You've mastered the calls, you can make it through a mainstream program without breaking a sweat, and you're comfortable on the dance floor. Congratulations! You've officially moved beyond square dance basics. But now comes the real challenge: transforming from someone who can square dance into someone who excels at it.

Intermediate square dancing is where the artistry begins. It's not just about executing calls correctly; it's about executing them with style, precision, and seamless connection to your fellow dancers. Here's how to elevate your dancing from proficient to polished.

1

Master the Micro-Adjustment

At the intermediate level, the difference between a good dancer and a great one often comes down to inches. Micro-adjustments are the subtle shifts in position, hand pressure, or body alignment that create seamless transitions between calls.

Practical Application:

During a "Spin Chain the Gears," pay attention to your hand connections. Instead of a rigid grip, maintain a responsive tension that allows for smooth directional changes. When your corner approaches in a "Right and Left Grand," slightly adjust your trajectory to meet them at the optimal point—not too close, not too far.

Try This:

Practice "Square Thru" with a partner while maintaining constant, light hand contact. Focus on moving together as a unit rather than as two individuals executing the same call.

2

Develop Situational Awareness

Beginner dancers focus on their own position. Intermediate dancers track the entire square. Advanced dancers anticipate the entire set while maintaining their own positioning.

Start expanding your awareness beyond your immediate partner. Before the call begins, quickly scan the square. Note who your partner, corner, and opposites are. As the call progresses, maintain peripheral awareness of where others are in their execution.

Why It Matters:

When everyone in the square possesses situational awareness, the entire dance flows differently. You'll find yourself naturally adjusting timing and spacing to accommodate others, preventing collisions and creating harmonious movement.

3

Perfect Your Pivot Points

Pivots and turns separate mechanical dancing from fluid dancing. The intermediate dancer understands that every turn has an optimal pivot point—usually directly under your center of gravity.

Pro Tip: On turns like "Allemande Left" or "Turn Thru," focus on turning as a single unit from your core rather than leading with your shoulders. This creates cleaner, more controlled rotations.

Practice turning with different amounts of tension in your connection to your partner. Discover how less force can sometimes create more precise turns when both dancers understand the shared pivot point.

4

Embrace the Prep Step

The most overlooked secret of flawless execution happens before the call even begins. The "prep step"—that subtle weight shift or directional adjustment—sets the stage for everything that follows.

Execution Matters:

As the caller finishes the previous call and prepares to deliver the next, experienced dancers aren't standing still. They're shifting their weight to the balls of their feet, making micro-adjustments to face the appropriate direction, and preparing their hands for the next connection.

This isn't anticipating the call—it's preparing your body to respond efficiently to whatever comes next.

5

Cultivate Connection Intelligence

Handholds, arm turns, and dancer connections aren't one-size-fits-all. Intermediate dancers learn to adjust their connection based on their partner, the call, and the available space.

Some dancers prefer a firmer connection; others respond better to a lighter touch. Some calls require more tension for stability; others benefit from a more relaxed approach. The skilled dancer reads these situations and adapts accordingly.

Connection Exercise:

During your next dance, consciously vary your hand pressure. Notice how different partners respond. Find the "sweet spot" where you maintain clear communication through the connection without forcing movement.

Remember: Flawless execution isn't about perfection—it's about creating such smooth, responsive dancing that any adjustments become invisible to observers. It's the art of making challenging calls look effortless.

As you incorporate these intermediate techniques, you'll discover that square dancing becomes less about remembering what comes next and more about being fully present in the dance. You'll start to feel the flow of the square as a living, breathing entity—and your role in creating that magic.

See you on the dance floor!