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

Browse Items (499 total)

  • Collection: MWSD
Moving Image

Mental Image calling - Don Beck

Don Beck started calling more than 50 years ago. In this two-hour video, he provides an introduction to the Mental Image method of square dance choreographic management, a way for the caller to keep… View item
Document

Mental Image Overview

This is the handout prepared by Don Beck and distributed to participants at the workshop shown in the preceding video. View item
Moving Image

Tech Squares - I Will Survive, called by Don Beck

Don Beck Calling the last tip of the Tech Squares (MIT Square Dance Club) class graduation, December 1997 View item
Website

Squaredance music - Don Ward website

Don Ward is a longtime square dance caller and record collector. His Podbean website features examples from his collection; in many cases, he has digitized original 78 rpm records and has cleaned up… View item
Document

Santa Monica 1950 - Don Ward comments

The Trad-Dance-Callers listserv in 2008 had a discussion that touched on the Santa Monica dance. Don Ward was a participant in that event and he shared a few memories with the group. View item
Moving Image

Shindig in the Barn - Earl Johnston - introductory dance

This is a video clip taken from a promotional video made by Earl Johnston for the Manchester, CT Square Dance Club. Earl was their club caller and the video was made for public television in 1988. In… View item
Sound

Tipperary - Earl Johnston, 1962

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Sound

Earl Johnston - Patter, 1962

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Sound

Patter Call - Earl Johnston

This is a short clip from a dance called by Earl Johnston in 1970 at the Bay Path Barn in Boylston, MA View item
Document

Ed Austin's Life in Dance

This autobiography by Ed Austin focuses on his lifetime involvement with traditional dance, including a detailed description of the dances he filmed in Central City, Colorado. Click here to watch his… View item
Sound

Four Star Hash (clip) - Ed Gilmore

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Document

Ed Gilmore - Square Dance Callers Instruction Course - 1949

[Buddy Weaver has digitized an hour-long audio recording of Gilmore leading a callers' class. It can be found here.]This is the text of the syllabus of Ed Gilmore's class. It contains plenty of… View item