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

Browse Items (1935 total)

Sound

Patter - Max Forsyth

This is a short clip from a dance called by Max Forsyth in the Springfield MA area in 1966. View item
Sound

Mary Ann - Marshall Flippo

This is a short clip of Marshall Flippo calling at a dance in 1970 the singing call Mary Ann (originally recorded by C.O. Guest on Kalox label #K1107) View item
Sound

Patter - Marshall Flippo

This is a short clip of Marshall Flippo calling a patter call at a dance in New England in 1970. View item
Sound

I Don't Know Why - Bill Castner

This is a short clip of Bill Castner calling the singing call I Don't Know Why (Sets In Order record # 1119) from a dance recorded in 1960. View item

Corky Calkins - two programs

These are two programs of Massachusetts caller Corky Calkins, one from 1965 and the other from 1967. They were noted by Connecticut caller Ralph Sweet who for decades carried a small notebook with him… View item
Sound

First Two Gents Cross Over - Harold Luce

Harold Luce started fiddling with the Ed Larkin Dancers in north central Vermont in the 1930s and played with them until his death at age 95 on August 13, 2014. In this recording, he is accompanied on… View item
Sound

Patter - Bill Castner

This is a short clip of patter calling by Bill Castner, a caller from California. View item
Sound

Birdie in the Cage - Al Brundage

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

Ends Turn In - Ed Gilmore

Ed Gilmore's composition, Ends Turn In, is one of the most common items found in this website, called by modern square dance callers as well as by those who favor traditional squares. Here's the… View item
Sound

Les Gotcher - two live calls, 1955

From a dance that Les Gotcher called, probably in 1955, we have an example of a very early Hash & Breaks style of calling that was to become his trademark in future years. In those later years… View item
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