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

Browse Items (102 total)

  • Contributor is exactly "Jim Mayo"
Sound

Patter - Bill Castner

This is a short clip of patter calling by Bill Castner, a caller from California. View item
Sound

Birdie in the Cage - Al Brundage

This is a short clip from a dance called by Al Brundage in 1952. View item
Document

Class Notes - Jim Mayo, 1963

Unlike traditional square dance, modern SD is based on a series of classes that teach the basic figures. As the activity has increased its vocabulary of figures, the number of suggested classes has… View item
Sound

Jack Jackson Singing

Jack Jackson was a widely traveled caller from Ohio in the 1960's. He was one of the few who entertained musically in addition to calling. His after party performances included parodies with… View item
Document

Square Dance Institute - Rickey Holden, 1950

Syllabus of a workshop led by Holden in Massachusetts in 1950, introducing Texas style square dancing to New England dancers. In addition to notes on figures and styling, this handout included… View item
Document

Shredded Hash - Lloyd and Myrtis Litman

Several years after the 1962 publication of Instant Hash by Lloyd Litman and Rickey Holden, Shredded Hash was created by Litman and his wife, Myrtis. An unusual aid for callers seeking choreographic… View item
Sound

Bruce Johnson, patter - 1961

Live recording of Bruce Johnson calling to a jig. Jim Mayo comments: "Bruce kept on using 6/8 time music long after most others had abandoned it. It also shows his nearly unique ability to… View item
Document

Chicken Plucker - choreographic innovation

The Chicken Plucker routine created by Bill Shymkus appeared in the October 1957 issue of Sets in Order; the same issue contained ads for the new record release by Lee Helsel. This routine is… View item
Document

The Beginnings of Modern Square Dancing - Jim Mayo

Article by Jim Mayo looking at the transition from traditional to modern square dancing, a short version of the ideas presented at length in his book. View item
Sound

Bill Peters & Jim Mayo - Australia, 1986

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Document

Houston Square Dance History

Detailed history of the growth of square dancing in the Houston area in the years after World War II. It includes a summary of highlights from the area's annual square dance festival that started in… View item
Still Image

Oldest Square Dance Club?

Pictured above, taken when the Kilowatt Eights danced at the PSC Garage from 1939-1942, (L to R): Andy Anderson-Violin & Bass, Stew Clark-Banjo, Russ Levine-Piano, Jim Cook-Violin, Tom… View item