Browse Items (14 total)
Kentucky Mountain Square Dancing
Written in 1949 and republished many times, this is a vital reference for anyone interested in southern Appalachian dance. Patrick Napier is a well-known dance leader at the Christmas Country Dance School in Berea, Kentucky, and this is his…
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. This clip has a different caller from Carcassonne #1. With relatively few examples on our site of…
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. The tune is Liza Jane. We do not yet know the identity of the caller and would appreciate…
Square Dance - Ary, KY - 1963 (4 cpl square)
see previous item The grapevine twist figure in this dance is taught by Phil Jamison in another video in this collection.
Square dance - Ary, KY - 1963 (big set)
The caller is Corbett Grigsby, with music provided by fiddler Marion Sumner and guitarists Martin Young and Roscoe Holcomb. Grigsby introduces the figure as "around behind, lady in the lead."This footage was recorded by filmmaker George Pickow at the…
Traditional Folkdance in Kentucky
Article by LeeEllen Friedland describing the social setting for community dances as well as the dance figures themselves. She differentiates among three types of dance: single dancing, couple dancing and group dancing. Folklorist Burt Feintuch…
Set Runnin' in Eastern Kentucky
Description from 1949 by Patrick Napier of traditional square dances in eastern Kentucky.
Old Side Door: A Kentucky Mountain Dance
Article by Patrick E. Napier, originally published in 1949, describing a Kentucky dance figure and its setting.
"Dancing to the Music: Domestic Square Dances and Community in Southcentral Kentucky (1880-1940)"
This detailed examination of the role of square dances in south central Kentucky is written by a folklorist, who based his findings on interviews with 20 musicians, dancers, and callers in that region. (Another look at Kentucky dancing, by researcher…
Square Dance Postcards
A collection of postcards showing different styles and personalities associated with square dance. We are eager to acquire more to add to this collection!Card1: no information on backCard2: Pennsylvania Farm Museum, Landis Valley, four miles north…
Set Running - Berea Country Dancers
In a voiceover at the start of the clip, the group's director, John Ramsay, speaks about the history of the dance and share some of his philosophy about dance bringing people together.Other "set running" resources on this site include Stew Shacklette…
Square dancing, Berea, KY - c. 1950 style
The footage was taken and posted by John Ramsay, who writes: "The Jackson family in Berea, Kentucky got a group together to demonstrate the type of square dancing which was danced by local citizens around 1950. I shot the footage at the Jackson home…