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

Browse Items (130 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "1970s"
Sound

"Wild Bill" Reagan

Duane "Wild Bill" Reagan was a square dance caller perhaps best known for his performance at the Expo 74 festival in Spokane, Washington. Featured here are two clips of his calling at that event, a… View item
Moving Image

Berea Country Dancers - Set Running (1917)

In this re-creation of dances from 1917, the Berea College Country Dancers, under the direction of Ethel Capps, show several figures described by Cecil Sharp in his Country Dance Book V. Sharp first… View item
Website

Bernard Chalk Calling a Square Dance

Larry Edelman writes: "I recorded this file in 1978 or 1979 when British square dance caller Bernard (Bernie) Chalk was visiting me in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and leading a square dance… View item
Sound

Bill McAdoo – Independence, PA – 1979

These are recordings of caller Bill McAdoo at the Independence, PA dance in 1979. Bob Dalsemer writes, "Most are from 4/21/1979 and a few from 9/8/1979. I always thought Bill was one of the best of… View item
Moving Image

Independence Lancers - Pennsylvania

The Lancers is a form of quadrille dating from the 19th century. It appears in many communities throughout the western world. Here is a version (filmed in Super-8 by Bob Dalsemer, September, 1979)… View item
Moving Image

Red River Valley

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Moving Image

Dip and Dive

Other examples of the dip and dive figure can be found on this website. View item
Moving Image

Birdie in the Cage

The well-known Birdie in the Cage figure, filmed in western Pennsylvania, on the border between northern and southern Appalachian styles of square dancing. View item
Moving Image

Butterfly Whirl

Filmed in Super-8 by Bob Dalsemer, May, 1979, at the Vandalia Gathering, an annual festival in Charleston, WV, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Culture and History. These dancers are from… View item
Moving Image

Take a Little Peek

Filmed in Super-8 by Bob Dalsemer, May, 1979, at the Vandalia Gathering, an annual festival in Charleston, WV, sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Culture and History. These dancers are from… View item
Moving Image

Chase the Rabbit

Filmed by Bob Dalsemer in Independence, Pennsylvania View item
Moving Image

Duck for the Oyster / Grapevine Twist

This square incorporates two well-known figures.Filmed in Super-8 by Bob Dalsemer, May, 1979, at the Vandalia Gathering, an annual festival in Charleston, WV, sponsored by the West Virginia Department… View item