CALLERLAB COVID-19 Information Page – CALLERLAB KnowledgeBase

Last Update: 2022-11-29 17:06:19 (EDT)

CALLERLAB is working hard to keep up with the ramifications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this page is to provide you with timely and relevant information about the impact of the pandemic on our square dance activity.

We are endevouring to reference only trusted and authoritative sources of information. Misinformation about COVID-19 is spreading even more rapidly than the pandemic itself. We urge you to always check with one of these trusted sources to avoid retransmiting inaccurate information or rumour you may encounter on various social media.

Reviving Square Dancing in the Wake of COVID-19: The CALLERLAB Board Of Governors has published a strategy document to assist callers and dance leaders in restarting square dance activities after the long shutdown resulting from the pandemic. Click on the title above to view the document.

Try The Social Square Dancing Option
An element of the strategy outlined in the Reviving Square Dancing document above is the suggestion to try using a shorter lesson program. One of the suggested options is Social Square Dancing (SSD). This was formerly named Sustainable Square Dance but was recently renamed to make the title more meaningful to new dancers. In parallel with the press release on Reviving Square Dancing, CALLERLAB published a separate press release on using SSD as part of the strategy. It announces that the CALLERLAB Board Of Governors endorses the use of SSD as one approach for getting current dancers back on the floor having a fun and enjoyable time, as well as being a fast paced approach for bringing new people into our Square Dance community.

Links To Trusted Information Sources

This list provides links to a number of trusted information sites with current information on COVID-19

World Health Organization (WHO)
US Center for Disease Control (CDC)
US State Health Departments (SHDs)
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
Australian Department of Health(AGDH)
Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (Japanese Page) (English Page)
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (JHU)
Dancing Grapevine Article (DGV)
Guidance From United Square Dancers of America (USDA)
WorldOMeter Coronavirus Statistics (WOM)

Links to Virtual Square Dances

The time of the pandemic has spawned a number of offerings that allow people to dance in their own home without other dancers. Some are presented as recordings of Zoom sessions that show many people in their own homes dancing the material along with you. Others are videos of a single couple dancing the material. There are also some audio recordings designed for a single couple to dance by themselves. This list provides links to a number of these recordings.

As the pandemic wears on, virtual dancing is gaining in popularity. The growing list of virtual dance events has spawned a number of calendars and schedules to keep track of ongoing or regularly scheduled virtual dances. The first few items in the list below point to those we currently know about.

There is also a group that is running 1-hour online seminars for callers and the recordings are available at C.L.A.S.S Online Seminars. Topics include items like Showmanship, Sight Calling, How Dancers Learn, Marketing Yourself, and a variety of others.

IAGSDC Virtual Dance Calendar: As the pandemic wears on virtual dances have become increasingly numerous. The IAGSDC addressed this issue by putting up an online calendar of virtual dances. Virtual dance sponsors can enter their event on the calendar by filling out a form on the calendar page. It is not restricted to members of the IAGSDC. Some of the events are recorded and may be found after the dance date on YouTube or Facebook, or in one of the collections following below. Others are live Zoom sessions that allow you to interact with other dancers between tips.
wheresthedance.com: In response to the changed situation due to the pandemic, the wheresthedance website has updated their facility to include virtual dances. After following the link above, click on “Show all virtual: Square Dance” to see all dances registered with the site. This site has a separate KnowledgBase article with additional details which you can view here.
Trailblazers A&C Virtual Square Dance Guide: The Trailblazers square dance club in LA has published a guide for virtual dances at Advanced and Challenge. It is available online and will be updated as new information is received. If you have information you would like added to the guide contact vsdeditor20@gmail.com. The link provided takes you to a page that appears to show two documents. Only the first one takes you to the PDF. The second has a title of the form “Updated {date}.pdf”, and is just a dummy to tell you when the last update to the first one was done.
ASRDA Virtual Square Dance List: The Austin Square And Round Dance Association is publishing a frequently updated list of Virtual Square Dances at all levels. The link takes you to a calendar, but the actual dance information for each week can be viewed by clicking on the document link in the Sunday of each week.
Intro to Virtual Dancing: The SquareDanceCalgary organization has put together this page explaining the basics of virtual dancing using Zoom. It includes pointers to several instructional videos that explain how the dancing works, and how to use the Zoom program to access dances.
Ray Brendzy Virtual Beginner Classes: Ray Brendzy has been running virtual beginner classes, teaching new dancers over Zoom. Video recordings of his sessions are available.
Ett McAtee Virtual Advanced and Challenge dances and workshops.: Ett McAtee wished to keep her C1 class up and running after they had to shut down due to the pandemic. Her program has grown to a regular C1 workshop on Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, an A2 dance with C1 star tips on Friday evenings, a Sunday Challenge series, and a C3A workshop/review co-called with Linda Kendall on Tuesday evenings. Email Ett for more information and to get “on the list”. Her email address is available if you follow the link above.
Dayle Hodge Virtual Plus, Advanced, and Challenge dances and workshops.: Dayle has posted many videos of zoom dances and teaching sessions he has done at Plus, Advanced, and Challenge levels. The schedule for Dayle’s dances is available in the IAGSDC Virtual Dance Calendar above.
Buddy Weaver One-Couple Dancing: Buddy Weaver has recorded several tips specifically choreographed for a single couple. The tips progress in difficulty with Part I being the easiest. All tips have an audio recording, and some have a video recording as well.
Mike Dusoe Virtual Dances: Mike Dusoe has hosted a number of virtual square dances over Zoom. He often has guest callers as well. The video screen shows a number of windows, each containing a couple (or a single) dancing the material in their own home. This page is an index to those dances.
Dancing In The Garage Series: Specifically designed for two person Square Dancing, the “Dancing in the Garage Series” is created by Bob and Dorothy Simpson and Darby Love from Vancouver Island. These are presented as dance along fun-shops and tutorials. There are currently over 200 videos available.
Mike Seastrom Connects With His Class via Zoom: During the pandemic Mike wanted to keep in touch with his dancers, so he called some dancing they could do in their own living rooms.
Darren Gallina Zoom Dances: Darren Gallina has posted several “Zoom” dances to his YouTube channel during the pandemic. Called by Darren and a variety of other callers.
Calgary Virtual Square Dance Videos: The Calgary & District Square & Round Dancers Association has held a number of Zoom dances aimed at single couples during the pandemic. They have posted the recordings on YouTube.
Challenge 2-Couple Zoom Virtual Square Dance Videos: During the COVID-19 pandemic a number of Challenge virtual dances were held over Zoom. Levels include C2 through C4. Keith Rubow recorded these dances and they are available for purchase on his site. Information on the scheduling of the live dances is available on the IAGSDC calendar.