Definitions of Square Dance Calls and Concepts -- A1 Definitions (Text Only)

A1 definitions from the

Ceder Chest of A1 and A2.

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A1 list

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1/4 In | Out

From a Couple, Mini-Wave, or other applicable formation.

1/4 In:: Turn 90° in place toward the adjacent dancer.; Ends in Facing Dancers.
1/4 Out:: Turn 90° in place away from the adjacent dancer.; Ends in Back-to-Back Dancers.

1/4 | 1/2 | 3/4 Top

From a Thar, a Squared Set after everyone Face In, or from other applicable formations.

Arm Turn 1/2; Move forward (Centers in a star, Outsides around the outside) in a Circular path to meet the n-th dancer, where n = 1 for 1/4 Top, n = 2 for 1/2 Top, or n = 3 for 3/4 Top.

Ends in a Thar.

1/4 (or 3/4) Thru

From a 4-dancer formation such as a R-H Mini-Wave Box, a R-H Facing Diamond (Centers with R-H, Ends with L-H), or other applicable formations.

Those who can Right Arm Turn 1/4 (or 3/4);
those who meet and can Left Arm Turn 1/2.

Ends in a Wave. This is a 2-part call.

6 By 2 Acey Deucey

From Twin Diamonds, an Hourglass, or other applicable formations.

Outside 6 Circulate as Very Center 2 Trade.

Ends in the same formation as the starting formation, unless two dancers meet on the same spot.

anything & Cross

From applicable formations.

Do the anything call (which must end in an applicable 2 x 2);
Trailers diagonal Pull By using outside hands.

Any Hand Concept: The Any Hand CONCEPT is typically used when doing calls that always start with the Right-hand from setups in which some dancers start with the Right-hand and some dancers start with the Left-hand. Sometimes Any Hand is used on a call that can start with either hand, such as Swing & Mix or Shazam, as an aid to warn the dancers that they are in an unusual setup (typically an Inverted Line) where some dancers are starting with the Left-hand.

As Couples CONCEPT: Dancers who are side-by-side and facing the same direction (i.e., a Couple) work together as a single dancer to do the given call.

Beau | Belle

From a generalized Couple or other applicable formation.

The Beau is the Left-side dancer and the Belle is the Right-side dancer.

Brace Thru

From applicable Facing Couples or an applicable R-H Wave.

Right Pull By;
Normal Couples (Boy on Left, Girl on Right) Courtesy Turn as
Half-Sashayed Couples (Boy on Right, Girl on Left) U-Turn Back.

Ends in Normal Facing Couples.

Brace Thru is a 2-part call.

Cast A Shadow

From Parallel Lines with the Ends in Tandem or from Promenade (in which case designated dancers act as Leaders in Parallel Two-Faced Lines).

Ends:: 1/2 Zoom, Cast Off 3/4 and Spread (to become Ends of Lines);
Out-Facing Centers:: Cloverleaf;
In-Facing Centers:: Extend, Arm Turn 1/4, and Extend.

Adjust as necessary to end in Parallel Lines.

Chain Reaction

From a 1/4 Tag formation only (at A1 and A2).

Very Centers and the directly-facing Outside dancers Pass Thru as the End of the Center Line Counter Rotate 1/4 (walk forward in an arc, changing facing direction by 90°, 1/4 of a Circle around the outside of the set);
Centers of each side Hinge;
Center 4 Star 1/4 as Outsides Trade;
Those who meet Cast Off 3/4 as Others move up (Phantom Hourglass Circulate).

A 1/4 Tag formation ends in Parallel Waves.

Clover | Cross Clover And anything

From applicable formations with one or more Out-Facing Couples not directly looking at any other dancers.

Clover And anything [A1]:: Out-Facing Couples (Step Ahead if necessary, and) Cloverleaf.
The Others (move in to the center if necessary, and) do the anything call.
Cross Clover And anything [A1]:: Out-Facing Couples Cross Cloverleaf (as one movement Half Sashay and Cloverleaf).
The Others (move in to the center if necessary, and) do the anything call.

