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

Browse Items (500 total)

  • Collection: MWSD
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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
Moving Image

Black Hawk Waltz

Black Hawk Waltz is a classic round (or couple) dance. The tune was composed by Mary Walsh in 1877. Here is a link to an illustration of the sheet music cover; you may also view instructions on the… View item
Document

Aggie Haylofters - Colorado

Author Cal Campbell shares his memories of dancing with the Aggie Haylofters, a square dance group at Colorado State University. (CSU was Colorado A&M until it changed its name in the 1950s;… View item
Sound

Arch of Three - Cal Golden, Santa Monica, 1950

This is an audio recording from the 1950 Santa Monica dance, the world's largest square dance event at that time. Caller Cal Golden is being introduced by Lloyd Shaw, master of ceremonies for the… View item
Sound

Too Old To Cut the Mustard (clip) - Cal Golden

This is an excerpt; a complete recording can be found here. View item
Sound

Cal Golden - interview and four dances

Note: There are five separate audio clips in this item, and it may take a little longer than usual to load. We start with an interview with a young Cal Golden conducted by Mildred Buhler as part… View item
Website

CALLERLAB audiotapes

CALLERLAB is making available audiotapes that were recorded at their Convention educational sessions. These recordings include a valuable collection of information and educational material. Over the… View item
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Square Dance promo video

This video promoting modern square dance was produced by CALLERLAB in 2022. It's interesting to note that thepromo focuses more on the social aspects of square dancing than on choreographic… View item
Still Image

A Night at Sunny Hills

Album cover, inside text, and a related record label. This recording, from 1951, illustrates what was considered appropriate material for experienced square dancers at that time in southern… View item
Sound

Allemande Hash - Carroll White

Another dance from "A Night at Sunny Hills," a series of records "for experienced square dancers," released in 1951. As the name suggests, the Allemande Hash contains variations on allemandes,… View item
Document

Allemande Alphabet

Allan Brozek, Oxford, CT: "Charles Crabbe Thomas, from Woodbury, NJ, was the publisher of American Squares during the magazine's early years. Most likely, some of these alphabet calls were made up by… View item
Sound

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