Hi to all our Aussie callers and dancers,

After years of discussions and planning, the new Mainstream list of 50 calls has now been adopted. The word 'new' is deceptive, because nothing has changed. There are no new moves to learn to call or teach or dance... there are just less of them.  This means our classes will be shorter and the dancer gratification sooner - a win, win for everybody. The new Plus list will follow - all ready for implementation in September 2026

As I see it, here are the main misconceptions:

Record clubs will need new material:
Nothing will change for record/tape clubs. You are in a unique position where your dancers are taught whatever is called and that includes calls that have not been on the mainstream list for over 20 years. If anything, your dancers will potentially be over qualified. As new material comes available to you from September 2026 onwards, it will be made up from the new list and your club will evolve, like it always has. Your clubs are friendly and welcoming, and your dancers are loyal. Keep up the good work.

I wasn't asked my opinion: 
All the world's callers were invited to join Callerlab and belong to the mainstream committee. The ACF has been proactive in encouraging all our members to join Callerlab and be a part of this important initiative. The fact that only a handful of our membership actually joined is disappointing but the opportunity existed for everyone to be involved in the decision making process. If you decided not to be a part of the discussions, you missed an amazing opportunity to steer our activity into the future. Now we must evolve together to make the democratically created system work for all of us.  It's not too late to join Callerlab

Dancers will be bored: 
Only if we let them. They may be bored now! Is that why they are learning Plus? With a smaller list, callers will need to work on developing interesting and flowing choreography to ensure we keep the interest up without making it too complex. Use of equivalents and fresh ideas will be paramount. We have the skills. 
It's an exciting opportunity to really teach and use the definitions, to make strong dancers who are ready to embrace and excel at the higher levels. 

Clubs will decline:  
Under this initiative, it is envisaged that mainstream clubs will grow. A shorter teaching list, means more learner classes. More learner classes means more dancers and possibly more callers too.

How do we live without some of our favourite calls:
We don't have to. At our own clubs, it's business as usual. We can teach and use whatever calls we want to. How many of us still use the Grand Colonel Spin or Dip n Dive? Our dancers know how to do these, but if we have a visiting dancer, we know we need to workshop it before we can use it.  We can teach it to our dancers and use it every week, but if a visiting dancer enters the hall, we will assume they don't know how to do it - so we teach them.

Will ANSDC's be more interesting: 
If we use this smaller list to create strong dancers, we generate more opportunities for interesting and fun dancing at upcoming local, state and national dance meetings.  ANSDC's mainstream dances are already verging on mediocre as the dancers are pushed through a teaching order that is too big, with not enough time to concentrate on the building blocks. Callers restrict their delivery to the level of the floor. We desperately need to increase the overall level of dancing on the floor if we are to again attract large numbers to these events.

How can I successfully adopt this new list:
Our ACF Training Office, Steve Turner has been putting out equivalent modules for over a year now. He has been proactive in every way, he's approachable and willing to help anyone who asks. Other high level callers within Australia and across the globe have been offering suggestions on Social Media and in their newsletters - like Callerlink and Direction. Many dancers and callers alike have been positive in their responses to the natural pessimism, and resistance to change that has emerged the last few weeks. For us to be successful, we first need to adopt it mentally and then put it into practice. Bring your fellow callers and dancers into your optimism rather than create a wall that damages the future well being of square dancing.

What if I don't agree with the changes: 
The changes are here, and here to stay. For these changes to create flourishing, healthy, fun clubs, we as callers need to embrace the initiative and send positive vibes to fellow callers and dancers. Noone is saying calling will be easier - it may well be harder. But it will be easier for our dancers and they are our key focus. Happy dancers, happy clubs.
Please be aware though, if you decide to do your own thing, dancers will be disadvantaged in travelling to clubs and conventions with confusion on what MS & Plus is.

In closing, it feels like we are in a battle to save Square Dancing world wide. In reality, we are !! Numbers are declining and the age bracket of our demographic is inclining.  Callerlab has taken the initiative to change. A bold move, but a necessary one. They invited all callers to be involved in the process and discussed all proposed changes before taking a vote. A very fair and open process.

Have they got it right? Only time will tell, but, " if we keep on doing what we've always done, we will always get what we've always got"

Di Ashton
Chairman
Australian Callers Federation