The Classical Square Dance

In the Classical Square Dance (also known as Mainstream 1-33, from Circle Left to Box the Gnat), you can put the Square on a chessboard of 4 x 4 fields. At the completion of any movement during the figure, everybody should have arrived in a defined field, with a defined facing direction. Thus, the dancers create a formation , an important element in square dancing. Here are some of the most common formations:

static square
Static Square
boy Boy, Man, Gent, Gentleman
girl Girl, Woman, Lady
partner Partner Relationship
corner Corner Relationship

If e.g. the head couples step forward and face the corner (or more commonly, dance a square thru 4 hands), we get the If everybody turns a quarter to face the (momentary) partner, we get If everybody turns a quarter more in the same direction as before, we get the If everybody again turns a quarter, we get
Eight Chain Thru Formation
Half Sashayed Lines Facing In
Half Sashayed Trade By Formation
Lines Facing Out
zero box 0,5 line 0,5 tradeby line out
    Please NO Left Allemande!  
You will note that the partner relationship changes with every quarter turn, while the corner relationship stays the same.

If e.g. the side couples lead right and circle to a line, we get If everybody turns a quarter to face the (momentary) partner, we get a If everybody turns a quarter more in the same direction as before, we get If everybody again turns a quarter, we get the
Lines Facing In
Half Sashayed Eight Chain Thru Formation
Half Sashayed Lines Facing Out
Trade By Formation
zero line 0,5 box 0,5 line out tradeby
  Better NO Left Allemande! Please NO Left Allemande!  
Here again the partner relationship changes with every quarter turn, while the corner relationship stays the same.

After a Left Allemande , the chessboard and all these formations are cancelled, and we end in the
RL grand Right and Left Grand Formation

All the men face counterclockwise, all the ladies face clockwise. The one you face is now your partner, with whom you will dance the next call.
This is the formation for the break.

As soon as you step into an ocean wave, the chessboard as described above becomes liquid. E.g. two parallel ocean waves can be understood as "general lines" North-South, or as an eight chain thru formation East-West, depending on the next call. This can become quite confusing. Therefore I recommend that every dancer should lay a firm foundation in the Classical Square Dance, before venturing out into the Ocean.

Historical Background:
The books “The Key to Calling” by Don Bell & Bob Dawson, and “Instant Hash” by Rickey Holden & Lloyd Litman - both published in 1961 - freed square dancing from the prefixed routines but left it within the boundaries of the quadrille terms. This is what I consider “classical” - clear and plain, but not simple.
de  Deutsche Fassung
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Published 2003-05-31   /   amended 2007-07-20   /   Heiner Fischle, Hannover