This is a guest blog post by Mel Wilkerson.

Benefits Of Sight Calling
Rich Reel 18 July 1999

• Watch dancers 100% of the time (connect with them)
• Catch and correct mistakes more consistently
• Adjust level of difficulty instantly
• Custom tailor workshop for problem calls and/or concepts
• Resolve quickly when squares break down
• Develop a mastery of choreography

I’ve already seen many of these benefits in my very first club calling experiences.

Preparation
Things tend to go well when you prepare, and not so well when you don’t. Areas that you have prepared go much better than areas you haven’t. If you work on one area to exclusion of others, that one area is usually the only area you feel good about after you have called. You will feel disappointment in the other areas you have not prepared for.

Rich was a very smart man and given what he gave as axioms in 1999 I am posting about one more tool in the tool box.

One aspect of sight calling I get asked about a fair bit is what extemporaneous sight calling is. This is a term which often flies in the face of everything I say and most other callers say about preparation and practice and more practice with your calling. The term is probably the best appropriate misnomer that there is.

Extemporaneous – adjective
1. Done, spoken, performed, etc., without special advance preparation; impromptu: an extemporaneous speech.
2. Previously planned but delivered with the help of few or no notes: extemporaneous lectures.
3. Speaking or performing with little or no advance preparation: extemporaneous actors.
4. Made for the occasion, as a shelter.

Those are essentially what extemporaneous means: doing it on the fly without advanced preparation, being impromptu with no notes and no preparation on the delivery… basically everything that a good caller will tell you not to do.

The reality is that extemporaneous sight is essentially making it up as you go along… but that does not mean being unprepared.

• You will have already practiced at least one resolution technique so you will never get lost again.
• You will have already decided a focus movement for your tip (even quickly).
• You have practiced and prepared in all the time you took learning to call and mastering your art.
• You deliver your “unprepared” and “impromptu” seemingly made up on the spot choreography with no problems and everyone says, “WOW.”

Now that is sight calling.

Yes, it is, but there is a lot more that goes into it. Extemporaneous sight calling is memory calling, module calling, formation recognition and management (all put together and memorised), using zeroes and conversions, memorising resolution techniques – how to set them up and bring them back – and sometimes just getting plain lucky all thrown in one tip in a seemingly haphazard way without really caring who is with who until you are ready to get them home.
For the dancers, it is about smooth flowing, interesting and successfully challenged choreography and mainly fun and entertainment.

For the caller, it is mainly having practiced moving the dancers from one movement to another smoothly, recognising a few basic formations, and knowing how to resolve to get them back.
For example, I am visiting a club and the caller asks me to a guest tip. I have not prepared anything special for that evening but I always carry a few records or a thumb drive these days with me. I choose the move recycle and the song Ghost riders in the sky in my head. Nothing flashy or way over the top because I AM THERE AS A GUEST, NOT AS A FEATURE. I call smooth choreography and use the movement recycle a few times from a couple of different set ups and then use a figure known to me for the singing call that has recycle in it.

Well, that is a long winded introduction to the next posting in this sequence of tools in the tool box.

Here is another tool that you can use to make yourself better at sight calling. Some call it two couple dancing, others call it mirror image dancing and others call it isolated sight. I prefer the latter term but essentially they are all correct.

WARNING: Like all other tools, it is very useful but remember, you cannot build anything with only one tool.

ISOLATED SIGHT CALLING

Isolated sight is a calling technique used to isolate (or separate) two couples in a square. In theory, the methodology of isolated sight is to move the selected dancers through a series of choreographic sequences while keeping them separate from the other dancers in the square. As long as there is never another dancer (i.e. not one of the four you are working with) they are considered isolated and the techniques of isolated sight apply.

In keeping these two couples isolated, or separate from the other dancers in the square, it is possible to use a variety of choreographic manoeuvres and sequences. In basic terms, isolated sight is a two couple people mover technique used in conjunction with a complete square. (It is the application of two couple dancing; only it is done with a full square moving at the same time. You only work with two couples and ignore the others.)

