Square Dance History Project
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Ed Durlacher - Square Dance Calling Course

Creator: Ed Durlacher (1950s?)

In this series of three LP records, Ed Durlacher presents an introduction to square dance calling. He usually introduces each topic with a lengthy discussion, then follows with a series of exercises, where he demonstrates proper technique then includes an instrumental track where the listener can call along. From time to time, Durlacher joins in the calling, to reinforce what the listener should be doing at that moment.

Side 1 focuses on helping the caller become thoroughly familiar with the basic eight-count hrasing that they will use in their calling.

Side 2, singing calls, starts with the admonition "Accentuate the positive," where callers learn to stress the commands and add fill-in patter in a quieter voice. As the drill continues, callers say, in a strong voice, "Two head ladies forward and back," and then, more quietly, "5-6-7-8."

Side 3 continues singing calls. Durlacher takes as his example the dance Sioux City Sue.

  • 8:00, after several minutes of practicing, Durlacher reinforces the importance of varying your emphasis, in part to keep from being monotonous: "Each caller should call on his or her own imaginative technique to make each part of the call sound interesting at all times."
  • 9:00, he addresses the feeling of many that they do not sing well enough to do a singing call.
  • 13:00 How to prompt a call
Side 4 continues instructions about prompting. Many times, you don't need four counts to deliver a prompt. Durlacher starts the listener with "1-2-3-4 Swing your partner round and round," then moves to "1-2-3-4-5 Swing your partner round" and so on. At 10:00 comes "the easiest prompt of all. It is just one word. It is given on the count of 8. The prompt is 'Swing' "

Side 5 contains drills for patter calling. The second part of the record is an extended section of music for caller practice (not included here)

Side 6: "In this drill, we shall put an entire dance together. This will include the honors, Introduction, the first half of the dance pattern, a chorus figure, the last half of the dance pattern, and an ending."

At 7:50, Durlacher offers concluding remarks:
  • Know the dance before you have the dancers do it.
  • No disgrace in having a card in your hand while you are learning.
  • Make the explanation as simple as A-B-C
  • Walk dancers through new figures before you call them; this applies to all dancers, new or experienced.
  • Always be patient with new dancers
  • Dancers should not be kept on the floor too long (not more than 20 minutes)
  • When programming for new dancers, consider Honor Your Partner albums 1-4
  • Dancers should never be confused
  • "Simplicity of instruction, good diction, and phrasing of calls is the badge of a good caller."
  • Ask dancers to make their sets as rapidly as possible
  • "Make the dance so pleasant that the dancers will not only come back but will bring others with them.
  • Give the dancers these three simple rules:
  •    1) When instructions are being given, do be quiet so that all can understand.
  •    2) Each person will be dancing with three or more. One person can ruin the dance by being a show-off
  •    3) Have a good time

Collection: Northern squares
Subjects: Northeast - general
Tags: ,

Item Relations

This Item is related to Item: Honor Your Partner - table of contents
This Item is related to Item: Honor Your Partner - records
Item: Ed Durlacher - Square Dance Calling Course - record labels is related to This Item

Citation

Ed Durlacher, “Ed Durlacher - Square Dance Calling Course,” Square Dance History Project, accessed August 29, 2026, https://mail.squaredancehistory.org/items/show/2128.
Additional Information