No matter how much planning you do for a square dance event, an unplanned emergency situation is usually inevitable...either at the dance, or even going to or from a dance. Dancers can easily over-exert themselves, risking serious injury to themselves or others.

The ONLY time one should leave a square during a dance is if you start to feel dizzy, or otherwise ill...don't walk out of a square if the other
dancers are not as proficient as you think they should be...we all were beginners at one time.

Note that the dances/festivals are NOT marathons...to see how long you can dance before you literally drop!! You have to have time to take restroom breaks, to eat, to relax, to fellowship, and of course, to sleep. The secret
is to PACE YOURSELF. If you begin to feel light headed, etc., tell the other dancers in your square...and go off to the side to sit down and get your bearings together...usually a substitute dancer can take your spot, and the square can continue dancing, while you take care of yourself. Some people
can dance for several hours without a break...others can only dance as
little as one tip...only you can know how far you can go before you need
a break.

If you, or another dancer falls ill during a square dance, and cannot get
off of the dance floor, the following steps can help summon aid quicker, and reduce the risk of further serious injury. If you suddenly feel nauseated, etc., get out of the square and to a restroom as fast as possible...your
fellow dancers will understand...we've all been in that unpleasant
situation at one time or another...even though you could joke that "the
calling made you ill". <g>

1) When a dancer goes down, one other dancer in the square will attend to
the injured dancer.

2) The other dancers will back up in a circle, to give the injured and attending dancer room and air.

3) The remaining dancers will lift their hands into an arch, known as the E)mergency C)all For M)edical A)id (ECMA) formation.

4) Upon seeing this, the caller or hall monitor will place an Emergency
Call For Medical Aid...summoning paramedics, etc. If this does not occur,
a dancer should run to the stage to alert the caller, or those in charge,
so the proper authorities can be summoned as quickly as possible.

Although we don't like to think of it, everyone needs to be prepared to deal with an emergency situation, should one develop. Being an Amateur
Radio operator, and having experience in emergency communications
situations, I know how vital it is to quicky summon help. I usually will
have my amateur radio handi-talkie with me, and if needed, I can get on
a repeater, and issue a distress call, asking for help, saying that I
have Emergency Traffic...which includes the safety of human life, and/or
the protection of property, according to the FCC. I was in such a situation
at the 46th National Square Dance Convention in Orlando in June, 1996;
saving the life of our shuttle bus driver, who got involved in an
altercation with the hotel security guard. Even though it was rewarding,
I must admit it was quite stressful.
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

No matter how much planning you do for a square dance event, an unplanned emergency situation is usually inevitable...either at the dance, or even going to or from a dance. Dancers can easily over-exert themselves, risking serious injury to themselves or others.

The ONLY time one should leave a square during a dance is if you start to feel dizzy, or otherwise ill...don't walk out of a square if the other
dancers are not as proficient as you think they should be...we all were beginners at one time.

Note that the dances/festivals are NOT marathons...to see how long you can dance before you literally drop!! You have to have time to take restroom breaks, to eat, to relax, to fellowship, and of course, to sleep. The secret
is to PACE YOURSELF. If you begin to feel light headed, etc., tell the other dancers in your square...and go off to the side to sit down and get your bearings together...usually a substitute dancer can take your spot, and the square can continue dancing, while you take care of yourself. Some people
can dance for several hours without a break...others can only dance as
little as one tip...only you can know how far you can go before you need
a break.

If you, or another dancer falls ill during a square dance, and cannot get
off of the dance floor, the following steps can help summon aid quicker, and reduce the risk of further serious injury. If you suddenly feel nauseated, etc., get out of the square and to a restroom as fast as possible...your
fellow dancers will understand...we've all been in that unpleasant
situation at one time or another...even though you could joke that "the
calling made you ill". <g>

1) When a dancer goes down, one other dancer in the square will attend to
the injured dancer.

2) The other dancers will back up in a circle, to give the injured and attending dancer room and air.

3) The remaining dancers will lift their hands into an arch, known as the E)mergency C)all For M)edical A)id (ECMA) formation.

4) Upon seeing this, the caller or hall monitor will place an Emergency
Call For Medical Aid...summoning paramedics, etc. If this does not occur,
a dancer should run to the stage to alert the caller, or those in charge,
so the proper authorities can be summoned as quickly as possible.

Although we don't like to think of it, everyone needs to be prepared to deal with an emergency situation, should one develop. Being an Amateur
Radio operator, and having experience in emergency communications
situations, I know how vital it is to quicky summon help. I usually will
have my amateur radio handi-talkie with me, and if needed, I can get on
a repeater, and issue a distress call, asking for help, saying that I
have Emergency Traffic...which includes the safety of human life, and/or
the protection of property, according to the FCC. I was in such a situation
at the 46th National Square Dance Convention in Orlando in June, 1996;
saving the life of our shuttle bus driver, who got involved in an
altercation with the hotel security guard. Even though it was rewarding,
I must admit it was quite stressful.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

No matter how much planning you do for a square dance event, an unplanned emergency situation is usually inevitable...either at the dance, or even going to or from a dance. Dancers can easily over-exert themselves, risking serious injury to themselves or others.

The ONLY time one should leave a square during a dance is if you start to feel dizzy, or otherwise ill...don't walk out of a square if the other
dancers are not as proficient as you think they should be...we all were beginners at one time.

Note that the dances/festivals are NOT marathons...to see how long you can dance before you literally drop!! You have to have time to take restroom breaks, to eat, to relax, to fellowship, and of course, to sleep. The secret
is to PACE YOURSELF. If you begin to feel light headed, etc., tell the other dancers in your square...and go off to the side to sit down and get your bearings together...usually a substitute dancer can take your spot, and the square can continue dancing, while you take care of yourself. Some people
can dance for several hours without a break...others can only dance as
little as one tip...only you can know how far you can go before you need
a break.

If you, or another dancer falls ill during a square dance, and cannot get
off of the dance floor, the following steps can help summon aid quicker, and reduce the risk of further serious injury. If you suddenly feel nauseated, etc., get out of the square and to a restroom as fast as possible...your
fellow dancers will understand...we've all been in that unpleasant
situation at one time or another...even though you could joke that "the
calling made you ill". <g>

1) When a dancer goes down, one other dancer in the square will attend to
the injured dancer.

2) The other dancers will back up in a circle, to give the injured and attending dancer room and air.

3) The remaining dancers will lift their hands into an arch, known as the E)mergency C)all For M)edical A)id (ECMA) formation.

4) Upon seeing this, the caller or hall monitor will place an Emergency
Call For Medical Aid...summoning paramedics, etc. If this does not occur,
a dancer should run to the stage to alert the caller, or those in charge,
so the proper authorities can be summoned as quickly as possible.

Although we don't like to think of it, everyone needs to be prepared to deal with an emergency situation, should one develop. Being an Amateur
Radio operator, and having experience in emergency communications
situations, I know how vital it is to quicky summon help. I usually will
have my amateur radio handi-talkie with me, and if needed, I can get on
a repeater, and issue a distress call, asking for help, saying that I
have Emergency Traffic...which includes the safety of human life, and/or
the protection of property, according to the FCC. I was in such a situation
at the 46th National Square Dance Convention in Orlando in June, 1996;
saving the life of our shuttle bus driver, who got involved in an
altercation with the hotel security guard. Even though it was rewarding,
I must admit it was quite stressful.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)