Advantages
1. The technique allows the caller and the dancers to concentrate on the specific nuances of selected choreography without having to worry about the rest of the square (Mirror image – what one half does the other half does)
2. The snapshot (often referred to as a burnt image) aspect of the technique allows callers a quick path to get-out resolution in case of difficulty with his/her choreography
3. It facilitates very easy teaching of movements which (as most do) only requires two couples.
4. It gives the caller the advantage of two couple concentration, whereby when using cross over movements (scoot back – Ferris wheel and pass through) the caller may concentrate on the isolated dancers while still giving the feeling of total interaction with the rest of the square.

Disadvantages
1. It can very easily lead to overflow or redundant choreography if the caller is unprepared or if the dancer ability is limited
2. It is very susceptible to becoming a “caller crutch” and therefore predictable to dancers when new material is being introduced

ISOLATED SIGHT – HOW IT WORKS

Technique: The basic technique starts from a static square but may be modified to suit requirements as the technique is developed

STEP 1: Select Key Couples in a Square – Nominally couples 1 and 4

STEP 2: Use a “get-in” to set up a snapshot of the chosen four dancers. (Example: Sides Square thru 4…. Snapshot the image on key couple” – This position is a Zero Box)

STEP 3: Call your choreography stressing your tips emphasis calls, which moves the dancers through your dance, yet never separates the four.

STEP 4: When ready to resolve or return to a “known location” return your dancers to the “snapshot position”. It is important to not that when you move the key couple to the outside of the snap shot box, the square is zeroed.

CHOREOGRAPHIC TIPS
1. A right and left thru is a great direction changer for eliminating overflow and setting up a new flow

2. Crossover zeros and equivalents are an effective interaction with the rest of the square without breaking the isolation of the four chosen dancers. (For example, from a zero box (the position you are in when you finish a “heads square thru”) swing thru, boys run, Ferris wheel, pass thru brings you back to the same position but the Ferris wheel creates a cross over interaction with the rest of the square.

3. Use flip-flops movements or modules to create square interaction without changing the isolation of the four chosen dancers. (Example: Eight chain four or relay the Deucey. Both these movements interact the dancers and flip-flop them to the exact same position only on the other side of the square)

Note: With practice, multiple snapshots become possible giving increased flexibility by moving and changing isolated couples

Example
1. Set-up to a Zero Box = snapshot the position for isolated sight Chorography
Return to the Zero box (ZB) snapshot
2. Call: right and left thru, Pass thru, trade by (cross your fingers to remind you)
o You have just set up another snap shot (out of sequence Box(OSB)) for isolated sight choreography with other couples in the square
Return to the new snapshot position (OSB)
3. Call right and left thru, pass thru, trade by (uncross your fingers)

So to see how this all works lets go back a bit to my previous example of being asked to call a guest tip and I am a “newer caller”. I know the singing call figure from Ghost Riders and my caller-mentor who asked me to do a guest tip at his dance chose recycle for me to use.

Singing call figure: (H) square thru 4, swing thru, scoot back, ladies trade, recycle, sweep 1/4, square thru 3, cnr.

I want to use recycle in my patter and my singing call and I have practiced my resolution techniques however, I have not prepared a tip for this evening. My mentor surprised me. OH No!
Relax – just keep it simple yet interesting and use the moving techniques you know. You know at least one resolution technique so, if you get lost you know there is no real problem to get the dancers home.

Now you think, I want to use this movement recycle but I need to watch it – I know…two couple patterns (or that isolated sight stuff they talked about)

The heads are in a box so I will start with them… (heads at home is my snapshot)

Heads pass the ocean, ladies trade, recycle, slide thru – heads at home

Let’s do the sides now. (snapshot sides at home)

Sides right and left thru, ½ sashay, pass the ocean “boys in the middle trade”, swing thru, recycle, sweep ¼ (snap shot – sides are home)

NOTE. Those two quick heads and sides routines I made very short to avoid a lot of standing, but look: although those are quick and painless, by doing this, I just created two box zeros. Do not try to remember them now. Just focus on what you are doing.

