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Glenview Squares Courtesy Guidelines

Updated September, 2024

There’s more to square dancing than the calls taught in classes! Read on for tips on
how to “level up” your dancing game. The bullet points below cover general etiquette,
courtesy tips while dancing, and what to do in an emergency.

GENERAL ETIQUETTE

● Come Healthy. Dancing has proven a great way to share germs. If you are ill or
think you may be coming down with a cold, please stay home and take care of
yourself, and we will see you at the NEXT dance. At dances, remember to use
hand sanitizer between tips. Wear a mask if you tend to sneeze or cough.

● Clean & Spiffy. As in any social setting good hygiene is important. Come to the
dance clean and fresh.

○ Limit use of perfume or aftershave as a courtesy to those with sensitivities.

○ Limit pointy jewelry (especially rings!) that might injure other dancers.

● Badge Up. Members should wear their name badges and introduce themselves
when they join a square.

● Square ‘Em Up. Ideally, dancers should pair up and go to a place on the floor
where a square is forming or start a new square. Try not to walk through squares
that have formed, or pass by a square that is forming and needs dancers.

○ New dancers are encouraged to partner with experienced dancers when
possible. Arrange this in advance if need be.

○ Experienced dancers are encouraged to seek out new dancers as
partners.

○ Single dancers are encouraged to find a partner before squaring up.
Otherwise, go to a square and hold up your hand.

○ Member couples are encouraged to split up for a tip or more to dance with
our single friends.

○ Give priority to guest dancers -- make sure visitors to our club have a
chance to dance. (see below)

● Welcome, Guests! These days, visitors from other clubs have likely driven a
long distance (through traffic) to join our dance. Make guests feel welcome and
glad they made the trip. Thank them for joining us. Ask them to dance.

○ When squaring up, try to give guests priority, even if it means you sit out a
tip.

○ At evening’s end, thank guests for coming and urge them to come again.

● Look After Our Newest Dancers. Today’s new dancers will become the
experienced dancers of the future. Treat them like gold!

● Dance At Your Level. To get the most enjoyment out of our SSD/Plus-level
dances, dancers should only dance at their level of ability. Dancers who do not
know Plus calls should not let themselves be persuaded to join a Plus tip by
dancers saying “Don’t worry, we’ll get you through it!” The goal is to have fun –
lessons & workshops are available for learning or reviewing Plus-level calls.

● Respect the Caller’s Equipment. The specialized sound equipment used for
square dancing is expensive, sensitive and hard to replace.

○ Dancers should never touch, jostle, move or hover over the caller’s
equipment before, during or after a dance unless expressly invited to do
so by the equipment owner.

○ HOWEVER, the equipment can be quite heavy! Callers would appreciate
help carrying equipment into or out of dance halls.

IN-SQUARE ETIQUETTE

● Mistakes Happen. Every member and guest should be treated with respect. All
dancers make mistakes, everyone is trying, so encourage each other. Laugh it
off. Keep dancing.

● Stay the Course. Once in a square, never abandon it unless you suddenly
become ill or injured. If you absolutely must leave your square, find a substitute
from someone sitting out.

● Touch Hands. Dancers touch hands to establish contact with adjacent dancers
in their formation. Make sure your touch is light enough so the other dancers can
get away if they are supposed to move and you don’t realize it. Use a flat hand
(no thumbs) as often as possible.

● Give Weight But Avoid Death Grips. During right-and-left grands, chains, turns
and a few other moves that involve a handshake grip, use enough pressure to
offset each other’s weight -- but not so much that you leave the other person in
pain or accidentally pull them in the wrong direction.

● Shhh! Once a tip is underway, no talking! It is frequently difficult to hear and you
may prevent others in your square from hearing a call.

○ For those sitting out the tip, please step to the side or back of the room.
Keep your voices low so the caller can be heard by dancers.

● Listen to the caller. This is both a courtesy to the caller and other dancers and
also helps keep squares from breaking down. Anticipating calls can put you in
the wrong place at the wrong time.

● Breakdowns Happen. Here’s how to get back in the game quickly.

○ For patter tip breakdowns: “make lines”. When it’s clear your square has
collapsed, someone needs to give the signal to MAKE LINES. Everyone
returns to their home spot in the square. Next, the heads slide right to form
lines at the side. Finally, wait to resume dancing until the caller announces
the “lines” formation.

○ For singing call breakdowns, men should go home with their current
corner and resume dancing when the men in the other squares are back
home.

● And Finally, ‘Big Circle.’ After the last tip, the dancers and the caller form a
large circle to thank everyone. If you especially enjoyed dancing with individual
people, tell them after the tip or before leaving the dance. Be sure to thank the
caller, too!

Emergency Call for Medical Aid

The raised-hands signal is used by dancers to notify the caller of a medical problem in their square. When such a problem occurs, minutes can be lost with waving arms and hard-to-hear explanations across a crowded dance floor. Here’s what to do: