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
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Paul Place - MWSD Traveling Hoedowners - Plus Program

The Traveling Hoedowners is a demonstration group associated with the Travelinghoedowners.com web site. This site offers training videos and other information about square dancing. This video was made… View item
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Plus Program Square Dancing in Germany

This is a video of a square dance in Germany in 2008. The callers are Jerry Jestin from the USA and Joe Kromer from Germany. The video is of a singing call, Tiger By the Tail and the two callers join… View item
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Popcorn Quadrille

Variations on Grand Square figure, danced to early electronic music, a record named "Popcorn." Chicago caller Andy Anderson created the dance to go with it. From a demonstration of historical dances,… View item
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Progressive Squares - introduction

This article from the Experimental Lab of Sets in Order magazine documents the introduction of progressive squares by Ed Gilmore. The article explains that he "developed an unusual collection of calls… View item
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Progressive Squares - Jerry Helt

This half hour recording comes from a 1998 CALLERLAB session led by Jerry Helt, widely known for his use of progressive squares. (We appreciate CALLERLAB giving permission to share the material here.… View item
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Pussy Cat -Red Bates - 1973

The 1973 singing call, Pussy Cat, Windsor Records #4173, was recorded by Bruce Johnson; it is one that became a Red Bates trademark. The figure was difficult in a unique way. The challenge was the… View item
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Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet (clip) - Charley Thomas

Charley Thomas was a vendor of records and books for squares and contra dances. He founded American Squares magazine after World War II, and edited it until it was purchased by Frank Kaltman and… View item
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Puttin' On The Style - Charlie Baldwin, 1961

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Puttin' on the Style (clip) - Al Brundage

This is an excerpt (opener and first figure) from Al Brundage's recording of the dance on the Windsor label. View item
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Radio spots music

This is a record with music of the right length for producing radio spots. See the related item for three examples. View item
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Ragtime Lonesome Me - Ted Lizotte and Paul Cote

These two modern square dance callers enjoy working together, billed as "The Duo." This video presents a collection of some of their singing square dance duets, recorded at a weekend at East Hill Farm… View item
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Ralph Piper - Teaching the Waltz

This is a handout by caller Ralph Piper for use at a class during the American Squares week at Camp Ihduhapi, MN, in 1953. He provides a brief description of different styles of waltz, a short history… View item