Now to get the whole square moving…

Square thru four (Zero box snap shot only two couples – head man (left) side of the square will do)

Move these two couples around in relatively short sequences but make sure you break the flow by interacting with the other side of the square. For example:

(ZB snapshot) tch ¼, scoot back, hinge, ladies trade, recycle

Now I need an interaction with the rest of the square. I do not know where the dancers are in relation to my snapshot and at this point I do not care. I just want to change the body flow a bit, interact with the other side of the square and come back to my snapshot to get out.

Right and left thru, veer left, ferris wheel, centres pass thru –

That brings me back to my isolated four dancers. I want to quickly move the dancers back to my snapshot. I want to keep my focus on recycle.

Dosado, make a wave, ladies trade, recycle (ZB snapshot) flow is good left hand is free, why not? Allemande left and right and left grand.

This whole sequence is isolated sight.

• It was not memorised.
• It was not a module (other than the right and left thru, veer left, Ferris wheel, pass thru – to intermix with the rest of the square).
• It kept the focus on my feature move – recycle.
• It was not always the same way of getting there even though the recycle was done from the same right hand standard position.
• I have used the figure focus for my singing call.
• The choreography was varied and interesting for the dancers.
• I did not try and outshine the host caller but gave a good show of myself to the dancers.
• I have used the figure focus for my singing call.

I now have another tool in my tool box to help me become a better sight caller.

The entire sequence thus far, (about the first minute and a half of the patter tip looked like this.

(H) pass the ocean, ladies trade, recycle, slide thru, heads back away – Sides right and left thru and a half sashay, pass the ocean “boys in the middle trade”, swing thru, recycle, sweep 1/4, back away and the heads Square thru four, touch 1/4, scoot back, hinge, ladies trade, recycle, Right and left thru, veer left, ferris wheel, centres pass thru, Dosado, make a wave, ladies trade, recycle, Allemande left and right and left grand

Now that is not a bad looking sequence and personally, I think it would be a nightmare to try and memorise, but we do not have to because it is just a couple of isolated site sequences and a zero module intermix. Same sequence now in short. (ss = snapshot for two couple dancing, im = intermix memorised module)

• (ss- heads) pass the ocean, ladies trade, recycle, slide thru, heads back away
• (ss- sides) Sides right and left thru and a ½ sashay, pass the ocean “boys in the middle trade”, swing thru, recycle, sweep ¼, back away
• Heads Square thru four,
• (ss – zero box) tch ¼, scoot back, hinge, ladies trade, recycle,
• (im to change body flow and mix with the rest of the square) Right and left thru, veer left, ferris wheel, centres pass thru,
• (two couple movement to my snapshot zero box) Dosado, make a wave, ladies trade, recycle, (ss – Zero Box) Allemande left and right and left grand.

Have fun and play with this concept. Comments are always welcome.

This is a guest blog post by Mel Wilkerson.

This is the second in a series of long posts for newbie or newer callers.　Whereas the last one was about ripping apart a singing call and making modules for use in patter and fillers for yourself, this one is more applicable to sight calling and in particular smooth dancing for both patter and singing calls (for those of you that write your own).
It is all about body flow.

Thank you to contributors from great teachers like Ken Ritucci, Tony Oxendine, Rich Reel and others at one time or another from whom I have happily plagiarised stolen and otherwise bastardised sections of their infinite wisdom, added some of my own thoughts and set this down on the keyboard.

BODY FLOW

Callers may create a myriad of choreographic sequences, however, if the caller does not pay attention to BODY FLOW and HAND USE when moving from one position to the next, the result is a technically legal choreographic sequence that is awkward and uncomfortable to dance.

Note: Always check your singing call figures for body flow, and hand use. Dance them yourself from BOTH positions.

The following are examples of GOOD body flow and hand use:

• From a Line — Right and Left Thru, Flutter wheel…
• From a Standard 2-Faced Line – Bend the Line, Reverse Flutter wheel…
• From an Parallel Ocean Wave with Boys looking out – Boys Run, Reverse Flutter wheel

The following are examples of REALLY BAD body flow and hand use.

