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

Browse Items (1930 total)

Document

Bob Sumrall - Olcutt Sanders correspondence, 1939

These letters between Bob Sumrall and J. Olcutt Sanders provide a glimpse into Texas square dances in the late 1930s. Sanders was a serious student of square dance history, part of a group of… View item
Still Image

Bob Sumrall - newspaper clippings

Two newspaper clippings about Texas caller Bob Sumrall. The first, from January 14, 1947, focuses on a new square dance team that he formed and that will be performing at the Inaugural Ball for the… View item
Document

Bob Sumrall

Bob Sumrall (born Virgil Giles Sumrall) was the leader of the Abilene Set, a group that he started around 1938 (when he was 20); this group of Texas square dancers won the Texas square dance… View item
Document

Bob Ruff - Teaching Can Be Fun!

This 10-page handout is designed for callers interested in leading beginners' classes. Ruff argues that many callers are more interested in the latest flashy gimmick than in learning the basics… View item
Moving Image

Bob Ruff - Square Dancing Fundamentals, part 2

Also available elsewhere online.This is the second of two films created by caller Bob Ruff (Whittier, CA) to accompany his record, "The Fundamentals of Square Dancing, Level 1" that in turn is part of… View item
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Bob Ruff - Square Dancing Fundamentals, Level 1

Caller Bob Ruff (Whittier, CA) created this video to accompany his record, "The Fundamentals of Square Dancing, Level 1" that in turn accompanies a square dance teaching series he created with Jack… View item
Sound

Bob Page - 1950s (clip)

According to Bob Osgood's spoken introduction, this recording is a "re-creation" of patter calling from the early 1950s. It is unclear whether this means an actual 1950s called… View item
Document

Bob Osgood on Lee Kopman

This piece fromSquare Dancing(later title of what had been Sets in Order)describes the appearance on the Phil Donahue Show of caller Lee Kopman and a group of square dancers. View item
Moving Image

Bob Osgood - The World Dances

Excerpt from 1954 film. At 1:08, dancers start the Texas Whirl, with women making a circle underneath the men starring. At 2:24, Osgood calls an extended Rip and Snort to finish up the dance. Bob… View item
Moving Image

Bob Osgood - television program #2

A later broadcast of Osgood's television show, this time featuring his first guest caller (2:25), Ray Shaw, the brother of Lloyd Shaw. Ray Shaw was one of the few square dance callers in the Los… View item
Moving Image

Bob Osgood - square dance television program

Bob Osgood, publisher of Sets in Order, was an enthusiastic promoter of square dance and a follower of Lloyd Shaw. Here is an early broadcast that illustrates Osgood's attempts to reach a home viewing… View item
Still Image

Bob Osgood - photo

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