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

Browse Items (1940 total)

Website

New England Fiddles

Caller William Chaisson calls the changes and Joe Cormier's fiddle leads the band in two quadrilles recorded at the French American Victory Club in Waltham, MA. The link takes you to a… View item
Sound

Sunny - John Hendron

This is a short clip from a singing call by John Hendron at a dance in New England in 1984 View item
Sound

Patter Call - John Hendron

This is a short clip from a dance called by John Hendron in 1995. John has been one of the most popular of New England callers for many years and now (20014) in his late 80's is still calling.and… View item
Moving Image

Foxtrot - couple dance

The Old Grey Goose provided the music and Doug Protsik gave a brief introduction as dancers enjoyed a little foxtrot among other country dances. This was part of the Retrospective session led by… View item
Moving Image

Rye Waltz - couple dance

The Rye Waltz is an adaptation of Comin’ Through the Rye and The Highland Schottische, and intersperses a schottische step with a waltz. Music by The Latter Day Lizards and guests; the Lizards are… View item
Moving Image

Canadian Barn Dance - schottische

The Canadian Barn Dance is a schottische, here danced to "The Carfuffle Shuffle" tune written by Marianne Taylor, and played by The Latter Day Lizards and guests; the Lizards are Dave… View item
Document

The Afro-American Transformation of European Set Dances and Dance Suites

Scholarly article that looks at the way that European set dances such as the quadrille became changed by African Americans. The article looks in detail at the quadrille tradition in the Caribbean… View item
Sound

Square Dance Fight on Ball Top Mountain

Phil Jamison: These are square dance skits on two sides of a 78 (Vocalion 5419) with a few random calls by John Dilleshaw (aka Seven Foot Dilly) of Paulding County, GA. It was recorded in Atlanta in… View item
Website

Duke Miller - Crooked Stovepipe

Duke Miller, caller. Recorded live at the Peterborough Golf Club, August 20, 1965. This dance was a staple of Ralph Page's repertoire as well, which he borrowed from French-Canadian music. Caller… View item
Document

Southern California Square Dance "Gold Rush"

This essay, from the program booklet of the 1976 National Square Dance Convention, provides an overview of early square dancing in southern California. That year's NSDC was held in Anaheim, CA,… View item
Moving Image

Fifty Miles from Times Square

This is an excerpt from John Cohen's 1972 film, used here by permission of the filmmaker. caller: Herb Strickland musicians: Bud Snow, Jay Ungar, Lyn Hardy, Abby Newton, Tom Allen Fiddler… View item
Still Image

John Bradford photos

John Bradford and his sister were the youngest participants at the early Lloyd Shaw seminars in Colorado. John went on to call for many decades. The photos here date from his teen years up through a… View item