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

Browse Items (160 total)

  • Collection: Traditional western
Document

Cowboy Dance (1923 article)

This description of dances on the Texas frontier was included in a 1923 collection, Coffee in the Gourd, edited by J. Frank Dobie for the Texas Folk-Lore Society. The author paints a vivid picture of… View item
Document

Tucson Square Dance (1950 article)

Magazine article (1950) describing Arizona square dances and caller George Waudby. The first PDF is a facsimile of the magazine article; it is followed by an easier-to-read version of the text. (Also… View item
Document

Texas Square Dances - Rickey Holden

This is a detailed description of three Texas squares, presented by Rickey Holden as an exhibition dance at the fourth annual New England Folk Festival, November 15–16, 1947. Holden based much of his… View item
Sound

Rickey Holden - interview & three dances

This item starts with an interview conducted by Mildred Buhler with Rickey Holden and his wife, Marti, in San Antonio, Texas. At that time, Holden was a Square Dance Consultant with the San Antonio… View item
Sound

Arizona Double Star (clip) - Johnny Melton

Johnny Melton calls the Arizona Double Star, with the tune Nobody's Business played by Roy Sexton and others. The clip illustrates southwestern calling style, moving dancers along without necessarily… View item
Website

Traditional Square Dance Figures

One section of the Lloyd Shaw Foundation's website provides detailed instructions (and source information) for 20 figures from traditional Western and southern Appalachian squares:Arkansas… View item
Document

Pappy's Pupils

Article in View item
Moving Image

Square Dance History Pageant, 1976, part 3-Dorothy Shaw

Recorded at the 25th National Square Dance Convention, Anaheim, CA. This is the third part of the square dance history pageant, which was dedicated to Mrs. Shaw, the widow of Lloyd "Pappy"… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance History Pageant, part 2 - Cheyenne Mountain Dancers, 1976

The 25th annual National Square Dance Convention took place in 1976, the year of the United State Bicentennial Celebration. A historical pageant at the convention features a series of dances… View item
Still Image

Central City dancers, 1967 & 1968

The first picture is a 1968 publicity photo taken of the square dancers, used by the Central City Opera Association to send to local newspapers:back row: Sharon _?_, Gary Schaub, Larry Wylie, caller,… View item
Document

Lloyd Shaw - Caller of the Month

Article by Mildred Buhler with brief biography and accomplishments of Lloyd Shaw View item
Document

Ray Smith - Sally Goodin and a Do-Si-Do

Ray Smith was the "Caller of the Month" in Let's Dance magazine, published by the Folk Dance Federation of California, Northern Section. View item