Basic Part 1
Grand Square
Define – Standard – Analyze – Module – Teach – Extend
GRAND SQUARE QUADRILLE — HELT
Choreography by: Jerry Helt, Cincinnati, Ohio
Formation: Four couples in a square formation
Music: “Grand Square” EZ-717 or something with a marching beat that repeats four times.
Usage: This appears to be a gentle introduction to Grand Square; however, it requires the ladies to be able to dance both the head and the side part with ease.
Prompts:
– – – -; Sides face partner, Grand Square;
– – – -; – – – -;
– – – -; – – – Reverse;
– – – -; – – – -;
– – – -; Four men Forward and Back;
– – – -; Men Left-Hand Star;
– – – -; Pass by partner, Promenade the next;
– – – -; – – – -;
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
GRAND SLIDE
This is a variation on Grand Square that has dancers facing the same way throughout the call. It has been extensively used throughout Australia for many years as a teaching aid.
It can be taught in night one of a learner’s class to gain a sense of achievement by a set. No-one needs to turn during its execution, so disorientation does not occur. In fact, many use it at one-night shows.
Being a set of walks and slides, dancers cannot and do not truncate the move as happens with Grand Square. Corners of the move are precise – they must be for it to work. Dancers time out perfectly in the 32 beats.
It makes the learning of Grand Square that much easier as we already have the “foundation” – just add turns.
It feels and looks great.
Begin as for Grand Square with Sides Face.
Heads Part: Walk forward four steps, side step apart four steps, back up four steps, then side step together four steps.
Sides Part: Back up four steps, side step together four steps, walk into the middle four steps, then side step apart four steps.
Now reverse the movement with Heads sliding apart first and Sides sliding together.