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

Browse Items (1938 total)

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Head Two Ladies Cross Over - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston calls at the Killingly, CT, dance, a regular series he has been doing since 1988, although he reports that there have been dances there "forever." (At 1:45, you'll see a man wearing… View item
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Quadrille (2 figures)

This is part of a lengthy presentation of historical dances by "Veronica's Vagabonds," Veronica McClure, director; recorded May 19, 1985, at Kramer's Hayloft, South Weymouth,… View item
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Square dance demonstration - Calgary Olympics, 1988

Hundreds of modern western square dancers perform as part of the opening ceremony for the 1988 Olympics, held in Calgary, Alberta. The dance features the "Kaleidoscope Square" created by Gloria Rios… View item
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Best Things in Life Are Free - Jerry Helt

From the "Jerry Helt's Dance Party" video (KDF-003). This is a video and audio cassette for non-dancers, people of all ages, square dancers, school groups, square dance callers, and collectors,… View item
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Paddock Parade - Don Armstrong

Recorded at the York Contra Holiday, November, 1996; Don Armstrong, caller. His instructions for the dance can be found here. (If that website is unavailable, they are also reprinted below.) From a… View item
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Ends Turn In (clip) - Joe Lewis

Joe Lewis was one of the big names in square dance calling; he played an accordion that was specially fitted out so that different notes would produce different kinds of sounds, and his big hit was… View item
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Ends Turn In - Susan Kevra

Dance composed in 1952 by Ed Gilmore, a well-known square dance leader of the 1950s; Susan Kevra, caller; Becky Tracy, fiddle, and Keith Murphy, piano; recorded at Pinewoods Camp, Plymouth, MA, Family… View item
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Square Dance - Steamboat Springs, 1951

This silent movie shows children dancing at the second annual Square Dance Festival held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The film was taken by Leonard Fisher, whose daughter was one of the dancers;… View item
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Lancers Quadrille (in costume)

This performance of the mid-19th century Lancers was produced by Dance Through Time, and is used with permission. The dances are reconstructed and presented under the expert direction of Carol Téten,… View item
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Lancers Quadrille (instruction)

2022 update: If the video doesn't play here, you'll have to click on the YouTube icon in the lower right-hand corner of the image, or else click on this link.This instructional video was produced by… View item
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Eddie Mayall - hash

Modern square dance, Plus program. Videotaped by Tim Stanger at the Papoose Pond square dance weekend, N. Waterford, Maine, 1994. View item
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Elizabeth Burchenal 5 - square dance

Several figures incorporated into four-couple square dance, with the men doing some fancy footwork. Starting at 2:16 and until the end, notice the musicians, two fiddlers and a banjo. The fiddlers… View item