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

Browse Items (1940 total)

Website

"Play Me Something Quick and Devilish"

Bob Holt (1930–2004) was a respected Missouri dance fiddler, a 1999 recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship. He is featured on several videotapes of Ozark style dancing in this website's… View item
Document

"Partners To Your Places

This 1949 chapter by Olcutt Sanders is a significantly expanded version of his short piece fromFoot 'n' Fiddle in 1947. Here it's complete with scholarly footnotes, making it more useful to… View item
Document

"Meet Your Honey, Go Hog Wild"

This collection of anecdotes describes early dances and social norms in Texas cowboy country. View item
Website

"I'll Swing Yours, You Swing Mine" - A Tribute to Rufus Fisher's Orchestra and Wilson's Westernaires

This is a recorded Zoom talk about two dance bands in the Chateauguay Valley, an English-speaking region of Quebec that has not been well documented previously.This program, hosted by Glenn Patterson,… View item
Document

"How We Do It In Our Town" - Emmette Wallace

This is a series of articles comparing how basic figures are taught and danced in different parts of the country. The first segment appeared in October, 1949, in American Squares, and the series… View item
Moving Image

"Fun People" - 19th National Square Dance Convention, Louisville, 1970

Documentary about the 19th annual National Square Dance Convention, held in Louisville, KY. Produced by the Kentuckiana association of square dance clubs. 00:00 Summer Sounds, singing… View item
Document

"Folk Dances of the United States: Regional Types and Origins"

Scholarly presentation by noted dance researcher Elizabeth Burchenal and published in the Journal of the International Folk Music Council. Burchenal begins her talk thus: "The term "folk… View item
Sound

"Doc" Alumbaugh

This is a short clip from a tip called by "Doc" Alumbaugh at the 1954 National Square Dance Convention in Dallas, Texas. The choreography is the "classic" figures Dip and Dive and… View item
Document

"Dancing to the Music: Domestic Square Dances and Community in Southcentral Kentucky (1880-1940)"

This detailed examination of the role of square dances in south central Kentucky is written by a folklorist, who based his findings on interviews with 20 musicians, dancers, and callers in that… View item
Website

"Barn Dances with Calls"

Article published in The Old-Time Herald (Volume 7, Number 8) discussing what can be learned from a careful study of old dance records. Includes a discography. View item
Moving Image

"America" called by Mike Sikorsky

Filmed at WASCA 2010 in Alexandria, Virginia in March 2010, Mike Sikorsky calls the singing call "America" View item
Moving Image

"Abilene lift" - Rickey Holden

Caller Rickey Holden calls and dances the "Abilene lift," a style of movement created and popularized by west Texas caller Bob Sumrall. The 1-2-3 shuffle of feet gave the dancers a smooth movement;… View item