Crossover Circulate

From a Generalized 2 x 4 (usually Parallel Lines), Generalized Thar, or other applicable formations.

As one movement, Circulate & Half Sashay.

Cross Trail Thru

From Facing Couples (or a R-H Wave).

Pass Thru and Half Sashay.

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Cycle & Wheel

From any Line of 4.

Mini-Wave dancers Recycle as the Couple dancers Wheel & Deal.

If both Ends start facing the same direction, the rightmost End and adjacent dancer go in front of the leftmost End and adjacent dancer.

Ends in either Facing Couples (if the Ends start facing opposite directions), or Tandem Couples (if the Ends start facing the same direction).

Double Star Thru

From normal Facing Couples (Boy on Left, Girl on Right).

Star Thru;
Mirror Star Thru.

Ends in half-sashayed Back-to-Back Couples.

Ends Bend

From a Line of 4, or other applicable formations.

As one movement, the Ends

Step Forward;
Turn 1/4 toward the Center of the 4-dancer formation;
Step Forward.

That is, Ends do the Ends part of Bend The Line.

Explode And anything

The call Explode And anything is on two levels, Plus and A1.

At Plus, the starting formation is restricted to a Wave (or occasionally an Inverted Line).
At A1, the starting formation can be any Line of 4.

Explode [Plus]. From a Wave. As one movement, Step Thru & 1/4 In (face the dancer beside you). Ends in Facing Couples.

Explode [A1]. From a Generalized Line. As one movement, Centers Step Ahead & 1/4 In as Ends 1/4 In & Step Ahead, and all adjust as necessary to end in Facing Couples.

Explode and anything [Plus,A1]. From a Wave. Explode; then do the anything call.

Explode The Line

From any Line of 4.

Explode [A1]:: As one movement, Centers Step Ahead & 1/4 In as Ends 1/4 In & Step Ahead.
Adjust as necessary to end in Facing Couples.
Explode The Line [A1]:: Explode; Right Pull By.
Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Grand 1/4 (or 3/4) Thru

From applicable formations consisting of more than 4 dancers.

Those who can Right Arm Turn 1/4 (or 3/4);
Those who meet and can Left Arm Turn 1/2.

This is a 2-part call.

Grand Follow Your Neighbor

From Parallel Columns of {n}, where n is greater than or equal to 3.

#1 dancer, as one movement, 1/2 Circulate & U-Turn Back (Roll twice) as the Others 1/2 Circulate & Arm Turn 3/4.

Ends in a Wave of 2n.

Horseshoe Turn

From Columns with the Ends Facing Out, or from other applicable formations.

Ends Cloverleaf as Centers Partner Tag (turn 1/4 to face each other & Pass Thru).

Columns end in an Eight Chain Thru.

Lockit

From a Wave, applicable Line of 4, or applicable Diamond.

Centers Arm Turn 1/4 as the Ends move up 1/4 of a Circle around the center point of the 4-dancer formation (i.e., Ends do your part Fan The Top).

Usually ends in the same formation, but rotated 90°.

Mix

From any Line of 4 or other applicable formations.

Centers Cross Run;
(new) Centers Trade.

A Line of 4 ends in a Line of 4.

Pair Off

From applicable formations (Facing Lines, Eight Chain Thru, or designated dancers (Heads or Sides) from a Squared Set).

Walk forward if necessary to meet the facing dancer, then Face Out (individually turn 1/4 to face away from the center of the set).

Partner Hinge

From a Mini-Wave or Couple only.

Do 1/2 of a Trade.

Ends in a Mini-Wave.

Partner Tag

From a Couple or Mini-Wave.

Turn 1/4 in place to face the adjacent dancer (1/4 In); Pass Thru.

Ends in Back-to-Back Dancers.

Pass In | Out

From Facing Dancers, a R-H Mini-Wave, or other applicable 8-dancer formations.

