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

Browse Items (1939 total)

Website

Ozarks - Old Time Fiddling

Article about Ozark fiddling traditions, including a long section on fiddler Bob Holt, heard playing on videos elsewhere on this site. View item
Document

GLBTQ Square Dance history

In recent decades, as modern square dancing has been declining overall, one of the growth areas was in the LGBTQ community. This short history, prepared for this SDHP item, offers a brief look at the… View item
Document

Alex Boustead – biographical info

Alex Boustead was also one of the founding members of the Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Callers Association. He was introduced to squares in the winter of 1931-32, and in a short time he started… View item
Moving Image

Cut Off Six - Alex Boustead

Alex Boustead was one of the founders of the Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Callers' Association, a group formed in 1954 to preserve and promote Canadian square dancing. Recorded November 17, 2001,… View item
Website

Square dance tunes and calls

Audio recording of interview by Alan Lomax with Alan Robertson in the Mississippi Delta View item
Document

Al Brundage recollections

Al Brundage wrote these recollections of his experiences growing up in Connecticut and the growth of square dancing. His story includes discovering square dance as a boy, followed by the whole… View item
Document

Al Brundage and Allemande Thar

After Al Brundage went to Lloyd Shaw's summer school in 1949, he played an important role in introducing modern squares to his dancers in Connecticut. He went on to become an important caller in the… View item
Still Image

Stepney Barn

The Stepney Barn was constructed by Al Brundage. (Stepney is a district in the town of Monroe, CT.) You can read more about Brundage and the barn on this site. In Brundage's comments below, note that… View item
Sound

Patter - Al Brundage, 1962

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Sound

Birdie in the Cage - Al Brundage

This is a short clip from a dance called by Al Brundage in 1952. View item
Website

Al Brundage & the Pioneer Trio, 1951

Recorded live at his Country Barn, this recording features caller Al Brundage and the Pioneer Trio. Also included are comments made by Al Brundage about how this recording came to be.1 - Mountain Rag… View item
Sound

Blue Eyes (clip) - Al Brundage

This is an excerpt from Al Brundage's recording on the Windsor label. You'll hear the second time through the figure and then the middle break. View item