Square dance Square dance A square dance is a dance for four couples (eight dancers in total) arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances were first documented in 16th-century England but were also quite common in France and throughout Europe. They came to North America with the European settlers and have undergone considerable development there. In some countries and regions, through preservation and repetition, square dances have attained the status of a folk dance. The Western American square dance may be the most widely known form worldwide, possibly due to its
Modern western square dance the dancer can generally dance internationally. However, as may be expected, there are style and call title variations throughout the world. For example, the calls "yellow rock" and "stack the wood" both instruct a dancer to hug the next person; in Australia, a "tip" is called a "bracket"; at the start of a tip in Northern Europe, it is common for each dancer to greet every other dancer in the square with a handshake – a practice that is uncommon elsewhere. Dancers learn the individual square dance calls required to square dance at classes, which are usually taught by square