The Grand Square Figure
The grand square is fun to watch as it seems everybody on the floor is going in a random direction, yet they all come back to where they started; however, it's all very orderly and really quite simple to perform.
The heads and sides will alternate their starting position. The first time the sides will face, the second time the heads will face, and so on. I will describe the call "Sides Face, Grand Square," first for the sides only:
Sides couples, face your partner:
Take 3 steps* backward and turn to face your opposite;
Take 3 steps forward, take your opposite's hand and turn to face your
partner;
Take 3 steps forward, take your partner's hand and turn to face your
opposite;
Take 3 steps back to your original position and stop.
Meanwhile, the heads will move as follows:
Head couples:
Take 3 steps forward, take your opposite's hand and turn to face your
partner;
Take 3 steps backward, drop hands and turn to face your opposite;
Take 3 steps backward and turn to face your partner;
Take 3 steps forward to your original position, take your partner's hand
and turn to face your opposite.
The second time through, the call will be "Heads Face, Grand Square."
In some dances this completes the figure in 16 steps. In other dances there are 32 steps for the figure in which case you will complete the figure as described above and then reverse your steps back to your original position. Your prompter will tell you whether to reverse or continue with the next figure.
Visualize one large square made up of the four couples. Each dancer has their own smaller square (1/4 of the large square) around which they will march.
*Each side of the square is 4 counts: three steps and turn.