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

Browse Items (1933 total)

Document

Fiddling to Henry Ford - Literary Digest, 1926

Henry Ford attracted considerable attention when he showcased the dance fiddling of Mellie Dunham, from Maine. This lengthy contemporary account describes that relationship in detail. "Mr.… View item
Document

Pageant of American Square Dance History, 1959

This lengthy presentation of square dance history was presented at the Eighth National Square Dance Convention in Denver, 1959. Researched and organized by Dorothy Shaw after Lloyd Shaw's death in… View item
Still Image

John and Mary Josy Bradford

John Bradford (age 13) and his sister Mary Jo (16), also known as Mary Josy to differentiate her from her mother, Mary Jo Bradford, went for the first time to Shaw's summer dance class in 1947,… View item
Document

Lloyd Shaw - Christmas letters

These are three letters written as "annual belated Christmas greetings" from Lloyd and Dorothy Shaw to participants in the Cheyenne Mountain School summer classes. They provide a good sense… View item
Document

Lloyd Shaw Fellowship - John Bradford

John Bradford was 13 years old in 1947 when his mother, Mary Jo Bradford, took their family to attend Lloyd Shaw's summer class in square dancing. (He and his sister were the only two teenagers… View item
Document

Reminiscences of Lloyd Shaw - Mary Jo Bradford

Mary Jo Bradford was a physical education teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when she encountered Lloyd Shaw and the Cheyenne Mountain Dancers in 1946. That summer, she traveled to Colorado Springs to study… View item
Sound

Lady of Spain - Pancho Baird

Home recording by Pancho and Marie Baird. View item
Sound

Pancho Baird - square dance medley

This is a rare home recording made by Pancho Baird, a medley of singing squares: End of the World Alabama Jubilee Rose of San Antone Down Yonder You Call Everybody Darling View item
Moving Image

Pistol Packin' Mama, with jitterbug - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston, caller, with the Falltown String Band: Jack Arensmeyer, acoustic guitar and mandolin; Jason Burbank, keyboard, fiddle; Jack Nelson, bass; Champ Dickinson, electric guitar, and Linwood… View item
Moving Image

Dip and Dive / Redwing - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston, caller, with the Falltown String Band: Jack Arensmeyer, acoustic guitar and mandolin; Jason Burbank, keyboard, fiddle; Jack Nelson, bass; Champ Dickinson, electric guitar, and Linwood… View item
Moving Image

Four Poster / Soldier's Joy - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston, caller, with the Falltown String Band: Jack Arensmeyer, acoustic guitar and mandolin; Jason Burbank, keyboard, fiddle; Jack Nelson, bass; Champ Dickinson, electric guitar, and Linwood… View item
Moving Image

Engine #9 - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston, caller, with the Falltown String Band: Jack Arensmeyer, acoustic guitar and mandolin; Jason Burbank, keyboard, fiddle; Jack Nelson, bass; Champ Dickinson, electric guitar, and Linwood… View item