might be involved in learning to call are interested in what kind of educational material might be available. This article summarizes available caller training ... Read More
66th US National Keynote by Eric Henerlau
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
Beginner Dance Party Leaders Seminar – Presentations from 2014
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
Behind The Mike Newsletter TOCs
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
Bob Brundage Interviews
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
Caller Training Materials
Newer callers or people wondering what might be involved in learning to call are interested in what kind of educational material might be available. This article summarizes available caller training ... Read More
CALLERLAB Convention Audio Recordings (as of Oct 31, 2018)
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
CALLERLAB Convention Video Recordings (as of Oct 4, 2019)
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
CALLERLAB Program Documents
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
Collection Of Marketing and Recruiting Articles
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
Collections Of Images Related to Square Dancing
This summary article contains a table that points to a number sources for images and posters related to square dancing. They can be quite useful for marketing or creating flyers ... Read More
Community Dance / Party Night Resources
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
Digital Music Information (from Barry Johnson)
In 2008 Barry Johnson wrote a suite of documents that take you through the ins and outs of digital music: how to connect equipment, where to get it, how to ... Read More