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

Carl Ewing giving Pappy Silver Spur.jpg

The Silver Spur was an award established by Bob and Becky Osgood, and awarded to individuals whom Osgood felt should be honored; Lloyd Shaw was the first recipient of the award. View item
Moving Image

Caribbean Quadrille - Dominica

This is but one example of a quadrille tradition that has been kept alive in many Caribbean islands, here performed by Dominica Oversea Nationals Association (DONA) - Quadrille Dancers. View item
Moving Image

Carcassonne big set, #2

This is another example of traditional southern Appalachian big set square dance, recorded by John Ramsay in Carcassonne, Kentucky, September 19, 1991. With relatively few examples on our site of… View item
Moving Image

Carcassonne big set, #1

This is an excellent example of traditional southern Appalachian big set square dance, recorded by John Ramsay in Carcassonne, Kentucky, September 19, 1991. ("Big set" is the name given by outsiders;… View item
Moving Image

Carcassonne big set - Phil Jamison

Phil Jamison led a workshop session on square dances from the southern Appalachians, focusing on dances from different communities in that region. Carcassonne, Kentucky, still hosts a regular… View item
Sound

Captain Jinks / Divide the Ring - Leonard Hurst

Two clips from Colorado caller Leonard Hurst, who came to Australia in 1951 to do a series of radio broadcasts. He played an important role in spreading square dance to that area. More information… View item
Document

Cape Breton Dance Halls

This undergraduate thesis looks at the dance halls of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Traditional music and dance plays an important role in the life of the communities there, and the dance halls function… View item
Document

Cape Breton Caller Interviews

Jørn Borggreen is author ofRight to the Helm, a detailed study of Cape Breton square sets as observed in 14 communities. The book, now in its 4th edition, provides documentation of the figures for… View item
Moving Image

Cape Breton - Iona-Washabuck set

Cape Breton square dance: Three figures of the Iona-Washabuck set, recorded at Boisdale, Nova Scotia. The Iona set is the same as the Washabuck set (hence the conjoined name), and is closely related… View item
Moving Image

Cape Breton - Inverness Set

Cape Breton square dance: this is the Inverness set, recorded in Brook Village, Nova Scotia. The video contains three figures.Viewers wanting to see the figures in more detail can look at these three… View item
Website

Cape Breton - Inverness Country Dance Traditions

This is a collection of 59 audio and video files collected in 1986 by Barbara Leblanc and Laura Sedowsky for the Canadian Museum of History to document local music and dance traditions. Files include… View item
Website

Canadian Square and Round Dance Society

Offering Canada Wide Support to Square, Round, Line, Contra, and Clog Dancing The Canadian Square and Round Dance Society (CSRDS) was formed to establish a national organization to deal with… View item