Square dancing, Berea, KY - c. 1950 style

Square dancing, Berea, KY - c. 1950 style

Southern / Appalachian / Big sets

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 in Berea sometime between 1974-1976. The three daughters begin by step dancing/ hoedown/ clogging. They also used stepping in the square dance but the format of the square is that of "set running" from pre WWII dances."

Figures include take a little peek; lady round the gent and gent around the gent; right hand across and how are you, left hand back; and birdie in the cage.

Music by the New World String Band, with Karen Jones, fiddle

See John Ramsay's YouTube channel for numerous other informative videos featuring the Berea Country Dancers and other historic footage.

John Ramsay

The original footage is in the Berea College Library Archives No. RE VR 007-001.

1974-76

John Ramsay

USA, Kentucky, Berea

1970s