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

Browse Items (1930 total)

Sound

Two Three Hand Stars (clip) - Frank Kaltman

The tune is Big John McNeil. Frank Kaltman founded the influential magazine American Squares and (with Dan Wolfert) created the Folkraft record label after World War II. View item
Sound

Farmer's Daughter (clip) - Ed Bossing

Ed Bossing was director of the Rocky Mount Folk and Square Dance Summer School in Denver, and was employed regularly by the Chicago public school system. He authored the Handbook of Square Dancing,… View item
Sound

Smoke on the Water (clip) - Pancho Baird

Pancho Baird's big hit. This project contains videos of the dance. This link will provide a list of other Pancho Baird recordings on this website. View item
Sound

Swing All Eight (clip) - Pancho Baird

This link will provide a list of other Pancho Baird recordings on this website. SWING ALL EIGHT Originated and Presented by "Pancho" Baird Santa Fe, New Mexico Recorded on Western Jubilee (calls… View item
Sound

Half Way Round (clip) - Rod Linnell

Maine caller with his composition, a singing call set to the RCA VIctor recording of "Back Up and Push." Linnell's version is published in View item
Moving Image

Box the Gnat walkthrough - Bill Litchman

Bill Litchman reviews "box the gnat" and "swat the flea" before calling a dance built on those two figures at the Dare To Be Square weekend held November 18-20, 2011, at the John… View item
Moving Image

Push Ol' Pa and Push Ol' Ma - Bill Litchman

Bill Litchman calls at the Dare To Be Square weekend held November 18-20, 2011, at the John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC. The usual pattern for the figure is for the active gent to lead… View item
Moving Image

Bachelor Mill square dance

Bill Litchman calls at the Dare To Be Square weekend held November 18-20, 2011, at the John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC. This is Bill's version of the dance, which is also known… View item
Moving Image

Arkansas Traveler - Bill Litchman, Traditional Western Square Dances 1 -

Bill Litchman taught this dance as part of his session (November 19, 2011) on Traditional Western Squares at the Dare To Be Square Weekend, John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC. View item
Sound

Lady Round the Lady - George Wade

Played by George Wade and his Cornhuskers. The tune is Lord Saltoun's Reel. You'll note that the introduction to Wade dance recordings is longer than many others. View item
Sound

Darling Nellie Gray (clip) - George Wade

Notice the tempo of this version! View item
Moving Image

Northern Lights - Bill Litchman

Dance written by Floyd Parker, Colorado, danced at the 2011 Dare To Be Square dance weekend in Brasstown, NC, called by Bill Litchman. Dance directions are available, as is an audio clip of the… View item