Pass In:: Pass Thru; Face In (individually turn 1/4 toward the center of the set).
Pass Out:: Pass Thru; Face Out (individually turn 1/4 away from the center of the set).

Ends in a Couple.

Pass The Sea

From Facing Couples (or a R-H Wave).

Pass Thru; 1/4 In; Left Touch.

Ends in a L-H Wave.

Right | Left Roll To A Wave

From a Generalized Tandem (i.e., Front-to-Back Dancers, Back-to-Back Dancers, or Facing Dancers).

Right Roll To A Wave:: As one movement, Leaders Right-face U-Turn Back and all Step To A Right-Hand Mini-Wave.

Left Roll To A Wave:: As one movement, Leaders Left-face U-Turn Back and all Step To A Left-Hand Mini-Wave.

Scoot & Dodge

From a Mini-Wave Box or applicable T-Bone 2 x 2.

Leaders Dodge (sidestep into the adjacent position as in Walk & Dodge) as Trailers do your part Scoot Back (Extend, Trade, and Extend).

A Mini-Wave Box ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Split Square Thru (n)

From the T-Bone formation obtained from Facing Couples after one Couple does a turn 1/4 to face one another (1/4 In), or from other applicable formations.

Those who can Right Pull By and turn 1/4 to face the inactives (1/4 In);
all Finish a Square Thru n (i.e., Left Square Thru n - 1).

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Square Chain Thru

From Facing Couples (or a R-H Wave).

Right Pull By and 1/4 In;
Left Swing Thru;
Left Turn Thru.

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Step & Slide

From any Line of 4 or other applicable formations.

Centers Step Ahead as Ends Slide into the vacated adjacent Center position.

A Line of 4 ends in a 2 x 2 or a "Z".

Swap Around, Reverse Swap Around

From Facing Couples, or from a T-Bone 2 x 2 in which everyone is a Trailer.

Swap Around:: Belles walk forward (Box Circulate) as
Beaus flip (Run) into the adjacent Belle's position.
Reverse Swap Around:: Beaus walk forward (Box Circulate) as
Belles flip (Run) into the adjacent Beau's position.

Facing Couples end in Back-to-Back Couples.

Transfer The Column

From Mini-Wave Columns.

First two dancers in the Column (#1 and #2) move forward in Single File around the outside of the other Column until parallel with the Center Box and then individually Face In (to end as a Couple) as the Last Two dancers (#3 and #4) Circulate (to form a Center Box) and Cast Off 3/4; all Extend.

Ends in Parallel Waves.

Triple Cross

From a 1/4 Box, Mini-Wave Columns, or other applicable formations.

The six who can diagonally Pull By using outside hands.

A 1/4 Box ends in Mini-Wave Columns; Mini-Wave Columns end in a 3/4 Box.

Triple Star Thru

From a Starting Double Pass Thru formation in which the Centers are normal Couples and the Outsides are Half-Sashayed, from a normal Eight Chain Thru formation, or from other applicable formations.

Those who can Star Thru;
Those who can Mirror Star Thru;
Those who can Star Thru.

The aforementioned Starting Double Pass Thru formation ends in normal Back-to-Back Lines.

Triple Trade

From a 1 x 8 Line or other applicable 8-dancer formation.

Center Six (3 pairs of dancers) Trade.

Ends in same formation as starting formation.

Turn & Deal

From any Line of 4.

As one movement, 1/2 Tag then turn 1/4 in place toward your initial turning direction.

Ends in a 2 x 2.

A R-H Two-Faced Line ends in Facing Couples.
A L-H Two-Faced Line ends in Back-to-Back Couples.
A L-H Wave ends in a R-H Mini-Wave Box.
A One-Faced Line ends in Tandem Couples.

Wheel Thru

From Facing Couples.

Wheel Thru [A1]:: Belles 1/4 Right as Beaus diagonal Pass Thru while turning 1/4 to the right.

Left Wheel Thru [A1]:: Beaus 1/4 Left as Belles diagonal left-shoulder Pass Thru while turning 1/4 to the left.

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.