• From a Line — Right and Left Thru, Reverse Flutter wheel… (YECCHH)
• From a Standard 2-Faced Line – Bend the Line, Flutter wheel… (YECCHH)

Body flow is one aspect of smooth dancing and as important as variety. Don’t use choreography that is not flowing, especially if you are only doing so because you want to vary your calling or for gaining the dancers’ attention.

These goals can be achieved in other ways. You should try to think not only of one dancer when considering a combination. Think of more dancers, and especially think of the ladies.

No offense ladies, but the truth is that most callers are men and it is a proven scientific fact that most men are generally lazy. With that in mind, callers tend to find excellent flowing choreography for themselves (from a man’s perspective) and sometimes overlook the fact that usually two but sometimes all four of the ladies in the square have turned into human corkscrews.

Body flow has at least the following four aspects:

Aspect 1
The dancers should not be forced to sharply change their direction of motion.

An obvious example:
From Right Hand Waves: Ends Run; Bend the Line; Reverse the Flutter

Other bad flow examples which often occur with new callers managing formations or resolving the square:

• From Lines facing out: Wheel & Deal; Zoom
• From facing Couples: Star Thru; Veer Left
• From Right Hand Box Circulate: Out facers Run; Veer Left

Aspect 2
The dancers should not be forced to use the same hand twice in a row.

An obvious example:
From Double Pass Thru: Centers Square Thru 3; Touch 1/4

Other examples:

• From Static Square: Heads Square Thru 4; Star Thru
• From Standard Lines: Star Thru; Right & Left Thru
• From Standard Lines: Star Thru; Allemande Left

Aspect 3
Avoid overflow. From time to time the turning direction should be changed.

Example:
From Static Square: Heads Touch ¼; Head Boys Run; Star Thru; Slide Thru; Touch ¼; Boys Run; Partner Trade; Touch 1/4; Girls Run; Star Thru; California Twirl ….

Other examples include often seen two particular moves called back to back which are technically do-able but simply do not work and should never be called:

From Right Hand Waves:

• Spin the Top; Fan the Top
• Swing Thru; Fan the Top
• Cast Off ¾; Swing Thru
• Cast Off ¾; Centers Run

Aspect 4
Some calls end a little bit offset, so that the dancers might not be in the right position for the next call. Dancer anticipation must be considered and is acceptable for some things but should not be relied on for everything. Make your choreography smooth flowing in a way that dancers do not explode and/or spread out from the desired formation and have to constantly adjust to do the next call.

Examples:

• from Standard Lines: Square Thru 2; Trade By
• From Standard Lines: Everybody do the girl’s part of Slide Thru; Everybody Trade
• From Lines: Tag the Line, Face Left; Centers Trade

On the other hand, the next combination is OK, because the dancers are expecting the next call and therefore adjust themselves to do it smoothly. This is another interesting aspect of Body Flow.

• From Double Pass Thru: Centers Square Thru 3; Allemande Left

So with all that in mind, for all you newbie callers consider the following singing call figure that was pulled off a recording session at a caller’s school. What is wrong with it, other than the fact that it is a boring sequence?

• Heads Promenade 1/2
• Right and Left Thru
• Square thru 2
• Right and left thru
• 8-Chain 2
• Slide Thru
• Right and Left Thru
• Slide thru
• Swing and Promenade

This is a guest blog post by Mel Wilkerson.

I just got some interesting correspondence on this post regarding using singing calls in patter by breaking them down into modules for use. Please remember doing this is not all there is to calling patter. It is only one small tool in the basic starter kit moving dancers around the floor.

The focus of the correspondence was looking at a singing call figure that really doesn’t break down much into remnants to give you module zeros (line or box zeros). This is true of many (probably nearly half) of all singing calls when you start getting into more complex choreography. The thing is do not even try to break down these more complex ones into anything beyond one or two uses. If you do, you will frustrate yourself trying to think of 1p2c lines or 1c-3p OS box and all sorts of crap that you really do not need to frustrate yourself with. The simple rule is: KEEP IT SIMPLE!

