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

Browse Items (499 total)

  • Collection: MWSD
Moving Image

Clark Baker - Calls and Concepts

In this third video in the series, Clark explains the difference between square dance "calls" and "concepts" and notes that "concepts are what make Advanced and especially… View item
Moving Image

Clark Baker - MWSD & music

Many traditional square dancers look at videos of MWSD and see a lot of stop-and-go rather than continuous motion; this is often termed "puzzle solving set to music." Clark reminds the viewer that in… View item
Moving Image

Clark Baker - traditional and modern

In this fifth and final video in this series, Clark Baker looks at two related kinds of dancing and explains the attraction of each: MWSD squares, especially in the Challenge program, on one side, and… View item
Document

Easy Key Handbook of Square Dance Fundamentals

In the 1950s, square dancing in many locations was changing from traditional to modern squares, moving away from a complete set of patterns to a system in which dancers would learn basic figures that… View item
Document

Santa Monica 1950 - interview with Dan Allen

"Calling All Folk Dancers" was a weekly radio show created by California caller Mildred Buhler. The next show after the Santa Monica dance included an interview with Dan Allen; this is a… View item
Sound

Dave Taylor - Patter, 1965

from CALLERLAB, February 16, 2017 Dave Taylor - 1927-2017Dave passed away February 12, 2017 in Spring Hill, Florida. Dave was a founding member of CALLERLAB, serving several years on the Board of… View item
Sound

Me and My Shadow - Dave Taylor, 1965

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Website

Square Dance Hall of Fame

This website, created by the Square Dance History Project, honors the 34 nominees to the Sets in Order American Square Dance Society Hall of Fame. Dorothy Shaw was the first person named, in January… View item
Website

Square Dance Radio Network

This weekly show focuses on modern square dancing, and is hosted by Dayle Hodge and Barb Jarvis. They describe their mission thus: "The Square Dance Radio Network provides entertaining and educational… View item
Website

Square Dance Resource Net

This is an extraordinarily rich and detailed website, filled with information of interest to anyone with a serious interest in square dance. The emphasis is on modern rather than traditional squares,… View item
Sound

It's a Small World - Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie

Dee Dee Dougherty-Lottie calling a singing call from a live-recording tape made at a dance in the early years of the 21st Century. View item
Document

Square dance publications

This website contains numerous examples of the many square dance publications — newsletters, journals, magazines— that have been created over the years. (See Items 1033 – 1073 for examples.) There are… View item