CREATING ATMOSPHERE WITH ACTION WORDS (Taken from Callerlink 162 Febuary 2004)
Jeff Garbutt

The good old "Up to the middle and back" can be a bit boring really. In fact some callers tend to not use the move very much. But with the use of some "action words" it is possible to create a little bit of atmosphere, which your dancers will appreciate and respond to. 

Examples:
* Heads stroll up to the middle and back.
* Heads leap into to the middle and back.

Here is a small collection of words you may like to try:
Stroll, Run, Skip, Rock, Roll, Strut, Jump, Leap, Shimmy, Charge, Sneak, Swim, Dance, Hop, Twist, Slither, Waltz, Prance, Gallop, Canter, Trot, Run, Rumba, Waddle, Warp, Streak, Struggle

And you can use two different action words to add to the effect:
* Sides leap up to the middle and struggle on back
* Sides rock up to the middle and roll right back

Another trick is to add extra words to "square thru". Something like this:
* First figure Heads square thru with style and grace
* Second figure Heads square thru with finesse
* Third figure Sides square thru with elegance
* Fourth figure Sides square thru like a mob of yobos
If you can pick the right tune to use the dancers really respond with their body language and their actions. Especially if you use a common theme the first three times and finish off on an opposing theme the fourth time. Also - this trick will only work once a night.

Here is a collection of words that can be used with "square thru"
Panache, Style, Class, Finesse, Exuberance, Joy, Grace, Boldly, Sneakily, Enthusiasm, Spunk, Trepidation, Seriousness, Quietly, Noisily, "Mob of yobos", "Bunch of galahs"

Jeff