Beyond the Basics: A Guide to Intermediate Square Dance Patterns and Calls

So, you’ve mastered the Allemande Left and the Do-Si-Do. You can Promenade home without a second thought and your Square Thru is looking sharp. Congratulations! You’ve built a solid foundation. But now, the real magic begins. Welcome to the intermediate level of square dancing, where calls transform from simple commands into intricate puzzles and the dance floor becomes a chessboard of moving parts.

This stage is where the fun truly multiplies. It’s about seeing the bigger picture, anticipating movement, and flowing with the music and your square. Let's dive into the formations and mindsets that will unlock this new layer of enjoyment.

The Building Blocks: Key Intermediate Formations

Before you can run, you must walk. Intermediate dancing introduces new foundational formations from which countless calls are executed. Knowing these shapes is like learning new chords on a guitar—they open up a world of new songs.

Ocean Waves

Forget the linear Two-Faced Line. An Ocean Wave is created when dancers join hands with others to form a mini-line, but they are alternating between boys and girls. The key is that each dancer is connected by hand to a dancer of the opposite gender on each side. It can be a Right-Hand Wave (everyone using right hands) or a Left-Hand Wave.

Trade By

1/2 Tag, 3/4 Tag, and Full Tag

These calls reposition the entire square relative to the "tag" position. The key is to know your "traffic" pattern. A ½ Tag will typically put you in an Eight Chain Thru formation, while a ¾ Tag often sets up a Trade By. It’s less about memorizing and more about feeling the collective movement of the square.

The Art of Anticipation: Thinking a Call Ahead

This is the single most important skill for an intermediate dancer. Beginners react. Intermediates anticipate.

• Listen to the Entire Call: The caller might say, "Heads Square Thru 4, Swing Thru, Boys Run, Ferris Wheel." Don't just wait for "Square Thru" to start thinking. Hear the whole sequence. As you execute the first part, your mind should already be preparing for the "Swing Thru" that follows.
• Know the Formations: If you find yourself in an Ocean Wave, you know a certain subset of calls is likely (Swing Thru, Spin the Top, Recycle). If you’re in a Trade By formation, others are likely. Context is everything.
• Watch the Other Dancers: You are not dancing alone. The flow of the entire square dictates your path. If three couples are moving in one direction, logic dictates you are likely the fourth. Use your peripheral vision.

Putting It All Together: A Sample Sequence

Let's break down a classic intermediate sequence to see the flow:

Heads Lead Right, Veer Left, Ferris Wheel, Double Pass Thru, Leaders Partner Trade, Slide Thru, Pass Thru, Trade By, Ends Fold, Centers Cross Run, Wheel and Deal, Pass to the Center, Square Thru 3, Left Allemande.

1. Heads Lead Right / Veer Left: This gets the heads out of the square and into a column.
2. Ferris Wheel: The column gracefully arcs into the center, reforming the square but with side couples now acting as heads.
3. Double Pass Thru / Leaders Partner Trade: This quickly reorients everyone, creating new facing lines.
4. Slide Thru / Pass Thru / Trade By: A fast series that shuffles everyone's position.
5. Ends Fold / Centers Cross Run: This is the heart of the sequence—a simultaneous, complementary action that requires each pair to know their role without getting in each other's way.
6. Wheel and Deal / Pass to the Center / Square Thru 3: The sequence resolves back to a familiar formation, setting up the closing Allemande.

See how each call sets up the next? It’s a story. Your goal is to not just perform your part, but to understand your role in that story.

Embrace the Flub: It's Part of the Dance

At this level, you will make mistakes. Everyone does. The mark of a good dancer isn't perfection; it's recovery. If you get lost, listen for a call you recognize (like "Circle Left" or "Allemande Left") that can often help regroup the square. Smile, apologize if you bump someone, and get back in the game. The community is forgiving because everyone has been there.