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

Browse Items (101 total)

  • Subject is exactly "Traditional Western (pre-1940)"
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"Meet Your Honey, Go Hog Wild"

This collection of anecdotes describes early dances and social norms in Texas cowboy country. View item
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Bob Sumrall - newspaper clippings

Two newspaper clippings about Texas caller Bob Sumrall. The first, from January 14, 1947, focuses on a new square dance team that he formed and that will be performing at the Inaugural Ball for the… View item
Document

Veteran Square Dancers - California's oldest club?

This short article from 1946 describes a square dance club that has been meeting regularly for 17 years without missing a night, which would mean it started in 1929. The group counts 300 "rural… View item
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Pappy's Pupils

Article in View item
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Rural Leaders' Guide for Square and Group Dances, 1951

From the forward: "This circular is designed to assist rural leaders in teaching square and group dancing and in conducting organized recreational dancing activities." After several pages of… View item
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High Country Dancers

California State Square Dance Convention in San Diego at Balboa Park April 8-10 2011. This clip is of the High Country (Colorado) Dancers, a square dance exhibition team and The Heritage Dancers… View item
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At the Keith Ranch (1893)

SeeAdditional Filesfor the full story.This short story, published in 1893, focuses on events at a square dance at a Colorado ranch. Although the plot itself is melodramatic, the author includes… View item
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"So They Gave Up Football"

This full-page article and layout of photographs was created by the Associated Press, drawing attention to Lloyd Shaw and the Cheyenne Mountain Dancers. The top right photo shows the bus in which the… View item
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Texas Dance Memories

This booklet was compiled by Betty Casey; it presents an overview of Texas square dance history. The booklet features short profiles of 14 "first pacesetters," figures who are important in the history… View item
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Forward 6, Fall Back 8 - Bill Litchman

Bill Litchman, caller, in the traditional western style of square dance. This clip includes a walkthrough. The dancewaspublished by Lloyd Shaw in Cowboy Dances (1939).Recorded at Dare To Be Square,… View item
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Sally Goodin walkthrough - Bill Litchman - Traditional Western Square Dances 5a

Dance: "Sally Goodin with a Docey-do," devised by Marvin Shilling, Walsenburg, Colorado (based on the traditional dance "Sally Goodin") This is the walkthrough; a separate video… View item
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Heads to the Center walkthrough - Bill Litchman - Traditional Western Square Dances 3a

(A separate video is available of the actual dance; this is the walkthrough.) Bill Litchman taught this dance as part of his session (November 19, 2011) on Traditional Western Squares at the Dare… View item