Square Dance Tutorial

Dancer Identification

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3.4: GENERALIZED TANDEMS

The term "generalized tandem" refers to two dancers whose fronts or backs are toward each other. Since the dancer facing out of a tandem is the Leader, in the case where two dancers are standing back to back they are both Leaders.
If two dancers are facing each other, they are both Trailers.

As in the cases of ordinary couples and tandems. it is important to first determine which are the relevant pairs! For example, in the common "eight chain" formation if the caller doesn't designate any specific pairings, the center four dancers are all Trailers (because they are facing the other dancer in their own box).
But considering just the centers as a box in isolation, those same dancers are all Leaders (because they are back-to-back in that box).

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