Progressive Squares are easy to run once you know a few simple rules—see Gene Trimmer’s book Specialized Squares and Crowd Pleasers. This partner‑change variant, however, goes beyond the book: the simulator lets you explore what happens when couples are broken up.
Each block is a couple, split in two: the left half is the man, the right half is the woman. Same colour and number means an original couple. There are two modes:
- Move – drag a block onto a neighbour to Pass Thru; the whole couple travels together. This changes where dancers stand, never who is partnered with whom.
- Swap partners – drag to send the women through by the same rule while the men stay put. This changes the bond, and the affected blocks turn red.
Because the two layers are independent, resolving now takes two steps: first close the bonds (undo the partner changes until “Bonds intact” turns yes), then close the positions (move your Pilot Square back home, and the symmetry takes the rest with it).
So watch all four indicators—Men home, Women home, Bonds intact, All home. Seeing the man of your Pilot Square back is no longer enough; his original partner has to be beside him too.
Honestly, for a caller this variant is probably too much to track and memorize. As written‑down choreography it can absolutely be pulled off—but ad lib, almost certainly not.
Prefer the basic version, where couples always stay together? Head back to the simple simulator.
Try it out in the simulator!