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

Browse Items (1924 total)

Sound

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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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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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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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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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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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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The Route - Tony Parkes

The caller is Tony Parkes; musicians are Yankee Ingenuity (Jack O'Connor, mandolin; Mary Lea, fiddle; Cal Howard, bass; Peter Barnes, piano), joined by Steve Hickman, fiddle and harmonica. Filmed… View item
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Independence Lancers - Pennsylvania

The Lancers is a form of quadrille dating from the 19th century. It appears in many communities throughout the western world. Here is a version (filmed in Super-8 by Bob Dalsemer, September, 1979)… View item
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Four Little Sisters with a Do-Si-Do - Larry Edelman

Recorded in 1990 by Bob Dalsemer at Lovely Lane Church, Baltimore. The caller is Larry Edelman. Musicians are John Herrmann, Dirk Powell, Dave Grant and Greg Hooven. View item
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Dip 'n' Dive Around the Square - Larry Edelman

Recorded in 1990 by Bob Dalsemer at Lovely Lane Church, Baltimore. The caller is Larry Edelman. Musicians are John Herrmann, Dirk Powell, Dave Grant and Greg Hooven. Larry thinks he learned the dance… View item
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Nellie Bly - Bob Livingston

Bob Livingston calls at the Killingly, CT, dance, a regular series he has been doing (second Saturdays) since 1988, although he reports that there have been dances there "forever." The musicians are… View item
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Listen to the Mockingbird - 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." The musicians are… View item