I use the move (balance, square thru two, repeat), but don't use the term balanced or interrupted (though I understand both in written instructions). To dancers, I just orient with whom they will be doing it and say balance, pull by (this person), pull by (that person). I call it a "square thru." I understand that MWSD does not typically use balances in square thrus, so if MWSD dancers are present I might explain the addition as a habit among contra dancers. With contra dancers I might similarly explain when I use a no-balance version of square thru.
—Jerome Grisanti Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe On Sat, Aug 9, 2025, 6:00 PM Chris Page via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > It's because with the balance and square through, a little time is > stolen from the balances. > It also feels like a rushed figure, but there's recovery points. > > My best (rough) estimate for the timing of a square through is 2 beats > per pull by > and 1 beat per 90 degree turn. > > Tony Parkes original version of Friday Night Fever, with only one balance, > takes > the same timing approach. I'm not sure when two balances got added to > square throughs. Maybe "Al's Advice"? > > Cheers, > -Chris Page > Los Angeles, CA > > On Sat, Aug 9, 2025 at 1:42 PM Joe Harrington via Contra Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Oddly, in several dances with uninterrupted square through twos and > threes in Caller's Box, the figure is given an extra two beats. What's > with that? See: > > > > The Amazing Sarah Wilcox by Tom Hinds > > https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=6397 > > > > 0.0238095238 or 1/42 by Gary Shapiro > > https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=12155 > > > > Square Route by Bob Isaacs and Chris Page > > https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=13707 > > > > --jh-- > > > > > > On Sat, Aug 9, 2025 at 3:52 PM Bob Hofkin via Contra Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> > >> I pulled Contra*Butions 3 off my shelf, and found the term "balanced > >> square thru" (along with a definition). I'm sure Chris and Michael have > >> good reason for standardizing on "interrupted" and I'm not about to > >> challenge them. > >> > >> Bob > >> > >> > >> On 08/09/2025 12:13, Bob Morgan via Contra Callers wrote: > >> > 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://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1522> > >> > > >> > 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 <http://www.contrafusion.co.uk> for > >> > Dancing in Kent____ > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > Contra Callers mailing list -- > [email protected] > >> > <mailto:[email protected]> > >> > To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers- > >> > [email protected] <mailto:contracallers- > >> > [email protected]> > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > >> > To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > >> To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > > To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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