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

Browse Items (1930 total)

Moving Image

Caribbean Quadrille - Dominica

This is but one example of a quadrille tradition that has been kept alive in many Caribbean islands, here performed by Dominica Oversea Nationals Association (DONA) - Quadrille Dancers. View item
Website

Medicine Fiddle

This beautiful ethnographic film explores the music and dance heritage of the Fur Trade among Native and Métis families on both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border in the area of the northern Great… View item
Website

Fogo Island, Newfoundland - A Wedding and a Party

A Roman Catholic wedding (1967) in the church in Joe Batt's Arm South on Fogo Island, Newfoundland; then a party afterward with music and dancing in Joe Batt's Arm North. There appears to… View item
Moving Image

Newfoundland Square Dance - Fogo Island

Traditional Newfoundland square dancing in the early 1990's. Tunes played on the accordion are: Off She Goes, Mussels in the Corner, and Rode up in a Dory. The dances are performed by many of the… View item
Website

Square Dance Radio Network

This weekly show focuses on modern square dancing, and is hosted by Dayle Hodge and Barb Jarvis. They describe their mission thus: "The Square Dance Radio Network provides entertaining and educational… View item
Moving Image

Runnin' the Goat - Newfoundland

Harbour Deep was a Newfoundland logging and fishing community that no longer exists; when the cod fishery collapsed, the town disappeared, with the last residents leaving in 2002. This documentary… View item
Moving Image

Lake of the Ozarks Square Dancers - 1953

The Lake of the Ozarks Square Dancers were based in Tuscumbia, Missouri.The group toured around the Midwest and eventually reached national fame after appearances with caller L. D. Keller on the Ted… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance Revival - Australia, 1980

Television documentary that looks at square dancing in Australia. Mention is made of the boom years of the early 1950s an the start of square dancing there, but this focuses on a revival around 1980.… View item
Moving Image

Australia Square Dance Boom, 1952 - Jim Vickers-Willis

Drawing on audio clips, still photographs, newspaper clippings, and other illustrates, this short piece describes the enormous interest in square dancing in Australia in the 1950s. The primary focus… View item
Moving Image

Square Dancing with Joe Lewis - Australia, 1952

A unique heritage clip of the Australian visit of American 'Hall of Fame' Square Dance Caller, Joe Lewis, on arrival at Essendon airport, Melbourne, in 1952, with commentary by Australian square dance… View item
Moving Image

Going to the Barn Dance Tonight - Soundie

Carson Robison (on guitar) was a country music star. The Wikipedia article about him says, "According to Billboard, his 1942 recording of the standard "Turkey in the Straw" was that year's top selling… View item
Moving Image

Barn Dance - Wisconsin

This is video from an Old-time Barn Dance held in the O'Brien Farms beautifully refurbished barn in Brooklyn, WI. Music provided by the Ambrosia Dance Band (Chuck Hornemann, Paul Kienitz, Peter… View item