Hexagon Choreography
(aka Rectangle Choreography)
(aka 6-couple Square Dancing)

Introduction
Basic/Mainstream Choreo
Singing Call Figures

INTRODUCTION

This choreography is for the "4 heads 2 sides" type of hexagon. The reason that I like (and use) this choreo is that it is not as trivial as "H Sq->, now do a whole bunch of 2-cpl moves, LA". Most of the stuff below moves people from one pair of couples to another. The difficulty, of course, is that if you make a mistake, it is really hard to sight one's way out of a hexagon mixup! (Trust me - I know!!!)

I would like to give credit to my two sources for the information in this page - Sam Stead of Calgary, Alberta, and Ron Berglund of Surrey, BC.

You should be able to figure out my abbreviations.

I have used all of these sequences (thanks to the privilege of calling for a small club), so I know that they work. However, in case I made a slight "transcription" error, please email me (see below).

BASIC/MAINSTREAM CHOREO

This first sequence is a more interesting way of doing the "bunch of 2-cpl moves":

S Lead R, Circ to a line of six (ZL)
Ctr 2 RL->, Others Slide->
(Now the ctrs are facing north/south, while the others are facing east/west - just that little change makes it seem more difficult)
(Now, do any series of zero figures for 2 facing cpls.)
Outsides Sq-> 3, Ctrs *-> and P->, LA
The rest of these do more mixing of people.
H Sq->
(ZB) Tch 1/4, WkDg, Prt Tr, RL->, Flutter, PO, (ZBW)
Recycle, 8C4
Sw->, B Run, W&D (a zero)
P->, TrBy, RL->
*->, PO, Recycle, LA

H Sq->
Sw->, B Run, Ferris (2 prs of ctr cpls will be facing each other)
If you can - RL-> and P->
Everybody RL->
Tch 1/4, Scoot, B Run, RL->
Flutter, Sweep 1/4, Veer L
Cpl Circ 2x, W&D, LA

S Lead R, Circle 6 to a Line (ZL)
*->, RL->, Tch 1/4, Scoot, B Run, RL->,
PO, Hinge, WkDg, Prt Tr, RL->,
PO, Recycle, P->, LA

H Sq->
RL->, Sq->3, TrBy
Tch 1/4, WkDg, Prt Tr, RL->, Flutter, *-> (this line is a zero)
P->, TrBy, RL->
Tch 1/4, Scoot, B Run, *->,
P->, TrBy, LA

The next few use Spin Chain Thru - usually I have to walk it through, because the dancers don't really believe that "you can do that from here".
H Sq->
Sw->, Hinge, B Run, PO, G Tr
Spin Chain ->, Spin Chain ->,
Hinge, Scoot, B Run, Sq-> 3, LA

H Sq->
Sw->, Hinge, B Run, PO, G Tr
Spin Chain ->, G Circ,
Spin Chain ->, B Circ,
Sw->, B Run, W&D, LA

For this next sequence, I usually have to do the first 3-people Bend the Line really slowly - it is a real stretch to move from "couple" types of moves to "triple" types of moves.
H Sq->
Spin Chain->, G Circ 2x, B Run, Bend (ZL)
P->, Bend (by threes), P->, Bend (by threes), (ZL)
P->, W&D (by same threes),
DPT, first 3 go left, next 3 go right (ZL)
RL->, *->, P->, LA

S Flutter, Rev Flutter, Half Sashay, P->, Ar 1, Line up 6 (bggbbg lines)
All *->
If you can, RL-> with a full turn
If you can, RL-> with a full turn
If you can, RL-> with a full turn
"Double" Ctrs In, Cast Off by 3s
All *->
If you can, RL-> with a full turn
If you can, RL-> with a full turn, LA

H P->, W&D,
(H) DPT, first cpl L, next R, while sides move in,
then H wheel in behind them (cpl going L goes in first)
Triple P->
Double Ctrs In, Cast Off by 3s
All *->,
Triple P->, first cpl L, next R, last Calif Tw
All RL->, *->, P->, LA

SINGING CALL FIGURES

In my experience, it does seem that the patters tend to be kind of long - part of the reason is those long RLG/Proms.

But I have found that the dancers really do want a singer - remember, the singer is their reward, the icing on the cake, etc.

The challenge with hexagon singing calls is that it takes a loooooong time to do the promenade. So, where normally, you might 48 beats to get from SS to Swing your corner, I have found that in a hexagon, you better start swinging between beats 32 and 40 (sometimes they really stretch out the promenade circle). Since the Heads Square Thru 4 takes about 12 beats, this means you've only got 20 or so beats to mess with.

(A side note - I always start the singers with a H Sq-> 4 or equivalent - I don't have the sides start anything - partly because about the only thing that I can figure to do with the sides is S Lead R, Circle to a Line of 6 - which actually takes a lot of time, and can sometimes lose the dancers - it's a long walk for the sides.)

The other important point to note is that in a typical 7-verse singer, you will do an opener and 6 corner progressions - no middle break or closer. (Of course, you can do that opener anywhere!) On the other hand, Mike Akers, a caller from Florida, has this suggestion:

One way I have found to resolve the progression problem and still have a middle break and ending is to call circle left, ladies center/ men sashay, allemande left and weave. Doing this at the break and closer throws in an extra corner progression, and they all end up with original partner.


I aim for simplicity in the singers, so most of the stuff is standard 2-couple zeroes - not a lot of interaction with the rest of the hexagon.

So, here are some of the singing call figures I have used successfully:

H Sq-> 4, Dosado, Sw->, B Run, W&D, Swing, Prom
H Sq-> 4, Tch 1/4, Scoot, B Run, RL->, Slide->, Swing, Prom
H Sq-> 4, Sw->, B Run, Ferris, Ctrs P->, Swing, Prom
H Sq-> 4, Dosado, *->, Sq-> 3, Swing, Prom
H Sq-> 4, Dosado, Sw->, B Tr, Swing, Prom
Of course, I also toss in equivalents, just to add variety (RL-> Veer L instead of Sw-> B Run, for example) (H *->, Calif Tw or H Tch 1/4, B Run instead of H Sq-> 4, for another obvious example).


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This page last updated Oct 14, 2001