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

Browse Items (18 total)

  • Contributor is exactly "Tony Parkes"
Website

John Roach Square Dance History - Minnesota

This website, curated by Lon Roach of Glencoe, Minnesota, documents the career of his parents, John (Jack) and Mabel Roach. Jack was a square dance caller from 1949 to 1974; his career spanned the… View item
Sound

Arkansas Traveler (clip) - Rod Linnell

Despite the title of the dance, with a reel by the same name, the tune for this recording is Little Burnt Potato, a jig. Rod Linnell, from Maine, was a contemporary of Ralph Page, perhaps best known… 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

Box the Gnat - a short history

Box the Gnat - a short historyby Tony ParkesNobody seems to know when "box the gnat" took on the standardized meaning it has today inrecreational square and contra dancing. In Instant Hash (1962),… View item
Sound

Catch All Eight - Louise Winston

This is an interesting example of a modern square dance call turning up in the repertoire of a caller deeply involved in the New England traditional square dance scene. Louise Winston was one of the… View item
Document

Cowboy Songs and Dances

This is an excerpt-- the dance part; a later song section is omitted-- from an article that includes the author's experiences at a cowboy dance in 1903. The author includes typical patter heard… View item
Sound

Cut Away 6, 4, 2 (clip) - Fred Townsend

Canadian caller, born 1900, who was the caller for Don Messer's bands on its many cross-country trips. A three-LP boxed set of his dance calls (Let's Square Dance) was released (Doncaster DS-3-102).… View item
Sound

Don Durlacher - Jones Beach

Don Durlacher, son of Ed Durlacher, was a regular summer caller at Jones Beach outside New York City, calling with the Top Hands band that his father had used for many years. At this dance, the… View item
Still Image

Ed Durlacher (photos)

Two photos of New York caller Ed Durlacher, one showing him in regular clothing behind the microphone and one where he's in full dance caller regalia. Both photos are from newspaper files; one is… View item
Website

Floyd Woodhull

Website from upstate New York detailing life and musical career of Floyd (Woody) Woodhull, square dance caller, accordion player and band leader. Also includes a discography. View item
Document

Juvenile Delinquency and Square Dancing

In this article, published inNorthern Junket in 1959, caller Ed Durlacher describes his experiences leading square dances in Riverside Park, New York City. It was not a promising beginning:"As they… View item
Sound

Ladies Whirligig - two New England versions

Here is the same basic dance called by two New England callers who overlapped. The first is an excerpt from a recording by Ralph Page; the second is a live recording of Louise Winston from 1970.The… View item