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

Browse Items (1930 total)

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Santa Monica 1950 - World's Largest Square Dance

At the time, it was the world's largest square dance event. Santa Monica, California, was celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in square dance style. Lloyd Shaw was invited to be the Grand Marshall of the… View item
Website

Santa Monica audio

Square dance caller and music producer Buddy Weaver has an original recording of the dances called at the famed "World's Largest Square Dance" in Santa Monica, CA, in 1950. He has… View item
Document

Santa Monica Diamond Jubilee - 1950

At the time, it was the world's largest square dance event. Santa Monica, California, was celebrating its diamond jubilee, so it planned to celebrate in square dance style. Lloyd Shaw was invited to… View item
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Sashay Over and Back - Bob Howell

Bob Howell, caller. This clip is from his "Joy of Dancing" video, produced by the Kentucky Dance Foundation, c/o Folk Dancer Record Center, 6290 Olin Road, Brandenburg, Kentucky 40108, and… View item
Sound

Sashey Partners (clip) - Mel Day

Mel Day was an Idaho caller who co-authored with Jere Long In Idaho It's Docey Doe : A Manual of Idaho Square Dances. The book appeared in 1945 and was reissued in 1952. The patter in this dance makes… View item
Document

Saturday Night Fun with Square Dances

This collection of dances aims to present a typical evening program at Holiday Hill in Ohio. Rather than a series of dances representing a particular region or a collection with challenging square… View item
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Saturday Night Square Dance - Jim Boyd, 1949

"Saturday Night Square Dance" was released in 1949 as a Soundie; the footage included here is all that we have been able to locate. (We would appreciate information from anyone having a… View item
Still Image

Schlitz beer ad, 1950

Full page ad for Schlitz beer that appeared in Newsweek magazine, August 21, 1950, attesting to the popularity of square dance in popular culture. Modern Western square dancers were not pleased to… View item
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Schottische

A two-couple horse and buggy schottische (here dubbed the "Four Horseperson Schottische) danced in Colorado.There are many examples of couple dances included in the SDHP collection.Click on this… View item
Moving Image

Schottische

In modern square dance programs, squares are often intermingled with round dances. Similarly, traditional dance programs often involve a variety of dances other than squares—waltz, polka, schottische,… View item
Website

Schroeder's Playboys

Schroeder's Playboys - An Appreciationby Tony Parkes, August 2012If I could be transported back to the 1950s and had my choice of any one square dance band to hear and/or dance to live, it might well… View item
Website

Scottish Country Dance - 4 couple squares

Most Scottish country dances are done as four-couple longways sets. There are, however, dances in square sets, and this Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary provides a brief overview of the formation. View item