Swinging Saguaros Square Dance Club
Swinging Saguaros runs a new-dancers class every year in the fall. It usually finishes in the early spring when the class has mastered all 68 Basic/Mainstream moves. When you complete this class, you can dance anywhere in the world that advertises a Basic/Mainstream square dance.
The 2011-2012 Class begins on September 15.
If you have questions, contact Carol Ann at (520) 850-8057 or go to our "Contact Us" page and complete the form. If you are thinking about it but nervous, please click the "Frequently Asked Questions" link below. We would love to have you among us!
Click on the links below to navigate within this page:
Caller Lab Links and Downloads
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Last update: January 20, 2012
New Basic/Mainstream class started on September 15, 2011. It is now closed to new dancers. If you have square danced before, please join us! We are only a couple of weeks in, and we can catch you up!
Check the list below to watch your progress.
The moves taught so far will be bold
The most recently learned moves will be red
Basic Program – Part A
1. Circle Left / Right (9/15/11)
2. Forward and Back (9/15/11)
3. Dosado (9/15/11)
4. Swing (9/15/11)
5. Promenade (9/15/11)
a. Couples (9/15/11)
b. Single File Promenade (9/15/11)
c. Wrong Way Promenade
d. Star Promenade (9/15/11)
6. Allemand Left (9/15/11)
7. Arm Turns (9/15/11)
8. Right and Left Grand Family (9/15/11)
a. Right and Left Grand (9/15/11)
b. Weave the Ring (9/15/11)
c. Wrong Way Grand
9. Left / Right Hand Star (9/15/11)
10. Pass Through (10/20/11)
11. Half Sashay Family (10/20/11)
a. Half Sashay (10/20/11)
b. Rollaway (10/20/11)
c. Ladies In, Men Sashay (9/27/11)
12. Turn Back Family (9/27/11)
a. U-Turn Back
b. Backtrack
13. Separate Around 1 or 2
a. To a Line
b. And Come Into the Middle
14. Split Two
15. Courtesy Turn (9/27/11)
16. Ladies Chain Family
a. Four Ladies Chain (9/27/11)
b. Two Ladies Chain (9/27/11)
c. Chain Down the Line
17. Do Paso (11/3/11)
18. Lead Right
19. Veer Left / Right (10/27/11)
20. Bend the Line (11/3/11)
21. Circulate Family (12/22/11)
a. (Named Dancers) Circulate
b. Couples Circulate
c. All Eight Circulate
d. Single File Circulate
e. Split / Box Circulate
22. Right and Left Thru (10/6/11)
23. Grand Square (10/6/11)
24. Star Through (10/6/11)
25. Circle to a Line
26. Walk around the Corner (10/20/11)
27. See Saw (10/20/11)
28. Square Thru (10/27/11)
29. California Twirl (10/27/11)
30. Dive Through
Basic Program – Part B
31. Wheel Around (11/3/11)
32. Thar Family
a. Allemande Thar
b. Allemand Left to an Allemand Thar
c. Wrong Way Thar
33. Shoot the Star
34. Slip the Clutch (1/5/11)
35. Box the Gnat (1/5/11)
36. Trade Family
a. (Named Dancers) Trade
b. Couples Trade
c. Partner Trade
37. Ocean Wave Family
a. Step to a Wave
b. Balance
38. Alamo Ring Formation
39. Swing Thru / Left Swing Through
40. Run / Cross Run (12/29/11)
41. Pass the Ocean (12/29/11)
42. Extend (from ¼ Tag only)
43. Wheel and Deal (1/5/11)
44. Double Pass Through 1/12/11
45. First Couple Go Left / Right (1/12/11)
Next Couple Go Left / Right (1/12/11)
46. Zoom (1/12/11)
47. Flutterwheel / Reverse Flutterwheel (1/19/11)
48. Sweep a Quarter (1/19/11)
49. Trade By
50. Touch ¼
51. Farris Wheel
Mainstream Program
52. Cloverleaf
53. Turn Thru
54. Eight Chain Thru / Eight Chain 1, 2, 3, etc.
55. Pass to the Center
56. Single Hinge / Couples Hinge
57. Centers In
58. Cast off ¾
59. Spin the Top
60. Walk and Dodge
61. Slide Thru (10/6/11)
62. Fold / Cross Fold
63. Dixie Style to an Ocean Wave
64. Spin Chain Thru
65. Tag the Line
66. Half Tag
67. Scoot Back
68. Recycle
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Some dancers benefit from studying or reviewing animations of square dance calls. There are quite a few web sites out there that have animations, but our favorite is TAMinations on the Tam Twirlers’ web site. We've provided a link to them below.
