Definitions of Square Dance Calls and Concepts -- Shorter / Longer Concept

Shorter / Longer Concept
(Vic Ceder 2009)

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The Shorter or Longer Concept can be applied calls in which all dancers are moving in the same direciton, either clockwise or counter-clockwise within their group of 4 (a Box, Diamond, or Single 1/4) for the last portion of the call. EN: 10

Do the call normally, but end 1/2 of a Box Circulate position before (if Shorter) or 1/2 of a Box Circulate position after (if Longer) the normal ending position. EN: 20

Upon completion of the call, each dancer's facing direction is the same as if the call was done normally. Only the ending spots on the floor are different. EN: 30

Calls that normally end in a Box will end in a Single 1/4 or 3/4 Tag; EN: 40

calls that normally end in a Diamond or Single 1/4 Tag will end in a Box. EN: 50

Chase Right:


This is the starting formation for each of the following:


after Shorter Chase Right	after Chase Right	after Longer Chase Right

Note that in the above example, EN: 60

A Chase Right is a Shorter Chase Right + Extend. EN: 70
A Longer Chase Right is a Chase Right + Extend. EN: 80

However, adding or subtracting an Extend is not always the case. When the ending formation is Facing Couples, the Longer version feels like doing the call + 1/2 With The Flow, and the Shorter version is akin to stopping the call 1/2 minus With The Flow. EN: 90

Shakedown:


This is the starting formation for each of the following:


after Shorter Shakedown	after Shakedown	after Longer Shakedown

Right & Left Thru:


This is the starting formation for each of the following:


after Shorter Right & Left Thru	after Right & Left Thru	after Longer Right & Left Thru

In the above example, EN: 100

A Shorter Right & Left Thru is a Right Pull By; 1/2 Courtesy Turn & Roll; Centers Touch. EN: 110
A Longer Right & Left Thru is a Right & Left Thru + 1/2 With The Flow. EN: 120

Switch To A Diamond:


This is the starting formation for each of the following:


after Shorter Switch To A Diamond	after Switch To A Diamond	after Longer Switch To A Diamond

Some 4-dancer calls (C3B or below) that could be done Shorter or Longer: EN: 130

1/4 (3/4) Wheel The Sea	2/3 Cross Cycle	2/3 Recycle
Ah So (some formations)	Box Circulate (from R-H or L-H Box)	Box Counter Rotate (from R-H or L-H Box)
Box Sidetrack	Box Transfer	By Golly
Chase Right \| Left	Circle To A Wave	Couple Up
Cross Cycle (from 2FL)	Crossfire (from 2FL)	Cycle & Wheel (some formations)
Diamond Circulate (from normal Diamond)	Drop {direction}	Flutter Wheel
Follow To A Diamond	Mini-Chase	Pass & Roll
Recycle (from Wave)	Rip Off	Scoot Back
Scoot The Diamond	Shakedown	Shake & Rattle
Single Checkmate (some formations)	Split Swap	Swap Around
Sweep 1/4	Switch To A Diamond (from Wave)	Tag Back
Turn & Deal (from R-H 2FL)	Walk & Dodge	With The Flow

Notes:

From a Mini-Wave Box, a Box Circulate may be visualized as two parts: EN: 140
1. a 1/2 Box Circulate (ending in a Diamond); followed by EN: 150
2. a Drop In (ending in a Box). EN: 160
For the Shorter version of the call, dancers end on footprints that are 1/2 of a Box Circulate position before their normal ending footprints. EN: 170

For the Longer version of the call, dancers end on footprints that are 1/2 of a Box Circulate position after their normal ending footprints. EN: 180
A dancer's Roll attribute is not affected by the Shorter or Longer concept. If a dancer could Roll after the normal version of the call, that dancer can Roll after the Shorter or Longer version of the call. EN: 190
When the ending formation is a Box, how do you determine the axis along which the adjustment is made? EN: 200

For the Shorter or Longer version of a call that normally ends in a 2x2, there are two possible sets of ending positions: EN: 210
1. a Single 1/4 (or 3/4) Tag; and EN: 220
2. a T-Bone Diamond. EN: 230
Always opt for the Single 1/4 (or 3/4) Tag. EN: 240

For example, EN: 250

Longer Ah So:

RIGHT

WRONG

before
Longer Ah So after

Not a Single 1/4 (or 3/4) Tag. EN: 260

Shorter Box Counter Rotate:

RIGHT

WRONG

before
Shorter Box Counter Rotate after

Not a Single 1/4 (or 3/4) Tag. EN: 260
For calls normally ending in a Box, think of the normal version of the call as being the "1/2 Tag" version. The Shorter version is the "1/4 Tag" version, and the Longer version is the "3/4 Tag" version. EN: 280

In fact, a Shorter 1/2 Tag is a 1/4 Tag, and a Longer 1/2 Tag is a 3/4 Tag. EN: 285
A Shorter Scoot Back, from either a Single 1/4 Tag or a Mini-Wave Box, is the same as Scoot Back To A Wave. EN: 290

Scoot Back:

This is the starting formation
for each of the following:

after
Shorter Scoot Back
after
Scoot Back
after
Longer Scoot Back

From a Mini-Wave Box, EN: 300
- A Shorter Scoot Back is a Scoot Back To A Wave. EN: 310
- A Longer Scoot Back is a Scoot Back + Extend. EN: 320
A Shorter 2/3 Recycle is a 1/4 Flip The Line, a Longer 2/3 Recycle is a 3/4 Flip The Line (except of course, that on the 2/3 Recycle version, everybody can Roll!). EN: 330
Any call that can be done With The Flow can also be done Shorter or Longer. The Longer version of the call feels like adding 1/2 With The Flow. EN: 340
Future extensions of this concept might include a Much Longer concept (ending on the "Full Tag" footprints), and a Much Shorter concept (ending on the "Zero Tag" footprints). Who knows? EN: 350
Although this paper concentrates on 4-dancer calls, Shorter and Longer can also be applied to 8-dancer calls. The 8-dancer call must end with all dancers in each group of 4 all moving clockwise or counter-clockwise (e.g., From Facing Couples, a Grand Chain Eight). The Shorter or Longer is done within each group of 4. EN: 360

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