Square thanks
Square thanks is a people dance, which developed in the USA. This applies in particular to the modern Square thanks, because the actual roots of this dance form lie in Europe, in particular in France and in Great Britain. The different movements,in the Square thanks to be used, are based on traditional people dances of the different peoples, who emigrated into the USA. Some these dances are Morris thanks, English Country thanks and the Quadrille. Square thanks becomes from many humans inall world danced. To Germany the Square was brought to thanks by the Americans after the Second World War.
In each case four Tanzpaare face each other in a square (therefore it Square thanks) and implement to the music movements or figure sequences, those by announcements(Calls) by a Caller (Ausrufer) in spoken or sung form to be given. So that the dancers feel also correctly addressed, the pairs are designated: The pairs standing at the side (seen from the Caller) hot SIDES, the other pairs HEADS.The HEADS has thus the same or opposes line of sight as the Caller. The announcements, “calls”, are joined by the “Caller” to a dance. They are world-wide in English language and standardized. So a dancer from Germany can at any time with dancersfrom the USA, Japan, Denmark or other countries without difficulties together dance.
There are two different kinds of Square thanks:
- Western Square thanks also “decaying Western Square thanks”, “Contemporary Western Square thanks”, or “decaying American Square thanks”called. Western Square thanks one dances world-wide. It is the people dance of the USA.
The traditional and the modern Western Square thanks have a number of calls together, but there are normally small differences concerning the way, like itare implemented.
- As example: The “Allemande Left” is traditionally accomplished, by giving oneself with another dancer the left hand, itself easily back-leaned and around the central point of the calm hands gone. With the Western and when decaying Square thanksthe grasp is changed in such a way that the left lower arm of the other dancer is seized in each case and does not back-lean. This change makes it simpler to dance the figure and merge into a long sequence of calls.
The traditional Square thanks40 to 50 figures and each dance has is explained, before it is danced. The figure sequence for each dance is firmly given. There is a list with some examples of figures under w: Contradance. When dancing it concerns that thoseDancers probably-feel and (within certain limits) also errors to make may, and these errors can sometimes still increase the fun at dancing.
When the Western and decaying Square thanks gives it different difficulty stages of figures. In the “Mainstream Program” are 69 basis figuresdefined. On this nucleus program the higher programs (pluses, A/Advanced and C/Challenged) are based. The dancers should control and to implement surely be able the figures. The attraction with this form of the Square thanks lies in the fact that the Caller the dancers by always new,changing Choreographien provokes itself and surprises. No dance does not resemble the other one and the dancers must figure sequences by heart learn.
A “call” consists of the name of a dance figure to communicate to the cliche, which is used by the Caller, in order the dancers which figurethey to dance are - the dancers implement then these figures.
In the modern Square thanks dancing a call requires a specific number of clocks; normally 4-32, depending upon figure. The Timing of the calls becomes the rhythm and the melodythe music adapted. A good Caller developed thereby a liquid, Choreographie which can be danced well (“Bodyflow”) and adapts its calls of the music.
The music of the two forms differs likewise. In the traditional Square thanks the music is traditional “Country thanks” - music:Irish Jigs and Reels mostly, as well as people music from Québec (Canada), England, Scotland and other countries. The music is nearly always played by traditional dance music volume. In the Western and decaying Square thanks is the music a mixturemany kinds, everything from Pop to the traditional and modern Country and Westernmusik, Broadway of musical, hit, etc. The Beats is however usually faster. The music is played predominantly by clay/tone carriers such as records, recently in addition, by the Minidisk Player, laptop or MP3-Player.
Another name for the traditional Square thanks is Quadrille. It and/or. it originally originates from the noble society of England.
Related kinds of dance
- Round thanks is a combination of society dance and Square thanks. It becomes in pairs on a large circular pathdanced; the figures and rhythms come from the society dance (tome, Rumba,…), the kind of the announcement of the figures is as with the Square thanks. The announcer is called Cuer here.
- Clogging is another kind quilting dance. It becomesindividually or in formations danced.
- Contradance = versus thanks, also “versus” is similar as Square thanks; the Tanzpaare form however no square separate two long rows with more than four pairs, which face each other.
Square Dancer know frequently also RoundTo thanks, Clogging or versus thanks dance. On Square, frequently Square and Round thanks in the change are offered to thank meetings, so-called “Specials”. This then in the relationship 2:1 or 3:1, thus 2 Square thank tips and a Round thank tip. A Square thank tip is in“Pattern” (spoken, expiration and duration dependent on the Caller) and a “Singing call” (sung, firm operational sequence), a Round thank tip are 2-3 dances Round thanks, per dance approx., 2-3 min. On still larger Specials, the festivals and the Jamborees, even Square becomes, Round andClogging parallel offered.
see also
w: Versus thanks, w: Callerlab, w: Square thank club, w: Western Square thanks, w: Western LINE thanks, iPAC
Web on the left of
- Dosado.com - an informative Site about Square thanks (English)
- EAASDC- The Website of the European combination of American Square thanks club (English/German)
- Swiss Meeting - Square thanks in Switzerland
