Definitions of Old Calls
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 Other Definitions of Old Calls 

Old or unusual square dance calls found in singing calls. 92 calls

  1. Ah So
  2. Ah So Walk
  3. All 4 Couples Suzy Q
  4. All Eight Chain
  5. Allemande Whee
  6. Barge Thru
  7. Boomerang
  8. Break And Trail
  9. Catch All Eight
  10. Circle To A Two-Faced Line
  11. Clover Flow
  12. Criss Cross Thru
  13. Cross Your Corner
  14. Curl The Line
  15. Curli-Cross
  16. Curlique
  17. Daisy Chain
  18. Dixie Chain
  19. Dixie Daisy
  20. Dixie Derby
  21. Dixie Twirl
  22. Dixie Wheel
  23. Double The Gnat
  24. Ends Turn In
  25. Ferris Recycle
  26. Flare The Star
  27. Flutter The Line
  28. Fold The Line
  29. Frontier Whirl
  30. Grand Parade
  31. Grand Q
  32. Grand Right 8
  33. Grand Sashay
  34. Grand Slide
  35. Grand Spin
  36. Grand Sweep
  37. Grand Track
  38. Grand Weave
  39. Hinge And Flutter
  40. Hinge And Trade
  41. Inside Arch, Outside Under
  42. Inside Out, Outside In
  43. Ladies Center Back To The Bar
  44. Lines Divide
  45. Lines Pair In | Out
  46. Lines Trade
 
  1. Loop The Loop
  2. Make Me A Column
  3. On To The Next
  4. Pair Off
  5. Rainbow Stroll
  6. Recall
  7. Red Hot
  8. Release Recycle
  9. Release The Column
  10. Resashay
  11. Right Hand High, Left Hand Low
  12. Rip And Snort
  13. Round Off
  14. Sashay Around Your Corner
  15. Sashay Thru
  16. Shuffle The Deck
  17. Slide Away
  18. Snapperoo
  19. Spin The Wheel
  20. Split Your Corners
  21. Spread The Star
  22. Square The Barge
  23. Star The Route
  24. Star The Square
  25. Star Twirl
  26. Stroll And Cycle
  27. Substitute
  28. Suzy Q
  29. Swat (Box) The Flea
  30. Swing Back
  31. Swing Star Thru
  32. Tea Party Promenade
  33. Throw In The Clutch
  34. Track And Trade
  35. Trail Thru
  36. Triple Allemande
  37. Turn And Left Thru
  38. Turn Your Corner Under
  39. Twist The Line
  40. Two Steps At A Time
  41. Wagon Wheel
  42. Wahoo
  43. Weathervane
  44. Wheel Across
  45. Wheel Chain
  46. Whirlaway
 Ah So  --  [C1]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From a Wave.

Ends hold onto adjacent dancers and do a Cross Fold.

Ends in a Mini-Wave Box.

Ceder Chest definition of Ah So

Lee Kopman 1976

ID: 23  (handle=126)
  
  
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 Ah So Walk     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Squared Set.

Heads Pass The Ocean, Ah So, Walk & Dodge, Step Forward, then California Twirl
Sides Face, Backup 3 steps, turn 1/4 in, move forward, Dosado, then Star Thru

Repeat so that original Heads do the Sides' part and vice versa.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Comments and Examples:

Each iteration takes 16 beats.

1976

ID: 111
  
  
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 All 4 Couples Suzy Q     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Squared Set.

Pass corner right shoulders, Right Turn Thru with opposite;
Pass corner left shoulders, Left Turn Thru with partner;
Pass corner right shoulders, Right Turn Thru with opposite;
Pass corner left shoulders, left to partner for a Courtesy Turn.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Comments and Examples:

From a normal squared set, when passing the corner,
Men always pass on the outside, Ladies on the inside.

The Courtesy Turn may be replaced with another call
such as Roll Promenade or Do Paso.

Also known as All Eight Suzy-Q.

ID: 1
  
  
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 All Eight Chain     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Circle or Squared Set.

Face your Corner; Right Pull By; (Left to the next for a) Courtesy Turn.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Also known as Chain All Eight.

Comments and Examples:

Similar to the C2 call Grand Chain Eight.

Cleo Harden 1955

ID: 53
  
  
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 Allemande Whee     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Right and Left Grand formation.

Go forward two (right pull by, left turn thru);
turn back three (right pull by, left pull by, right turn thru);
then do as directed.

Phil Monroe

ID: 79
  
  
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 Barge Thru  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Facing Lines (or R-H Tidal Wave).

