New Calls

In the late 1950s what had been a slow trickle of new call ideas and names began to turn in flood. "Square Thru" (which had been danced without a name in contras for a couple of centuries) was given a name and introduced in 1957. Other new movements were created and named in quick succession and the nature of square dancing was changed. Soon we were teaching 16 calls in classes, then 20, and then 32, and then -- you know the rest of the story.

In the early 1960s another caller who travelled widely, Les Gotcher, began to use a programming technique that became very widespread. With a seemingly endless flood of new calls being created, callers found that by teaching new calls in several tips during an evening dance, the effect of experience differences between dancers could be limited. Since the calls were new to everyone the less experienced dancers had nearly equal chance to dance them successfully.

Eventually dancers became frustrated because they could never stop trying to learn the new calls. Attempts were made to develop a standard list. The national magazine Sets In Order, with the help of a Gold Ribbon Committee, developed a list of 50 calls that everyone should know. Soon it became clear that some new calls, not in the 50 Basic list, were gaining wide acceptance and a supplemental list of 25 more calls was developed. The creators of these lists had hoped to provide a stable, unchanging body of calls that could serve as an entry point for new dancers, but the square dance activity would not stand still. Newer calls kept winning favour from dancers and callers and could not be left off of any standard list.

The following table shall provide a view on the development of the actual Mainstream program (in teaching order suggested by CALLERLAB).