The Tam Twirlers are a square dance club that dances in San Rafael, CA (just north of San Francisco). The Animations on their web site were written by Brad Christie, the Tam Twirlers' web master. When you get to the web site, click on the Mainstream tab at the top, and pick the call you would like to study from the drop-down list. It will take a few seconds to load, and then you will be able to view the animations for a selected call alongside the CALLERLAB description.
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Caller Lab Links and Downloads
The Caller Lab Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of square dancing. They provide, among many other things, the leadership and a high level of standardization of calls that allows you to take what you learn at Swinging Saguaros here in Tucson and dance Mainstream anywhere in the world. Here are some useful links and Caller Lab documents for download.
Basic/Mainstream Checklist – This PDF document lists all of the Basic/Mainstream moves in roughly the order in which they will be taught. Download it, print it, and check off the moves as you learn them. You can use it to prove to your partner that he really was taught the move even though he denies it.
Basic/Mainstream Definitions – These are the official descriptions of our dance moves. If you are a “book learner” you will find this document very useful, though most people learn to square dance without even knowing that it exists. It begins with definitions of all the basic terms you will hear Dave use. Then each Basic/Mainstream move will be described including the starting formation, command examples, dance action, ending formation, timing, styling details, and additional comments where needed.
CALLERLAB.org – This link will take you to Caller Lab’s Home Page where you can get access to all of their documentation and much more.
Do I have to join Swinging Saguaros to be a class member?
No, though we hope you will when you are ready. Swinging Saguaros runs the annual mainstream class because our goal is to fill our great big room with squares. The cost is the same to members and non-members, and you can keep coming as a guest of the club for as long as you want. You will, however, need to pay $10 for insurance, which is required by the Tanque Verde Lutheran Church.
Is square dance attire required?
No. While some square dance clubs do require dance attire, Swinging Saguaros is an informal club. We only ask that the men wear long-sleeve shirts because it makes those arm swings easier and more pleasant. The ladies may also enjoy wearing skirts because the lady's part is enhanced by what is called “skirt work” which is part of the stylization of some of the moves. In time you may both come to enjoy “dressing out” but that can wait.
Is the class only open to couples?
It is best if you can bring your own partner, but not strictly necessary. If you cannot be paired with another un-partnered class member, one of the class helpers will dance with you while you are learning. Square dancing is a partner activity, however, so it’s worth applying a lot of pressure to that spouse, family member, friend, or co-worker so you have someone to dance with once you graduate.
What if I have to miss a class?
Missing a class now and then is generally not a problem because Dave starts every class by reviewing last week’s new moves. It gets harder if you miss a couple of classes in a row, however. Send your partner on alone if you can and a class helper will partner with him or her for that week. If you are both away, consult this web page to see what moves you missed and do some homework before returning! The move descriptions from Caller Lab and the on-line animations will be a big help getting you caught up.
What if I’m the worst dancer in the square? Will I detract from everyone else’s experience?
No. Even the most experienced dancers take their turns at being the worst dancer in the square on any given evening. Just relax and let the other seven dancers queue you back into position. The only thing that’s more fun than finishing a dance without significant errors is having the square completely blow up, having a good laugh, and miraculously reforming to dance on!
Do I need to have any prior dance experience?
Absolutely not! A willingness to learn and the natural sense of rhythm that 99 percent of us are born with is all you need to square dance.
Is square dancing physically demanding?
No. A reasonably healthy person will not get out of breath square dancing. It’s really more of a mental activity, challenging your long-term and short-term memory. You only need to keep up with the music and most people do not find that difficult.
