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

Browse Items (1939 total)

Moving Image

African-American quadrille, 1914 (#1)

SIlent movie footage from 1914 showing African-American dancers in square formation. Referring to the couple dance later in the footage, a comment on a YouTube posting of the same clip says, "They are… View item
Sound

Deuce Williams - teaching Curlique

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Sound

Deuce Williams - Patter

These are two clips of Deuce Williams calling. The first we think was recorded in New England in the late 1960s - 1970s; the second is a California recording from 1977. Jim Mayo writes: "Deuce… View item
Moving Image

Chinese Fan - Lisa Greenleaf

This clip only shows the actual Chinese Fan part of the dance. Omitted are the opening figures, breaks, and the ending. The dance is usually done with dancers linking elbows; here, the caller simply… View item
Document

Classic Squares of 1960 - CALLERLAB demonstration

This is the handout of a workshop held at CALLERLAB's 2001 convention. The goal was to illustrate square dancing in 1960, a time when modern square dancing was branching off in new directions. This… View item
Moving Image

A Past To Remember - NSDC 1976

This half-hour video documents the 1976 National Square Dance Convention, held in Anaheim, CA. It was the largest NSDC in history, coming at the time of the Bicentennial. It included an elaborate… View item
Still Image

Kirkwood Lodge ad - 1954

This advertisement is for Kirkwood Lodge (Osage Beach, Missouri), the venue sponsoring the second annual Les Gotcher Square Dance Institute. The 1950s saw a dramatic increase in the number of square… View item
Still Image

Astro-Nauts and Convair Hoedowners

This set of pictures is from two clubs in San Diego, CA whose members were involved with two plants run by General Dynamics Corporation. The timeline is late 1950’s through late 1960’s. This was… View item
Moving Image

Moore Hall Old Time Dance

A lengthy (2 hours) video documenting an old-time dance in Ontario—lots of couple dances interspersed with squares. Don Rankin - Caller Scotty Patterson - Fiddle Bob Tiffin - Guitar Flo… View item
Document

Progressive Squares - introduction

This article from the Experimental Lab of Sets in Order magazine documents the introduction of progressive squares by Ed Gilmore. The article explains that he "developed an unusual collection of calls… View item
Moving Image

Colorado Double Star

The double square was started by the Aggie Haylofters at Colorado State University in the 1950's as a dance formation for exhibition square dancing; The double square was danced by the Aggie… View item
Document

Round Dances, 1949

Round dances, or dances for couples rather than for groups of couples who interact with each other, have been a part of traditional country dance for ages. In the modern square dance movement, they… View item