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Western Style Square Dancing

America's folk dance represent the many cultures that came together in this great country.  Square dance was influenced by and is similar to some European folk dances.   Square Dance is the official folk dance of Tennessee.  Often described as "Friendship set to Music", Square Dancing is a respectable and relatively inexpensive source of recreation.  (Alcohol is banned from Square Dance activities and smoking is done outside the building.  Profanity is strictly prohibited.)  Square-dancing is fun, friendly & colorful!  Ladies wear either traditional knee-length skirts & flouncy crinolins or full prairie skirts- which have now been approved by the National Square Dance Association.  (Some Gals prefer to wear jeans - however it's more fun to twirl a skirt when you do spins)  Gents typically wear jeans/Western slacks, long-sleeved shirts and a Square Dance tie to match their partner's dress.  Western bolos are also acceptable.  Hats are not usually worn, because they tend to fall off.  Comfortable shoes are a MUST as dancers are on their feet a lot.  A good pair of insoles may help you feel lighter on your feet.

Square Dancing has 3 levels;  Basic,  Mainstream & Plus.  There are 71 different moves at the Basic/Mainstream level.  Plus level consists of 29 additional, more complicated movements.  Some Basic calls for beginners to learn are: Dosado, See Saw, Allemande, Forward & Back, Swing Your Partner, Courtesy Turn, Promenade & Right-Left Grand.  If you want to study/practice on your own at home, you will find animations of Square Dance moves at all levels by clicking on the 'Square Dance Tutorial' link at the bottom of this page.


Round Dancing

Round Dancing has been described as a blending of Swing, Square and Ballroom dancing.  It is enjoyed by individual couples who perform various steps on que, dancinge in a large, circular pattern.  This form of dance is graceful, challenging and is often considered more romantic than the group dancing.  Round dancers often wear the same clothes as Square Dancers or slightly longer skirts.  Over the last 50+ years, Round Dance routines have been choreographed to match specific music in almost every dance style imaginable. A routine done to a specific song in Tennessee is almost always the same routine you would do to that music any other place worldwide at the same level of difficulty.

This formation team-type of dancing eliminates the traffic jam feeling you sometimes get while free form




ballroom dancing. Dancers are able to concentrate more on executing figures and dancing as one flowing unit as opposed to trying to think about which figure or pattern to do next.  The 6 levels of Round Dancing are called 'Phases'. Phases 1 & 2 are "easy level" and include 2-step (similar to Country-western dancing) and Waltz (enough to dance at a wedding). Phase 3 & 4 are the intermediate levels and include additional Waltz figures in addition to introductions to other rhythms in the International & American styles. Rhythms include: Foxtrot, Quickstep (similar to Arthur Murray foxtrot), International Tango, American Tango, Argentine Tango, Cha, Rumba, Bolero, Mambo, Jive, Swing, West-coast Swing, Samba, Paso Doble, Slow Two-step, & others. Phase 5 & 6 take dancers into the upper levels of dancing, including most of the figures you see at ballroom competitions.


Line Dancing

Considered the "Dance of the Cowboy", Line Dance is believed to have started somewhere back in the 1800's by old-west Cattlemen & Cowhands who had nothing better to do on Saturday nights.  With no ladies around to dance with, the Gents would all stand in a row & do step & turn patterns to music. 

Line Dancing gained fast popularity in modern society when the song  'Achy Breaky Heart' hit the charts.  Today, Line Dance is performed by rows of men & women in any combination- who then do common step routines.  It is still performed to Country-style music.  Line Dancing is enjoyable, straightforward to learn and doesn't require a partner.  A wide variety of Western clothing styles are acceptable for Line Dancing.  Cowboy hats, boots & big belt buckles are favored accessories for Line dancers!  To get started in this dance form, you need to learn: Grapevine Right & Left and how to Triple Step, Box Step and Sweet Foot.  (See the Line Dance Resource on our Links page)


  

Learn Square Dance Moves
Square Dance Tutorial

Visit Chattanooga's Premiere
Square Dance Hall

Allemande Hall

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