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

Browse Items (1925 total)

Sound

Your Home Town - Fenton "Jonesy" Jones

A rare live recording of Jonesy calling, this time a singing square. View item
Sound

Ends Turn In - Fenton "Jonesy" Jones

This is a rare live recording of Fenton “Jonesy” Jones from California. In the 1954 tape he says that he prefers to use his guitar for music rather than records even for some of the patter… View item
Document

Fenton "Jonesy" Jones - Sets in Order, February 1961

Cover drawing and appreciation of the caller View item
Website

Dick Leger - Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Historical Archive

Website devoted to caller Dick Leger; the author also references the extensive discography on Vic and Debbie Ceder's website. There are numerous items in the SDHP collection related to Dick Leger. View item
Website

An Invitation To Dance: A History of Social Dance in America

This online exhibit on the history of social dance in America draws on documents in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society to offer a multi-faceted portrait of the changing nature of… View item
Moving Image

Call & Answer - Amanda Lovelee

Minneapolis based artist, Amanda Lovelee believes finding, preserving and constructing a space for physical connection is an urgent issue. As a society that faces the collapse of communities how do we… View item
Sound

Comin' Round the Mountain - Eric Clamons

Third of three clips from Minnesota caller Eric Clamons, this one a traditional singing square. View item
Sound

Arkansas Traveler - Eric Clamons

Second in a series of three clips of Minnesota caller Eric Clamons. There are other examples of Arkansas Traveler on this website for comparison. View item
Sound

Forming squares - Eric Clamons

Eric Clamons was a square dance caller in Minnesota in the 1940s and 1950s. A chance conversation with his son in 2013 revealed that Eric had taped numerous recordings of square dances from the early… View item
Moving Image

American Square Dance - Coronet Films, 1947

This 1947 instructional film, produced by Coronet Films, was created in collaboration with the Chicago Parks District. (Note that Lloyd Shaw's Cheyenne Mountain Dancers performed in Chicago in… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance Patterns - Joan Bennett

This 1969 film was created by Joan Lockhart Bennett as part of her master's degree project for Ilinois State University, Normal, IL.. As an instructional tool this film covers a lot of ground:… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance (with Corky Calkins)

This 1955 film, produced by Roger Tilton, features Corky Calkins and his band. Calkins was a popular caller in the Springfield, MA, area. Among the dances shown here are Nellie Bly, The Route and the… View item