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

Browse Items (454 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "2000 -"
Moving Image

Take a Little Peek

Northwestern Pennsylvania version of Take a Little Peek, usually considered a southern Appalachian dance figure. Called and posted by Dan Freligh (aka RubberCrutches). The tune is Boil that Cabbage… View item
Moving Image

Square dance at the Tractor Tavern - Seattle

The Tallboys host a bi-monthly square dance at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood that is wildly popular with the under-30 crowd. Also featured is caller Charmaine Slaven. This… View item
Moving Image

Danish Lancers, first figure

La Dorset, 1st figure of the Lancers as danced today in Denmark. Subsequent videos at this YouTube site show the other four figures. View item
Moving Image

Mike Callahan - MWSD Fairport High School Square Dance Competition

Caller Mike Callahan has been teaching square dancing in the Rochester, NY area for many years. Mike reports that he usually does a two day session for this school teaching the students how to square… View item
Moving Image

Bill Litchman 1 - Traditional Western Squares

Caller Bill Litchman discusses characteristic features of traditional western square dances, incorporating his memory of Colorado dances that he encountered starting in the 1950s.For a more detailed… View item
Moving Image

Bill Litchman 3 - Dorothy Shaw

Lloyd Shaw is the name that is widely recognized as an important figure in square dance history; here, caller Bill Litchman describes the crucial role played by Dorothy Shaw, his wife, and says that… View item
Moving Image

Bill Litchman 2a - Lloyd Shaw, part 1

An interview with caller Bill Litchman about educator Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw and the important role he played in square dance. Many see Shaw as a defining figure in the transition from… View item
Moving Image

Bill Litchman 2b - Lloyd Shaw, part 2

Bill Litchman continues his discussion about educator Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw and the important role he played in square dance. Here, he focuses on the impact that Shaw's Cheyenne Mountain… View item
Sound

Forward Six and Back (clip) - Harold Luce

This audio clip features the fiddling and calling of Harold "Chuck" Luce, who started playing in the mid-1930s and was still playing in 2012. He has been associated with the Ed Larkin… View item
Moving Image

Bronc Wise, C-1

C-1; caller Bronc Wise View item
Moving Image

Hernando's Hideaway - Vic Ceder, C-2

Vic Ceder calls Hernando's Hideaway at the 2010 AACE (Academy for Advanced and Challenge Enthusiasts) convention. View item
Moving Image

Larry Edelman 2: Links in a Chain

Larry Edelman discusses his experiences studying traditional dances in southwestern Pennsylvania; in particular, he ended up studying with caller Jerry Goodwin. Larry began to appreciate how dancers… View item