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

Browse Items (1939 total)

Document

Tout Le Monde en Place

After several pages to set the context, the author gives the calls in French and describes basic figures, including a lengthy description of the Quebecois swing. Hill is an orchestra leader who… View item
Document

Traditional Folkdance in Kentucky

Article by LeeEllen Friedland describing the social setting for community dances as well as the dance figures themselves. She differentiates among three types of dance: single dancing, couple dancing… View item
Website

Traditional Square Dance Figures

One section of the Lloyd Shaw Foundation's website provides detailed instructions (and source information) for 20 figures from traditional Western and southern Appalachian squares:Arkansas… View item
Moving Image

Traditional Western Square Dances 3b - Heads to the Center, Sides Divide

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. Co-sponsored by… View item
Moving Image

Traditional Western Square Dances 4 - Docey Out as She Comes In

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. Co-sponsored by… View item
Moving Image

Traditional Western Squares called by Bill Litchman: Sampler

This is a sampler of the dances taught by Bill Litchman at his workshop session (November 19, 2011) on Traditional Western Squares. Each dance is represented more fully in other videos at this site;… View item
Sound

Trail of the Lonesome Pine - Don & Marie Armstrong

Don and Marie Armstrong call Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Recorded live at the Downeast Western Square Dance Club in Kittery, Maine.A clip of Don's commercial recording of this dance can be found here,… View item
Moving Image

Trail Of The Lonesome Pine - Rich Sbardella

Called by Rich and Lynn Sbardella at Ralph Sweet's Powder Mill Barn, Hazardville, CT. Dance was hosted by the South Windsor MWSDC. Ralph Sweet, who owns this barn, is in the middle square. The singing… View item
Moving Image

Trail of the Lonesome Pine - Tod Whittemore

Tod Whittemore is the caller; music is provided by Bob McQuillen, piano; Randy Miller, fiddle, and Peter Siegel, mandolin. This was part of a dance workshop on singing squares, recorded on January 15,… View item
Moving Image

Trail of the Lonesome Pine - Tony Parkes

Recorded at the Greenfield, MA, Grange Hall on June 27, 2010. The event was sponsored by Country Dance and Song Society to celebrate the publication of "On the Beat with Ralph Sweet."… View item
Sound

Trail of the Lonesome Pine (clip) - Don Armstrong

Armstrong took the figures from Ralph Page's "Gents and Corners" dance and set them to a popular tune, creating a well-known singing square. We've also included here a clip of Ted Sannella prompting… View item
Moving Image

Trail of the Lonesome Pine called by Bill Litchman

Don Armstrong took the basic figures of Gents and Corners, a New England style square by Ralph Page, and set them to a popular tune, thereby creating a well-known singing square dance. Here,… View item