This list of tips on dancing with beginners has good advice. Here are the first two items:

1. Smile
2. Make eye contact.

These are some things we could improve in MWSD. After an evening contra dancing, I really notice the lack of eye contact in MWSD. In fact, when I google “eye contact square dance,” the references that come up are almost all contrasting contra dancing with square dancing. Virtually every writeup on contra dancing mentions eye contact as an important part of the dance. If you watch square dancers, it almost seems like there’s a taboo on direct eye contact…unless you’re trying to help someone.

Oh wait…here’s a reference to eye contact:

Bow (Honors) To your Partner: Men: Turn slightly to face your partner making eye contact(emphasis added). Place left hand behind back or at left hip, palm out. Place right foot in front of left foot. The right foot should be pointed toward the lady with the toe touching the floor. Man’s right hand holds lady’s left hand. Both legs are straight, with weight on the back foot.
Ladies: Turn slightly to face your partner making eye contact(emphasis added). Left foot should be pointed forward with toe touching floor, right foot in back. right hand holds skirt toward center of square, right arm bent at elbow. Place left hand in partner’s right hand. Both legs are straight with weight on back foot. [an acceptable traditional variation of styling is that the man bow slightly from the waist as the ladies acknowledge with a curtsy.]
To your Corner: Men: Right hand holding partner’s left hand, turn slightly to face corner, making eye contact(emphasis added). Place left hand behind back or at left hip, palm out. Place left foot in front of right foot. The left foot should be pointed toward corner with toe touching floor. Both legs are straight with weight on the back foot.
Ladies Left hand in partner’s right hand, turn slightly to face corner making eye contact(emphasis added). Place right foot in front of left foot with the right foot pointed toward corner and the toe touching floor. Both legs are straight with weight on back foot. An acceptable traditional variation of styling is that the men bow slightly from the waist as the ladies acknowledge with a curtsy.

Here’s what I think…square dancers should lighten up a little…