1/2 Square Thru; Trade By.

Ends in an Eight Chain Thru Formation.

Manny Amor

ID: 3  (handle=155)
  
  
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 Boomerang  --  [C3B]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Tandem Couples.

Leaders Zoom as Trailers Step Forward & Partner Trade.

Ends in Facing Couples.

Ceder Chest definition of Boomerang

Vince Spillane 1969

ID: 25  (handle=170)
  
  
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 Break And Trail     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a moving Circle.

Release hands and Promenade Single File in same direction.

ID: 96
  
  
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 Catch All Eight     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Facing Dancers or a Right-Hand Mini-Wave.

Right Arm Turn 1/2;
U-Turn Back while clapping hands;
Left Arm Turn full around (or as directed).

ID: 32
  
  
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 Circle To A Two-Faced Line  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Facing Couples.

  1. Circle Left 1/2;
  2. Veer Left.

Ends in a Right-Hand Two-Faced Line.

Comments and Examples:

An optional fraction can be given, for example, Circle 1/4 (or 3/4) To A Two-Faced Line, in which case you Circle Left the given fraction, then Veer Left.

1970

ID: 52  (handle=237)
  
  
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 Clover Flow  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Trade By Formation.

  1. Outsides Cloverleaf as Centers Pass Thru;
  2. Out-facers Cloverleaf as Others Pass Thru.

Ends in an Eight Chain Thru Formation.

Comments and Examples:

Same as Clover And Pass Thru; Clover And Pass Thru.

Bill Davis 1973

ID: 35  (handle=250)
  
  
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 Criss Cross Thru     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Facing Couples.

Designated Couple (or Centers, if starting from an Eight Chain Thru) as one movement, Half Sashay and Split the Non-Designated Couple.

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

ID: 103
  
  
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 Cross Your Corner     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Squared Set.

Designated couples separate, go around the outside, pass opposite and face the back of a non-designated dancer.

Ends in Starting Double Pass Thru formation.

Comments and Examples:

Heads Cross Your Corners is a Heads Separate, meet and Slide Thru.

ID: 93
  
  
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 Curl The Line     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Line.

Centers Trade as Ends Cross Fold.

A Two-Faced Line or Wave ends in a "Z"; a One-Faced Line or Invert Line ends in Facing Couples.

Comments and Examples:

According to Jay King's Handbook of Modern Square Dancing, it was Curl The Line that introduced the "Z" formation.

Known as Curl Thru at C4.

ID: 58
  
  
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 Curli-Cross  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Facing Couples.

  1. Curlique;
  2. Trailers diagonally left pull by.

Ends in Back-to-Back Couples.

Comments and Examples:

Curli-Cross was the basis for the A1 call anything And Cross.

Lee Kopman 1968

ID: 34  (handle=371)
  
  
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 Curlique  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From (opposite sex) Facing Dancers.

Place right hands forward, Men palm out,
Ladies palm in, join hands to make an arch;
exchange places, Men turn 1/4 to the right,
as Ladies turn 3/4 to the left under the arch.

Ends in a right-hand mini-wave.

Comments and Examples:

Ending position is equivalent to Touch 1/4.

Ceder Chest definition of Curlique

Clarence Watson 1963

ID: 7  (handle=375)
  
  
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 Daisy Chain     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From a Right And Left Grand Formation.

Right Pull By; Left Turn Thru; Right Turn Thru;
Left Pull By; Right Turn Thru; Left Turn Thru;
Right Pull By; Left Turn Thru; Right Turn Thru;
Left Pull By; Right Turn Thru; Left Turn Thru.

Ends in a Right And Left Grand Formation.

Comments and Examples:

Daisy Chain is a Right And Left Grand but interrupted such that
dancers go forward two, back one, forward two, back one, etc.

Paul Little 1952

ID: 36  (handle=386)
  
  
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 Dixie Chain  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Single Double Pass Thru formation
(or from Facing Couples, in which case the Belle goes in front).

  1. Centers right pull by;
  2. all left pull by;
  3. Centers right pull by.

Ends in a Single Completed Double Pass Thru formation.

Comments and Examples:

From Single Double Pass Thru formation,
Dixie Chain is equivalent to Double Pass Thru.

Bill Owen 1952

ID: 27  (handle=418)
  
  
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 Dixie Daisy  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Single Double Pass Thru formation
(or from Facing Couples, in which case the Belle goes in front).

  1. Centers right pull by;
  2. all left turn thru;
  3. Centers right pull by.

Ends in a Single Completed Double Pass Thru formation.

