Perhaps this is one of the remaining regional differences in terminology.  I 
have always (30+ years) heard it called a Balanced Square Through.

Jonathan
Central Illinois
________________________________
From: Bob Morgan via Contra Callers <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, August 9, 2025 2:13 PM
To: Shared Weight Contra Callers <[email protected]>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Interrupting Cow - ("new" dance )

Caller's Box only references interrupted square through

Carol Ormand's Baling Hay does contain an interrupted square thru 2

https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1522<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1522__;!!DZ3fjg!5h5-PCFZTgFA1bXeERsELPC4-tFWt97ANN2TesRMkYfyY-nMNW5BjivbiXq9y8Cxd7B_oMu8-94u3_hYNAI5mnMEM63JA2rPOrkt$>

I don't think I've come across balanced square through all that much here.  I 
would define either usage in teaching though.

Bob

On Sat, Aug 9, 2025 at 7:38 PM John Sweeney via Contra Callers 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
 wrote:

The original “Rights & Lefts” was commonly four steps for each of four 
“changes”.



Square Dancers often do them at twice that speed, just two steps for each 
change.



My guess is that Contra Dancers found four steps too slow and wanted to add 
more energy, so they introduced the Balance Forward & Back then two quick 
changes.



Note: Square Dancers define Square Thru as finishing in the direction you were 
facing for the last change, with your back to the person you just passed; 
Contra Dancers liked the term, but ignored that bit of the definition!  Aren’t 
living traditions wonderful?



Of course, since a Balanced “Square Thru” is now a well-defined contra term, an 
Interrupted one should surely be:

Pull by Right, give Left Hand & Balance F/B, Pull by Left

:-)



            Happy dancing,

                   John



John Sweeney, Dancer, England   [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> 
01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.contrafusion.co.uk__;!!DZ3fjg!5h5-PCFZTgFA1bXeERsELPC4-tFWt97ANN2TesRMkYfyY-nMNW5BjivbiXq9y8Cxd7B_oMu8-94u3_hYNAI5mnMEM63JA5FO1E7l$>
 for Dancing in Kent

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