CHI-TOWN SQUARES
Frequently Asked Questions
Everyone is welcome to dance with us!
What are some important things to know about square dancing with Chi-Town Squares?
Singles and couples are invited! No need to bring a dance partner!
Choose to dance either lead or follow!
No dress code!
We use Callerlab definitions and fun styling.
Our dance location is smoke and alcohol free.
We dance weekly September through May each year:
On Thursday nights we generally workshop and dance SSD & Plus.
Monday nights we workshop and dance Advanced & C1.
At our monthly dances we dance SSD, Plus, and A2. Check out our calendar.
From June through August we dance an abbreviated schedule.
We dance SSD and Plus two Thursdays a month.
We dance A2 and C1 two Mondays each summer month.
Our dance schedule is posted on our calendar.
Chi-Town Squares is committed to teaching. We host beginners classes for new dancers and those of us who might want to brush up our skills. We also offer Plus and higher level dance classes.
What’s all this about levels in square dancing?
One of the neat things about Modern Western Square Dancing (which is what we are doing, by the way) is that there is a standard teaching order and groups of calls established by an organization called Callerlab. Using this Callerlab standardization you will be able dance with clubs all over the world.
Whenever you attend a dance, the caller will announce the level for the tip they are about to call. That way you’ll know whether you know the calls they are going to use. Usually, depending on who’s at the dance, the caller will alternate levels from tip to tip.
You can learn the SSD level at classes offered by Chi-town Squares and other clubs in the area and across the country/world..
At our club dances, we make sure that our new students get plenty of opportunity to dance the calls they’ve learned in class.
The next levels are Plus, and Advanced, which we teach each as separate classes. Above that are Challenge levels C1, C2, and C3. We have regular weekly workshops for Advanced and Challenge dancers, and some years, when there is enough interest, we teach a Challenge level class.
Am I expected to go to the next level?
Some people do finish one level and move right on to the next, and other people settle in at a level they like and stay at that level. Many people may choose to go back through our SSD class, to gain experience, to learn the other part (follow or lead), to help new students, or just because they like it. Lots of people may take the SSD class and don’t take further classes, staying active by coming to classes or dances on a regular or occasional basis. There is plenty of dance opportunity at the SSD and Plus levels, and many people never do choose to move on. You are free to advance at your own pace, or not at all. If you do choose to learn a new level of dancing, there is a lot of support for you in the club.
What’s a tip?
Tip is a square dance term for a period of dancing. Often, it consists of one "hash call", which is whatever choreography the caller wants to use, and one "singing call", which is more structured. For practical purposes, you can think of a tip as all the dancing between two breaks.
You certainly don’t expect me to be doing all that twirling and whooping stuff, do you?
What you are asking about is called "styling," and yes, it is a lot of fun. And it’s easier than it looks!
There are two main reasons we hold off on teaching styling.
First, it’s challenging enough figuring out where your feet and bodies go without adding all the bells and whistles as well. It’s good to learn the basics before we get too fancy.
Second, without styling, the calls are universal from club to club, so learning the basics without styling allows you to dance just about anywhere, with a gay club or a straight club. The styling we use is mostly unique to gay clubs.
We have had styling classes in the winter or early spring, and an entire workshop to add all the bells and whistles to the calls people have have already learned. It is a lot of fun. Until or if you choose to learn these extra features, have a great time dancing without the styling and honing your skills with the calls.
If you have any concerns about styling, remember, styling is always optional, even after we teach it. There are plenty of people who don’t choose to style, and nobody should ever feel pressured to. We’ll make sure we cover that part, too!
And yes, we expect you to be whooping; you’re among friends. Whoop it up!