For Cuers and Instructors, Link to CUERS
Choreography for specific round dances does not need to be memorized. Instructions for each step are announced by a live cuer or from a recording with cues. If the same dance is performed without cues, it is a Sequence Dance rather than a Round Dance.
Cues are directed at the leader, announced a measure in advance of the music. So the man's footwork matches the cues. The lady performs opposite footwork unless given separate instruction.
Cue sheets sometimes include complete choreography, but often include only the "head cues"--the shorthand instructions that the cuer calls.
Cue sheets use an abbreviation system to compress information onto the sheet, and to allow the cuer to quickly glance at the choreography notation.
Link to Roundalab List of Abbreviations
ABBREV Special note: Lady = W (woman) since "L" indicates Left.
Cue Sheets are to Round Dancing as sheet music is to singing. The head cues to the dancer are like the vocal line to the singer. The full choreography is like the full orchestration.
Cue Sheet Punctuation: Measures of dance match measures of music. The measures are separated by a semi-colon [ ; ]. The beats are separated by comas [ , ], with a hyphen [ - ] used to indicate a hold or pause (no step) within the measure. Parenthetical instructions [ ( ) ] are addressed to the lady.
The same song may have been choreographed with different versions by different choreographers, or in different Phases, or to different rhythms.
Link to Mixed-Up Squares
CUE_SHEETS from all over.
Some dances have become very popular and have withstood the test of time. They are designated as "classics."
Link to Roundalab's