I have never seen a new dancer show up for their first lesson and ask about the list of calls. I have never seen a new dancer in a Mainstream class, taught by a competent caller, quit because there were too many calls to learn. Getting new dancers is a problem for several reasons, I know because every fall I try to recruit one or two new couples for classes. In some areas square dancing is the best kept secret in the world. Only square dancers know it exists.
People perceive it as an old folk's thing .
There is no young blood any more. At 50 we are the kids in some of the clubs around here. There are no teen clubs in the area at all any more. It is perceived as a hick country thing , back woods, etc. , refer to item 1 4. Couples with children have time and schedule problems that make it impossible to reserve one night a week on a regular bases for anything.