Browse Items (203 total)

live recording - note the fast tempo, about 138 bpm

Les Gotcher was one of the early full-time traveling callers. He was known as the "Hash Master" and this clip from a 1958 dance illustrates how appropriate that term is.

Walk All Around the…

live recording

Jerry Reed - Ed Gilmore was one of the early full time traveling callers. He also was an early teacher of callers. He urged callers to keep their patter calls organized and this clip illustrates that. The last two routines in this…

This video shows caller Cliff Simpson calling a popular early MWSD singing call at a dance of the Cowtown Singles club in Riverside CA May 21, 2010. The dance uses a Grand Spin call that is no longer on the standard lists of MWSD calls.

The first square dance was held in Bremen on July 16, 1949, called by Paul Hartman and attended by five squares, mostly American servicemen and their guests. The event was a success and Hartman began calling dances on a regular basis; he also…

This is an excerpt from Al Brundage's recording on the Windsor label. You'll hear the second time through the figure and then the middle break.

This is an excerpt (opener and first figure) from Al Brundage's recording of the dance on the Windsor label.

Doc Alumbaugh, based in southern California, was one of the first traveling callers. In 1950, he founded Windsor Records, which became one of the foremost square dance record labels. (In addition to hiring excellent session musicians, Windsor…

Singing square, called to the familiar children's song; not to be confused with the "Shoo-Fly Swing," a figure sometimes found at the end of big circle dances.

This is the text of the syllabus of Ed Gilmore's class. The text is included on the website, or you can download a ZIP file of it. Contains plenty of philosophy, discussion of the caller's role, a detailed series of suggestions about how to teach…

This video starts with an interview with a club leader and a description of the club and its program. The calling by Mike Kellogg is from the CALLERLAB Advanced Programs.

California State Square Dance Convention in San Diego at Balboa Park April 8-10 2011. This clip is of the High Country (Colorado) Square Dance Exhibition Team and The Heritage Dancers (California) on Saturday Night. The dance routines include a Waltz…

The video shows Andy Allemao calling and explaining Hexagon Squares at the California State Square Dance Convention. April 8-10, 2011 in Balboa Park, San Diego. If you've never seen this you will be amazed! It's really fun to dance to....after you…