Running Bear is a classic square dance called by Dick Jones which was first released in 1964. Although it basically uses only 13 calls from the CALLERLAB Basic Program, I have never seen even the best dancers dance it correctly on hearing it for the first time. What makes this dance, which only uses simple calls, so hard?

If you are curious, and would like to take a look at the dance, I have included the call sheet and several links below which might help you to analyze the dance. There is also a link to a list that is being compiled of reasons why some callers feel it is so hard to dance. If you would like to add to that list send me your thoughts at .

The call sheet contains just 12 lines, which are called 4 times.

1) Four ladies chain across the river
2) Chain them back, and roll away
3) Heads go forward up and back and then you star thru
4) Outside two dive thru, pass thru and dosado
5) Same four circle 1/2 and then you dive thru
6) Square thru, sides divide star thru, and when you do
7) Meet that two dosado and then you circle
8) Half way and then dive thru, box the gnat
9) Pull 'em thru, swing and whirl your corner
10) Left allemande and promenade
11) You promenade the ring with the pretty little thing
12) You're big Chief Running Bear

NOTE 1: these days the call "Divide" in line 6 is replaced by "Separate", although "Separate" followed by Star Thru is not often taught.(modified 4/3/20)

NOTE 2: this dance has 4 figures of 96 beats not 7 of 64. Therefore you need to use the correct music: Grenn 12230 which was Top 25084 and Top 25303. The Grenn record runs at 124bpm.

Here is a link to a PDF file containing a phrase sheet for the choreography and space where you can enter the action of the head and side couples to determine timing problems. You can refer to the CALLERLAB Basic Program timing sheet to determine the number of beats suggested for each call. Also consider body flow and handedness. For example after the dosado everyone is moving left and after the second dive thru (line 6) those doing the California Twirl are moving in the direction for the Separate call.

If you have filled in the phrase sheet with the dancer action you can compare it with my sheet to see if we agree. I believe the dance calls have been perfectly timed, the body flow is correct, dancer reaction time has been addressed and the call stacking is not excessive. Thus any timing problems are because of dancer agility and can be controlled by the speed of the music.

View a diagrammed version of the dance using the computerized dolls of the Callarama software.

You can hear Dick Jones call the dance to real dancers at Baypath Barn in Boylston, Mass, October 1965 on the Internet Archive site.
This version was created from an audio tape in the collections of the Square Dance Foundation of New England, digitized by Jim Mayo, and uploaded to the archive by David Millstone.

Dick prepares the dancers at the end of the previous patter for doing Running Bear next and you can hear that at https://archive.org/download/Square_Dance-Live_Recordings/Jones%2CDick%201965.mp3#t=5215. He makes the point that the dancers must trust him.

You can obtain the Dick Jones Running Bear music from A&S Records. Email to and ask for the Dick Jones version. There are other versions pharased differently.

You should be able to get the Running Rear dangle at Suzie Q Creations. Note how Suzie is spelled. Make sure you ask for Running Bear not Running Bare which is for dancing barefoot and looks different.

To watch the dance being done correctly look at the Squaws and Paws youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIDEDzqmI98&start=101.

They practiced it and were doing a demonstration for the video. You can tell because at times they were anticipating the calls they had memorized. They were running the music slowly at 117bpm and they make it look easy.

There are several Youtube videos on-line of Running Bear. One that is interesting is by the Swinging Squares at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuB6gHd40mw.

In this video the square in front did ok but the one in back had problems, can you see why. Also the caller did not follow standard phrasing in order to give the dancers more time. Then he left off the Left Allemande at end to get back the extra beats. Their speed, 127bpm, was very fast.

Click here for a page of reasons why some callers feel Running Bear is hard to dance.