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

Browse Items (1925 total)

Website

Square Dancing - Bob Osgood film, 1951

Film made by Bob Osgood / Sets in Order in 1951 to popularize square dancing.A discussion among square dance enthusiasts on the history of the film can be found here. As that discussion reveals, a… View item
Moving Image

To Hear Your Banjo Play - 1947
 with Pete Seeger and Margot Mayo's American Square Dance Group

Filmed in 1947 with Pete Seeger as the host, this show explores the banjo in particular, including plenty of attention to American traditional music and dance. Starting at 12:05, the film includes the… View item
Document

Stu Jamieson - The Old-Time Kentucky Running Set

Although the title speaks of Kentucky Running Set, this article deals with many different variations of the big circle or big set formation of Southern Appalachian mountain dancing. The author is Stu… 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
Still Image

Square Dance with Soul

See the accompanying booklet for the text that was included with this record, released by Folkways in 1969. View item
Document

Square Dance with Soul, booklet

Liner notes and dance descriptions, the booklet that came with the LP recording View item
Moving Image

Nils Fredland - Bachelor Mill

This dance originated with George Waudby, of Tucson, Arizona, and was adopted by Jimmy Clossin of El Paso, Texas. It is described in more detail in Lee Owens, Advanced Square Dance Figures of the West… View item
Sound

I Want a Gal (clip) - Rod Linnell

Released on the Rodeo label (Canada, RXP1), with music by The Maritime All Stars. Note the chorus singing the refrain! View item
Sound

Maple Sugar Gal (clip) - Rod Linnell

This clip includes once through the figure, once through the chorus (which comes after each figure), and the closing break, which mirrors the start of the dance.The dance is described in detail in… View item
Sound

Mountain Music Madness (clip) - Rod Linnell

The tune is "I Like Mountain Music," here adapted into a singing call. Recorded on the Apex label, #9-26431. The band is Don Messer's Islanders. In her notes to the dance in Square Dances from a… View item
Sound

Presque Isle Eighth (clip) - Rod Linnell -

The tune is Crooked Stovepipe. Rod Linnell: "We used to spend each winter in northern Maine and call dances there and in neighboring New Brunswick. During one of these winters, the Presque Isle club… View item
Sound

Pack Up Your Troubles / Three-Quarter Promenade (clip) - Rod Linnell

The tune is Pack Up Your Troubles. Linnell's calls were released on the Rodeo label (Canada, RXP1), with music by The Maritime All Stars. View item