Proper versus improper
CALLERLAB's definitions use four judgement words, and it helps a beginner to know what they mean — and what they do not.
The words
| Word | Means |
|---|---|
| Proper, acceptable, allowable | usage CALLERLAB wants to encourage, and which a knowledgeable dancer should expect |
| Improper, not proper | usage that is not in accordance with the definitions, and which CALLERLAB discourages |
The manual is careful to say what this is not:
"There are no choreography police. There are no laws against improper choreography or bad calling.
In all their endeavors, callers must use good judgment to use this common language to aid in
entertaining the dancers."
Why the distinction exists at all
Because square dancing is a standardised language, and standardisation is what lets a dancer walk into any hall in the world and dance.
"One of the main reasons for standardizing dance programs and call definitions is to allow for
caller and dancer mobility. No matter where or from whom one learned to dance or call, one should
be able to visit and successfully dance or call with any other group that is dancing the same
dance program."
If "Swing Thru" meant something slightly different in your club, visitors would fail. So each call is defined once, precisely, and where the definition says a call starts from a particular formation, that is part of the call.
What you should do when you meet it
As a dancer: dance the call as defined. If the caller uses a call in a way the definition does not permit, follow the caller — and expect the caller to be able to fix it, because they can see the square and you cannot.
As a caller or teacher: the definitions are the standard, and the "proper" usages are the ones visitors will understand. The manual's advice is to use good judgement in the service of the dancers rather than to police anybody.
Where you will see it in this book
Each call page has a Restrictions section, but only where the manual actually states one. This matters for two reasons:
- A restriction left out teaches a beginner to attempt something that will not work.
- A restriction invented makes a call look harder than it is.
Mainstream restrictions gathers every one of them in a single page, which is also the page to check if you want to know whether a call you are calling is proper in a formation you have in front of you.
Next
- every restriction in the program, in one place → Mainstream restrictions
- how definitions get changed → Sources and attribution