Square up and Smile

Square Dance Etiquettel

Whether you are stepping onto the floor for a regular club night, a workshop, or a weekend

dance, good square dance etiquette ensures that everyone has a fun, welcoming, and smooth

experience.

The golden rule of square dancing is simple: Friendship set to music. Here are the key

guidelines for great square dance etiquette:

1. Forming Squares & Inviting Others

● Square up promptly: When the caller cues the floor to form squares, don't wait for a

personal invitation—move onto the floor right away. If you are a New Dancer and or a

Single, get on the floor and find a spot in a Square. We will always make sure we fill

Squares but do not wait to be asked.

● Be inclusive: Mix it up! Try to dance with different people and varied experience levels rather than always locking into the exact same set.

● Signal your needs: If your square is short a couple, stand near the edge and hold up the number of fingers corresponding to how many more dancers you need.

● Avoid pre-arranging exclusive sets: Snobbery has no place on the dance floor.

Leaving specific people out or refusing to let others join an incomplete square goes against the welcoming spirit of the activity.

● Never cut through a square: Always walk around formed or actively forming squares rather than taking a shortcut right through the middle. Walking through a set disrupts their spacing and can ruin the concentration of dancers trying to get organized.

2. Handholds & Gentle Contact

● Be a gentle dancer: Use a light, comfortable handclasp. Never squeeze, clamp down, hook your thumbs aggressively, or use "rough handling" during turns, pull-bys, or grand rights and lefts.

● Maintain touch: Keep light physical contact with your formation (like finger-to-finger in waves). It acts as a shared guidance system for the whole set.

● Watch the grips and twirls: Keep extra twirls, flourishes, or styling standard unless you are completely sure your square mates enjoy them—especially when dancing with newer dancers who might get confused.3. Attitude in the Square

● Let the caller be the teacher: If someone in your square makes a mistake or looks confused, resist the urge to lecture or instruct them while the music is playing. Let the caller do the teaching. If asked after a tip, you can offer friendly advice.

● Keep smiling through breakdowns: Squares break down—it happens to everyone, even seasoned dancers. When it happens, don't point fingers or stress. Laugh it off, quickly help reform a line or get back home, and jump right back into the fun.

● Quiet during instructions: When the caller is walking through a new figure or explaining a call, keep side chatter to a minimum so everyone can hear the instructions.

4. Personal Consideration

● Wear your name tag: Always wear your name badge on your right side so it’s easy for fellow dancers to see on a first-name basis.

● Personal freshness: Be mindful of heavy perfumes, colognes, or a lack of deodorant. Because you'll be close-up and active with many different partners, keeping fresh is a great courtesy.

● Always thank your square: At the end of a tip, take a moment to thank everyone inyour square