Comments and Examples:

Similar to Dixie Chain but on part 2, everyone does a Left Turn Thru instead of Left Pull By.

From Single Double Pass Thru formation,
Dixie Daisy is equivalent to U-Turn Back.

Bill Shymkus 1958

ID: 59  (handle=419)
  
  
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 Dixie Derby  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Single Double Pass Thru formation
(or from Facing Couples, in which case the Belle goes in front).

  1. Dixie Style to a Wave;
  2. Centers Trade & Spread as Ends Run.

Ends in a Right-Hand Two-Faced Line.

Comments and Examples:

Traffic pattern: The 'Ends Run' has the Ends making a loop on the outside as the Centers Trade & Spread on the inside.

Dixie Derby is used at C4. It is a 2-part call.

ID: 64  (handle=420)
  
  
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 Dixie Twirl     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a One-Faced Line of 4.

As Couples California Twirl (Centers arch, couples trade with
each other by having the right-side couple go under the arch).

Ends in an opposite-facing One-Faced Line of 4.

Out-Facing Lines (the standard starting formation) become Facing Lines.

Roy Watkins 1959

ID: 28
  
  
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 Dixie Wheel     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Single Double Pass Thru formation
(or from Facing Couples, in which case the Belle goes in front).

Centers Right Pull By;
all Left Pull By;
Centers Right Arm Turn full around then Step Thru.

Ends in a Completed Double Pass Thru.

Comments and Examples:

Similar to Dixie Chain except that the trailers (Beaus) do a full 360° turn instead of a final right pull by.

Ralph Kinnane 1960

ID: 81
  
  
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 Double The Gnat     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From (opposite sex) Facing Dancers.

Box The Gnat Twice.

Ends in Facing Dancers.

Comments and Examples:

A zero.

"Meet your girl and Double the Gnat. You box it over and box it back."

ID: 47
  
  
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 Ends Turn In     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Line of 4.

Centers make an arch as Ends Fold; Dive Thru.

Ends in a 2x2 or "Z".

Back-to-Back Lines (the standard starting formation) ends in a Starting Double Pass Thru formation.

Comments and Examples:

Often called as "Centers Arch, Ends Turn In".

Ed Gilmore 1952

ID: 50
  
  
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 Ferris Recycle     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Parallel Waves.

Start a Recycle, but finish like a Ferris Wheel.

Ends in Starting Double Pass Thru formation.

Comments and Examples:

Same as Stretch Recycle.

ID: 37
  
  
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 Flare The Star  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Facing Couples.

Right-hand star, original Beaus 1/2 way across
and face in as original Belles star one full turn;
original Beaus Courtesy Turn the original Belles

Ends in Facing Couples.

Comments and Examples:

The ending position is equivalent to Flutter Wheel.

Ted Frye 1971

ID: 46  (handle=496)
  
  
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 Flutter The Line     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Right-Hand Two-Faced Line.

Centers Trade; Couples Trade; Bend The Line.

Ends in Facing Couples.

Comments and Examples:

Flutter The Line is to Flutter Wheel
as Chain Down The Line is to Ladies Chain.

Chuck Bryant 1972

ID: 54
  
  
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 Fold The Line     Cue sheets  

Definition:

Same as Ends Fold.

ID: 60
  
  
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 Frontier Whirl     Cue sheets  

Definition:

Same as California Twirl.

Comments and Examples:

Also known as Frontier Twirl.

Bruce Johnson 1957

ID: 29
  
  
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 Grand Parade     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From a normal Squared Set.

Heads move in and right arm turn 1/2 with opposite;
Head Men left arm turn 3/4 as Head Lady step forward as
Side Lady veer right to become a partner with the Head Men as
Side Men courtesy turn Head Ladies;
all Promenade 1/2.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Repeat the above movement for a total of 4 times
(twice for Heads to the center, then twice for Sides to the center).

Comments and Examples:

Grand Parade is a zero - everyone ends where they started.

Mort Simpson 1974

ID: 5  (handle=542)
  
  
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 Grand Q     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Squared Set.

Face partner;
Dosado; Curlique; Girls Left Star 3/4 as
Boys Wrong Way Promenade 1/4 to face Partner;
Dosado; Curlique; Boys Left Star 3/4 as
Girls Wrong Way Promenade 1/4 to face Partner.

Repeat the above and end at home.

Ross Crispino 1976

ID: 38
  
  
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 Grand Right 8     Cue sheets  

Definition:

Same as Right & Left Grand.

