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

Browse Items (189 total)

  • Collection: Southern Appalachian
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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
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Smoky Mountain Square Dance Collection

In his later years, Tennessee caller David Hendrix was working on an expanded version of his Smoky Mountain Square Dances, complete with diagrams and professional photographs. After his death, his… View item
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Smoky Mountain Square Dances

NOTE: This is a large file and might take a while to load.To read the actual booklet, choose the DOWNLOAD link or select the source file located by scrolling to Additional Files.This collection,… View item
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Square Dance - Dolores Heagy, 1986

Portion of a square dance called at Tod Whittemore's contra dance series at the VFW in Cambridge, MA. Tod introduced Dolores Heagy by saying how much he values having contra dancers become… View item
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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
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Not Your Grandparents Square Dance

Old-time music and square dancing in Portland, Oregon. Interviews with Bill Martin and Michael Ismerio, and footage from the Old Time Music Gathering, reveal the intimate links between the old-time… View item
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Michael Ismerio - Take a Little Peek

Michael Ismerio calls a Take A Peek at the 2009 Portland Old Time Gathering. Music by Ebenezer (Caitlin Daum, fiddle; Scott Killops, banjo; Robin Wilcox, bass; Ryan Fitzpatrick, mandolin; and Patrick… View item
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Chase the Rabbit - Bob Dalsemer

In this version, after the "chase the rabbit, chase the squirrel" figure, dancers immediately follow up with "opposite by the right hand round, partner by theleft hand round" then circle left. As the… View item
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Georgia Rang Tang description - Bob Dalsemer

If the vidieo does not play, try going here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0n_ZKc5YsThe figure of alternating hand turns is known in the west as a Docey-Do and in some Southern communities as… View item
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Georgia Rang Tang, big set - Bob Dalsemer

This clip shows the dancers finishing up the figures with another couple, and then being called back into the big circle for the grand right and left for everyone. The musicians are Sandy Bradley,… View item
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Georgia Rang Tang close-up - Bob Dalsemer

This very short high-definition video clip conveys the smooth feeling of the Georgia Rang Tang figure.Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Seattle, in 2009. For a more complete view of dances from the… View item
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Big Set - Bob Dalsemer

Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Seattle, in 2009. For a more complete view of dances from the weekend, see the audio and video files posted here. View item