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

Browse Items (1941 total)

Still Image

Utah Square Dance History (JPG)

The June 28, 1973 issue of the Deseret News (a Mormon-owned daily newspaper published in Salt Lake City) contained a supplement on the 22nd National Square Dance Convention. The article on Utah square… View item
Document

Push Your Pa and Shove Your Ma

PUSH YOUR PA AND SHOVE YOUR MA P.53From Wes McVicar’s 75 More Square DancesMusic: Doc Boyd's jigThird changeINTRODUCTIONThe first couple balance The first couple swing.FIGUREGo down the center split… View item
Document

Willamette Valley Caller

View item
Document

Cowboys' Christmas Ball - Anson, Texas

Poem written in 1890 describing the Cowboys' Christmas Ball in Anson, Texas. For more information about the author, see this website on cowboy poetry. The Ball continues, following the original rules… View item
Document

Wisconsiana: Here and There (1949)

Short mention of the booming interest in square dancing in Wisconsin: "North, South, East, and West are resounding to the 'shuffiing' of the Square Dance which is sweeping in increasing… View item
Moving Image

Newfoundland square dance - an introduction

Woody Wilson offers some introductory comments about square dancing, Newfoundland style. The occasion was a dance party at Dan's Hall, a beloved local venue, showcasing many styles of dance and… View item
Sound

Marching Through Georgia - Worley Gardner

(Note: This site also contains a video clip of the dance as called by New England caller Dudley Laufman.)from the chapter on Morgantown, WV, in West Virginia Square Dances, by Bob DalsemerSinging… View item
Moving Image

Danse québécoise: Quadrille en 5 parties

Each figure begins with instruction, followed by a sequence of that figure being danced to music. This is one of more than 200 short videos uploaded by caller and choreographer Yvan Gagné. You… View item
Moving Image

Danse québécoise - Quadrille en 5 parties

This is an edited version of a dance created by choreographer Yvan Gagné, from Quebec City. You can see the original video, complete with his teaching the figures, at this site. In somewhat the same… View item
Moving Image

Miss McLeod's Reel

Short clip showing outdoor dance, date and place not given though it's from Times ain't like they used to be [videorecording] : early rural and popular American music, 1928-1935. Four couple… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance, Raton, NM

Outdoor square dance. Calls include "lady round the lady and the gent follow, lady round the gent and the gent don't go." The tune is Waggoner, sometimes called Tennessee… View item
Moving Image

Danish Lancers, first figure

La Dorset, 1st figure of the Lancers as danced today in Denmark. Subsequent videos at this YouTube site show the other four figures. View item