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

Browse Items (1938 total)

Document

Origin of Appalachian Square Dance

By ":Appalachian square dance," the author is referring to big circle or big set dances, not specifically to four-couple squares. Thurston rejects the notion that Appalachian squares did not… View item
Sound

Osa Mathews - patter

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Document

Osa Mathews - portrait and bio

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Still Image

Otto and Marguerite Wood – photos

Three photos of Otto Wood (fiddler and dance caller) and Marguerite Wood (pianist and accordion player). In the second photograph, the piano player (seen from the back) is Phil Merrill. The last photo… View item
Sound

Otto Wood - live recordings

This item includes several examples of singing squares called by Michigan caller (and fiddler) Otto Wood, with his wife Marguerite playing piano or accordion. Otto and Marguerite were regulars at the… View item
Document

Otto Wood - singing squares

Caller Otto Wood's calls and notes for singing squares. You can hear Belle of the Ball called by Ira Huntley here; it's the second dance in the set of three on this link.This collection was created by… View item
Moving Image

Outside Susie - Larry Edelman - Dances of Jerry Goodwin:

Caller Larry Edelman credits this version of the Susie Q figure to Frank Tyrell. This clip includes a walkthrough. Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Brasstown, NC, November 19, 2011. Musicians for… View item
Document

Ozark Square Dance, 1949 - newspaper article

Newspaper article (1949) describing dance traditions in Arkansas; includes references to local square dance patter. View item
Website

Ozarks - Old Time Fiddling

Article about Ozark fiddling traditions, including a long section on fiddler Bob Holt, heard playing on videos elsewhere on this site. View item
Moving Image

Ozarks - Cooper's Barn Square #4

Cabool, Missouri: Ozark square dance footage recorded by Gordon McCann and shared with the Square Dance History Project. The fiddler is Bob Holt, recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship in 1999.… View item
Moving Image

Ozarks - Cooper's Barn Square #5

Cabool, Missouri: Ozark square dance footage recorded by Gordon McCann and shared with the Square Dance History Project. The fiddler is Bob Holt, recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship in 1999.… View item
Moving Image

Ozarks - Taney Center Square #1

Footage recorded in Forsyth, Missouri, by Gordon McCann and shared with the Square Dance History Project. The fiddler is Bob Holt, recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship in 1999. The tempo is… View item