Now that the proposal that would have changed the structure of square dancing was not passed by the most recent CALLERLAB convention, where does square dancing go from here? The proposal, called Target 2000 (T2K), would have created three teaching programs. The first two would have been taught in 12 sessions. The final program would be taught in 25 sessions. T2K was two years in the making. The failure of the CALLERLAB to pass it leaves square dancing back to "square one" as far as receiving a consensus as to what changes need to be made. The CALLERLAB voters were spit down the middle on the vote. The final count was 116 for and 116 against. Without a majority vote the measure did not pass and can not be brought to a vote again. Many of the people who voted against the proposal were in favor of reducing the number of calls on the lists, but were not in favor of all the changes in T2K. Because there was no consensus behind any alternate view, the Board of Governors of CALLERLAB appointed an ad hoc committee to attempt to identify all the other issues that various people have cited. The committee will attempt to identify key issues and then route specific issues to current permanent committees, or new committees will be formed.

Calvin Campbell (author of three books including "Dancing for Busy People", member of the Board of Governors of CALLERLAB, and editor of the CDP Journal published quarterly by CALLERLAB) when asked about what happened with the T2K vote said, "The messages are several. The T2K proposal did not bring consensus. Therefore it was not a good solution. The problems are not going to go away. We need to identify these problems, and if we can, find consensus on some issues. We are going to try. There are many things that we need to work on and we all need to work together for the good of square dancing everywhere and not just protect the dance situation in local areas. If we don't find common ground then we'll all suffer."

Finding common ground will not be an easy task. The causes of the decline of square dancing are many, including changes in society. There is no easy answer to how to turn things around. Square dancers and callers need to eventually find common ground and work together to find ways to recruit and maintain dancers.

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