Square Dance History Project
The rich story of North American square dance finally has a home in the digital age.

Browse Items (122 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "1980s"
Still Image

Duane "Wild Bill" Reagan - photos

These photographs of Duane "Wild Bill" Reagan were supplied by his widow, Pat. There's also a 1987 newspaper clipping describing his work.South Denver High School, Rebel Ranger, mid-1930sYahota Air… View item
Sound

Bluebonnet Squares with Melton Luttrell

These are recordings of two sessions led by Melton Luttrell at the 1987 National Square Dance Convention in Houston, Texas. The focus of his sessions was square dancing as led by Herb Greggerson in… View item
Document

Square Dance—Houston Style

This article, from Houston History magazine, offers a popular overview of square dance history in that region from the 1940s into the 21st century. The author was , with her husband, president of the… View item
Still Image

1988 Calgary Olympics - costume

This is a costume worn by dancers at the gala square dance that formed part of the opening ceremony at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. See the related item for video footage of that dance routine… View item
Website

Caller Hesse Reese - live recording, 1985

Caller, musician, and collector Larry Edelman describes this as "a 2.5 hour audio file that I recorded of Hesse Reese, an auctioneer and square dance caller at an evening square dance on October 11,… View item
Document

Country Dancing in Central and Western New York State

This overview of different forms of country dancing in upper New York State starts in the early 1800s. The author looks at quadrilles and squares, longways and round dances, "from rural house parties… View item
Website

Audrey Forbes calling - 1985

Larry Edelman writes, "I just posted a 1.5 hour audio file that I recorded of Audrey Fobes, a fine traditional square dance caller who called in the beautiful southwestern Pennsylvania calling style.… View item
Document

Squares and Rounds (Delaware Valley)

Squares and Rounds was originally published by the Montgomery District of the Federation of Deleware Valley Square and Round Dancers. It later expanded to be the official publication of the Mid-East… View item
Document

Bob Osgood on Lee Kopman

This piece fromSquare Dancing(later title of what had been Sets in Order)describes the appearance on the Phil Donahue Show of caller Lee Kopman and a group of square dancers. View item
Sound

Hey Lei Lee Lei Lee (clip) - Bob Ruff

California caller Bob Ruff sings the calls set to a popular song at the time. This clip includes the introduction plus once through the figures. Vic and Debbie Ceder has information about Ruff on… View item
Moving Image

Moore Hall Old Time Dance

A lengthy (2 hours) video documenting an old-time dance in Ontario—lots of couple dances interspersed with squares. Don Rankin - Caller Scotty Patterson - Fiddle Bob Tiffin - Guitar Flo… View item
Moving Image

Lonesome Me - Don Beck

Recorded December 1985 at Bay Path Barn, West Boylston, MA. The caller had been one of the founders of Tech Squares at MIT and was that club's first caller, in 1967. Another clip on YouTube, recorded… View item