Square Dance Quick Tutorial

Square Thru

Quick Tutorial Series
Acey Deucey
Alamo Rings
All 8 Circulate
All 8 Spin the Top
Allemande Left
Any Hand
As Couples
Backtrack
Bend the Line
Box Circulate
Box Counter Rotate
Box the Gnat
Brace Thru
California Twirl
Cast a Shadow
Cast Off 3/4
Centers In
Chain Down the Line
Chain Reaction
Chase Right
Circle
Clover and ...
Cloverleaf
Column Circulate
Coordinate
Couple Numbers
Couples Circulate
Couples Hinge
Couples Trade
Courtesy Turn
Cross Over Circulate
Cross Run
Cross Trail Thru
Cut the Diamond
Cut the Hourglass
Cycle and Wheel
Diamond Circulate
Dixie Grand
Dixie Style to a Wave
Dosado
Dosado to a Wave
Double Pass Thru
Double Star Thru
Ends Bend
Explode and ...
Explode the Line
Explode the Wave
Fan the Top
Ferris Wheel
Flip the Diamond
Flip the Hourglass
Flutterwheel
Fold (and Cross Fold)
Follow Your Neighbor
fractional Tops
Grand Square
Grand Swing Thru
Half Sashay
Half Tag
Hinge
Hourglass Circulate
Horseshoe Turn
In Roll Circulate
Ladies Chain
Ladies In Men Sashay
Lead
Left Swing Thru
Linear Cycle
Load the Boat
Lockit
Mix
Out Roll Circulate
Pair Off
Partner Hinge
Partner Tag
Partner Trade
Pass and Roll
Pass In
Pass the Ocean
Pass the Sea
Pass Thru
Pass to the Center
Peel Off
Peel the Top
Ping Pong Circulate
Promenade
Quarter In
Quarter Thru
Recycle (from a wave)
Recycle (from facing couples)
Remake
Right and Left Thru
Right Roll to a Wave
Roll
Rollaway
Run
Scoot and Dodge
Scoot Back
Separate
Single Circle to a Wave
Single Wheel
Six by Two Acey Deucey
Slide Thru
Spin Chain & Exch. the Gears
Spin Chain the Gears
Spin Chain Thru
Spin the Top
Split Circulate
Split Counter Rotate
Split Square Thru
Spread
Square Chain Thru
Square Thru
Star Thru
Step and Slide
Step to a Wave
Swap Around
Sweep 1/4
Swing and Mix
Swing Thru
Tag the Line
Three Quarter Tag
Touch 1/4
Track 2
Trade
Trade By
Trade Circulate
Trade the Wave
Transfer the Column
Triple Scoot
Triple Star Thru
Triple Trade
Turn and Deal
Turn Thru
U-Turn-Back
Veer
Walk and Dodge
Weave the Ring
Wheel and Deal
Wheel Around
Wheel Thru
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  This "quick tutorial" introduces the general idea of a call and explains the most common cases. It does not explain or illustrate all cases. For additional details and/or examples, refer to the links in the "MORE INFO" box.

MORE INFO
CEDER.NET
TAMINATIONS
The call Square Thru starts from facing couples. They do a series of "pull-by" actions, alternating hands, with an inward 1/4 turn (90 degrees) between them:

  • Right Pull By
  • Turn Inward
  • Left Pull By
  • Turn Inward
  • Right Pull By
  • Turn Inward
  • Left Pull By

Note that there is no turn after the last pull-by. The dancers end as couples back-to-back. Also note that the sequence of pull-by actions (right, left, right, left) is the same as for Right and Left Grand. But instead of eight dancers moving in a large circle around the whole set, four dancers are moving in a small square-shaped path in their own box.

A full Square Thru includes four pull-by actions. This is also known as Square Thru 4. But the caller can specify a different number.

A Square Thru 1 is simply a right pull-by. Again, there is no turn after the last pull-by (which in this case is also the first pull-by).

A Square Thru 2 consists of a right pull-by and left pull-by, with just one turn inward between them. Again, the dancers all end back-to-back.

A Square Thru 3 consists of three pull-by actions, with two turns between them.

Some callers will say "Square Thru 2 Hands" instead of "Square Thru 2". And since a full Square Thru is 4 hands, another way to say the same thing is "Square Thru 1/2" or "Half Square Thru". These all mean the same thing.

Similarly, "Square Thru 3 Hands" and "Square Thru 3/4" mean the same thing as "Square Thru 3".

Some dancers find it difficult at first to know which way to turn, between the pull-by actions. Each turn is always inward, 1/4 (90 degress), toward the center of the box. Note that the hands alternate (right, left, right, ... ) but each dancer is always turning the same direction throughout the call.

The dancer who starts on the left is always turning right, while the dancer who starts on the right is always turning left.