Due to Corona, normal square dancing is unfortunately not possible at the moment. A number of callers have been offering "virtual square dancing" for a while now. Also the Triangles will offer some virtual club nights, see under News. Here we have collected some information that might help you to get started.
Virtual Square Dance is usually a 2 couples dance, where often two or three dancers are replaced by "phantoms", i.e. you only pretend that someone is there. You can see and hear the caller and the other squares via video conference. Take a look at the introduction videos we have provided below to get an idea of how this works.
Of course a virtual dance is not the same as a real square dance. And it's difficult. But here you have the possibility to practice at least a little bit and see some other dancers again, even if only on the monitor. And especially for C dancers it is an excellent opportunity to practice dancing with phantoms. Because the advantage here is: If you go wrong, you don't disturb anybody.
Part 1: Introduction and setup
Part 2: Calls and movements
The events will be held using the video conference system "Zoom", the access data for the Triangles' events will be provided by e-mail or in the internal area.
Access is possible with any computer with a modern web browser or with a smartphone. You can participate even if you do not have a camera or microphone, because the main thing is that you can hear the caller. In any case, you can always turn off your video transmission in the Zoom conference if you don't want to be seen. Or you can just watch.
The important thing is that you can hear the caller well. You can achieve this if you have the possibility to connect the computer to the TV or stereo. Or you can use a (Bluetooth) headset. This is available for under 20 €, is easy to connect and gives good results. If you have technical problems Thomas or Joachim will be happy to help you.
Most virtual dances are offered free of charge. Sometimes the callers or the clubs ask for a donation to support them.
For the virtual club nights organized by the Triangle Squares you can donate here.
Some dancers consider floor markings to be helpful for better orientation. In the simplest case, you just mark the flagpole, the center. Helpful are the four start positions, maybe also additional wave positions.
Jochim Rühenbeck recommends the plan sketched here (dimensions only approximate):
The American caller Sue Curtis, who also offers virtual square dance sessions, has compiled a list of answers to frequently asked questions. Perhaps the answer to your question is already included: Sue's Virtual Challenge Dancing FAQ (PDF).