Do you need to know what a FASR/FAROO CW/CCW 1-3 OS position by number and letter designation means? No. It is nice to know and eventually all that stuff will come but in reality, at this point you don’t need it and frankly, you do not want it.

Anyway, back to the correspondence. The singing call provided was as follows:

Why 1 & 3 (2 & 4) you square thru & you count 4 hands you know
When you see the corner girl, do a little dosado
Swing thru & now boys run to the right
Tag the line & when you’re there, let’s cloverleaf tonight
Oh girls square thru, go 3 hands around
Swing that corner lady, promenade her
Heads Square thru 4 , Do-sa-do, Swing thru, Boys run, Tag the line, Cloverleaf, Girls square thru 3, Corner

Simple break down:

Heads square thru puts it into a box position (two boxes and in this case a zero box or allemande left box)
Do-sa-do does nothing to either the formation or arrangement
Swing thru – boys run (this makes a two face line with your original sides facing out and the heads not paired facing in and out of sequence. – in other words a two face line where you can call a wheel and deal and be at an allemande left)
Tag the line – this puts you in a completed double pass thru position with the girls in the lead – (for new callers this is a difficult formation to pick and flow from so we will ignore it for now
Cloverleaf – puts the girls in the middle of a double pass thru position – again this is a more difficult formation to recognise for new callers at a glance so we leave it alone
Girls square thru 3 – corner swing. – Note: this corner swing formation is not good for an allemande left

BREAKING IT DOWN AND ADDING IN

After the initial square thru you are in a zero box (allemande left box). You can add in any module for a box, or any singing call figure remnant that takes you from a zero box to a zero box. For example from the call (heads promenade ½ , sides right and left thru, square thru four (ZB), right and left thru, veer left, ferris wheel, pass thru (ZB), swing corner) – you can add the singing call remnant from the zero box(ZB) to the (ZB) as a module

After the swing thru – boys run you are in a two face line. This particular line has one couple (sides) paired facing out, and the other facing in. Learn to recognise this formation. It really doesn’t matter which paired couple is facing out. All you have to know is that the couple facing in is not paired. From there it is just a matter of seeing if one of the unpaired couple is a corner for the paired couple. If it is you now have a corner get out in your repertoire.

From a two faced line – paired couple facing out and the unpaired couple has a corner dancer for the paired couple you simply call the rest of the singing call figure to an in sequence corner pairing – Tag the line, cloverleaf, girls square thru 3 – CNR
From this position a star thru and boys circulate takes you to a partner promenade, but there are lots of other options

The important thing is that if you recognise this starting position (two face line – one couple paired facing out and the other not paired and one of the dancers is a corner to the paired dancer in the line – you have a get out

This particular singing call figure is probably not the best one to break down into component bits and pieces for modular example but it does have some aspects which are good for new callers.

The module that you have is from a zero box.

Swing thru, boys run, tag the line, cloverleaf, girls square thru 3 – takes me to a corner swing
Most would think that it is really only good for corner resolution from a zero box or for use as a get out. This is not the case at all.

It is also a good box to line conversion by adding a star thru or a slide thru at the end of it. Let’s say for sake of argument you are calling away and you get lost and lose track of where the dancers are. You do however see that they are in a box, so you call this little module: swing thru, boys run, tag the line, cloverleaf, girls square thru 3, star thru. You are now in a two face line boys on the inside. You have a chance to see who is with whom and carry on.

But wait there is more.

A zero box is a box where everyone is facing their corner.
A corner two face line is a two face line in sequence where everyone has their corner as a partner.
With the addition of the “star thru” we also have a module conversion from a corner box to a corner two face line.

This may not be of great use to you at the moment, but as your repertoire of modules and such grows, you will have added conversions, lines to boxes, boxes to lines, and get outs from known positions. They all help build the caller into a well-rounded repository of knowledge.