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

Browse Items (1934 total)

Sound

Silver Bell (clip) - Paul Hunt

music by the Rock Candy Mountaineers View item
Document

Silver Spurs of Spokane, Washington

This article from Sets in Order celebrates Red Henderson and his Silver Spurs performing group of teenagers in Spokane. Henderson attended an early workshop by Lloyd Shaw in Colorado Springs and… View item
Still Image

Silver Spurs publicity poster

The poster is from a 1962 performance of the Silver Spurs (Spokane, WA) in Victoria, British Columbia. It illustrates the many varieties of dance presented by the youth group, dances that are still… View item
Document

Singing Calls - a short history

History of Singing Squaresby Tony ParkesThe earliest description of a singing square I've found so far (in fairly shallow digging) appears in the first edition (1925) of Good Morning, prepared by Mr.… View item
Document

Singing Squares - Chip Hendrickson's call book

This is a transcription by Walter Lenk of the singing squares in Connecticut caller Chip Hendrickson's call book, c. 1955, made available with the permission of the Hendrickson family. It contains… View item
Moving Image

Sioux City Sue - Adam Boyce

Traditional singing square dance, recorded in West Newbury, VT, on July 24, 2010. The caller and fiddler is Adam Boyce. This dance is held on the 4th Saturday of each month; Adam drives 55 miles each… View item
Sound

Sioux City Sue (clip) - David Park Williams

From the CD set "Mostly Quadrilles," containing two CDs of called dances, 24 in all, and two CDs of just instrumental tracks, arranged by David Park Williams. Musicians are Bill J. Sparrow,… View item
Moving Image

Six Pass Thru - Tony Parkes

Tony Parkes, caller. Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Brasstown, NC, November 19, 2011. Musicians for this session were Steve Hickman and Jim Morrison, fiddles; Claudio Buchwald, piano; and Sam… View item
Sound

Six Pass Thru (clip) - Ted Sannella

This clip is part of a series of eight square dances called by Ted Sannella at the Chesapeake Spring Dance Weekend, sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. (Ted called another four or… View item
Document

Six Styles of Square Dance - Rickey Holden

Trying to categorize the different varieties of square dance can be a challenging task. Noted caller and dance historian Rickey Holden published his thoughts in this 1955 article in his American… View item
Moving Image

Smoke on the Water - Tod Whittemore

Tod Whittemore is the caller; music is provided by Bob McQuillen, piano; Randy Miller, fiddle, and Peter Siegel, mandolin. This was part of a dance workshop on singing squares, recorded on January 15,… View item
Sound

Smoke on the Water (clip) - Pancho Baird

Pancho Baird's big hit. This project contains videos of the dance. This link will provide a list of other Pancho Baird recordings on this website. View item