ID: 75
  
  
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 Grand Sashay     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Right And Left Grand Formation (e.g., after Allemande Left).

Dosado, right pull by;
Seesaw, left pull by;
Dosado, right pull by;
Seesaw, left pull by.

Ends in a Right And Left Grand Formation.

Comments and Examples:

Same as Right And Left Grand except that a
Dosado or Seesaw (left-shoulder Dosado)
is inserted before each pull by.

The Burleson's definition says to bow before each pull by.

Rickey Holden 1949

ID: 8
  
  
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 Grand Slide     Cue sheets  

Definition:

Same as Grand Square except that dancers do not
change their facing direction during the call.

Comments and Examples:

A Stable Grand Square.

Chip Hendrickson 1967

ID: 39
  
  
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 Grand Spin     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a normal Squared Set.

Heads:
Move forward and Slide Thru; Spin The Top; blending
into a Star Thru; walk forward and California Twirl.

Sides:
Face partner; back up 3 steps as in Grand Square;
Face in, walk forward, and dosado (to face); then
Star Thru.

Repeat the above movement with new Heads and Sides.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Ross Crispino 1967

ID: 6
  
  
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 Grand Sweep     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a normal Squared Set.

Heads:
Flutter Wheel, Sweep 1/4; Pass Thru; Step forward & Partner Trade.

Sides:
Face partner; back up 3 steps as in Grand Square;
Face in, walk forward, and dosado (to face); then
Star Thru.

Repeat the above movement with new Heads and Sides.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Comments and Examples:

At completion of Grand Sweep, all dancers are halfway across the set.

Bill Martin 1971

ID: 40
  
  
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 Grand Track     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Squared Set.

Heads Pass Thru & step forward;
Sides Pair Off (to end behind Heads);
Track 2; 1/2 Circulate, blending into a Star Thru.

Ends in a Squared Set.

This movement is done 4 times (Heads start, Sides start, Heads start, Sides start).

ID: 26
  
  
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 Grand Weave     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Squared Set.

Ladies Lead Right, all Pass Thru, Ladies U-Turn Back (to the right);
Boys Pass Thru (right-hand star, but just walk forward);
All Pass Thru;
Girls Pass Thru (right-hand star, but just walk forward);
Boys U-Turn Back (to the right) and all Star Thru;
Promenade 1/4.

Repeat the above movement for a total of 4 times.

ID: 31
  
  
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 Hinge And Flutter     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a Right-Hand Wave.

Single Hinge, Leaders U-Turn Back, Reverse Flutter Wheel.

Ends in Facing Couples.

ID: 84
  
  
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 Hinge And Trade  --  [C4]     Cue sheets    Choreography  

Definition:

From Parallel Two-Faced Lines or Back-to-Back Lines.

Couples Hinge; Center Couples Trade; all As Couples Face In.

Ends in a Double Pass Thru Formation.

Comments and Examples:

Also known as Couples Hinge And Trade.

Single Hinge & Trade:
From a Non-T-Bone 2x2. Hinge; Centers Trade; all Roll.

ID: 33  (handle=566)
  
  
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 Inside Arch, Outside Under     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From an Eight Chain Thru formation.

Centers make an arch and walk forward
as Ends move under and through the arch.

Ends in a Trade By formation.

Comments and Examples:

Also known as Arch And Under, in which a designated couple arches inside hands as other couple moves under and through the arch.

A precursor to Dive Thru, which is an Inside Arch Outside Under followed by New Outsides California Twirl.

ID: 88
  
  
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 Inside Out, Outside In     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From Promenade or Wrong Way Promenade.

Centers backup as Ends walk forward (a 1/2 turn).

Ends in a Promenade or Wrong Way Promenade.

A Promenade is converted to a Wrong Way Promenade and vice-versa.

Comments and Examples:

Same as a Wheel Around (when starting from Promenade)
or a Reverse Wheel Around (when starting from Wrong Way Promenade).

Usually called from Star Promenade.

ID: 41
  
  
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 Ladies Center Back To The Bar     Cue sheets  

Definition:

From a normal Squared Set.

Holding onto joined hands, Men lead the Ladies
into the center, Ladies turning 180 degrees to
face their partner (Ladies Fold);

Raising joined hands, Lady twirls under the arch
to return to a squared set.

Ends in a Squared Set.

Comments and Examples:

Men do a Forward And Back, while raising their right-hand,
as the Lady does a left-face twirl half on the way in,
then a left-face twirl half on the way out.

ID: 2