Great Plain Squares
Lesson 1
Lesson 1
| Call | Definition | Taminations | NSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle Left / Circle Right | Typical starting formation - circle of eight Dancers join hands and move around the circle in the indicated direction. If no direction is given, dancers circle left. |
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| Forward and Back | Typical starting formation - facing couples Dancers step forward 1 to 3 steps, pause, and back up 1 to 3 steps. Ends in facing couples. |
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| Dosado | Typical starting formation - facing dancers Walking a smooth circular path, dancers walk forward, passing right shoulders, slide sideways to the right, walk backwards, passing left shoulders, and slide slightly to the left to return to their starting position. |
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| Allemande Left | Typical starting formation - squared set or dancers facing their corners. Dancers face their corners if necessary, turn their corners by the left forearm until they are facing their partners, and step forward to face their partners. |
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| Couples Promenade (Full, 1/2, 3/4) | Typical starting formation - squared set or dancers facing their partners Dancers turn as necessary to face counterclockwise and adjust to be a couple with the man toward the center of the square and the lady on the outside. Dancers join left hands together and right hands together with the lady's left arm over the man's right. Dancers walk forward around the square until they reach their home position where they turn to face in. Ends in a squared set. If a fraction is given, designated dancers promenade around the square that fraction, and then face in on squared set positions, while the others step forward into the middle to get out of the way and then back up. |
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| Single File Promenade | Typical starting formation - columns or single file promenade Dancers walk forward single file in promenade direction. On Single File Promenade Home dancers stop when they get home and face in. Ends in single file promenade or squared set. |
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| Four Men/Ladies Promenade | Typical starting formation - squared set Designated dancers step forward into the middle, face promenade direction (right), and walk in a circle around the center. |
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| Right and Left Grand | Typical starting formation - dancers facing their partners Dancers face their partner if necessary (men face promenade direction, ladies face reverse promenade direction), right pull by with their partner, left pull by with the next, right pull by with the next, and left pull by with the next. Ends in a circle with dancers facing their partners. |
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| Weave the Ring | Typical starting formation - dancers facing their partners Dancers face their partners, and walk in a circle, passing right shoulders with the first dancer, left with the next, right with the next, and left with the next. This is equivalent to right and left grand without touching hands. |
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| Courtesy Turn | Typical starting formation - a Couple (at Basic and Mainstream, a Normal Couple only), or a man and a woman who are facing A couple works as a unit and turns around with the left-side dancer backing up and right-side dancer walking forward. The turning point is halfway between the dancers. Facing dancers blend into a Normal Couple as they perform this action. |
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| Two Ladies Chain (Regular & 3/4) | Typical starting formation - facing couples Ladies right pull by with each other, and all courtesy turn. Ends in facing couples. |
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| Four Ladies Chain (Regular & 3/4) | Typical starting formation - squared set Ladies make a right-hand star and turn the star 1/2, and all courtesy turn. Ends in facing couples. Four Ladies Chain 3/4 is the same, except ladies turn the star 3/4. |
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| Pass Thru | Typical starting formation - facing dancers Dancers walk past each other passing right shoulders. Ends in dancers back to back. |
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| U-Turn Back | Typical starting formation - dancer Dancers turn around 180° in the direction they were just turning, if any. If they were not just turning, dancers turn toward their partners if they have one, or else toward the center of the square, or in either direction if they are facing directly toward or away from the center of the square. |
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| Ladies In, Men Sashay | Typical starting formation - circle of eight Dancers drop hands, and the ladies step straight forward into the middle. The men continue circling in the direction they were circling until they have passed one lady, the ladies back up to rejoin the circle, and all continue circling. |
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| Half Sashay | Typical starting formation - couple The right-hand dancer sidesteps to the left passing in front of the left-hand dancer who sidesteps to the right, passing behind. Ends in a couple facing the same direction but with dancers on opposite sides. |
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