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

Browse Items (1926 total)

Moving Image

Nils Fredland – Four Square

Nils Fredland calls a contemporary composition as part of the "Square Dance" Retrospective session at the annual Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend in Durham, NH. The musicians are Old New England (Bob… View item
Document

Osa Mathews - portrait and bio

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Website

Kentucky Mountain Square Dancing

Written in 1949 and republished many times, this is a vital reference for anyone interested in southern Appalachian dance. Patrick Napier was a well-known dance leader at the Christmas Country Dance… View item
Still Image

Square Dance, McIntosh County, Oklahoma – 1939/40

A series of color slides taken by Russell Lee at an Oklahoma dance in 1939 or 1940. More information about the first one can be found here. A larger sample of the photographs is available here at the… View item
Website

Sammy Spring - fiddler & square dance caller

Sammy Spring (1883–1958) was a fiddler and square dance caller from Otis, Massachusetts, in the western part of the state. This website includes photos of him and a lengthy interview conducted in 1939… View item
Sound

Nellie Bly (clip) - Charlie Bardwell

Charlie Bardwell, caller, with Bardy's Orchestra, recorded in Putney, Vermont in the late 1970s by Steve Green. This website contains several other examples of this popular singing square. View item
Still Image

Dick Perry Orchestra - dance photographs

These photographs show the Dick Perry Orchestra playing for a dance at the Putney (VT) Town Hall. The group turns up in many newspaper stories from the 1950s and 1960s. View item
Sound

John Newton - Vermont - 5 squares

John Newton was a Vermont teacher and square dance caller. Included here are five examples of his calling. The first three were recorded by Steve Green in 1984 at John's home (with music by… View item
Still Image

John Newton - Turkey Mountain Window Smashers

Photographs, band logo and other ephemera related to John Newton's band The first photograph shows the big family version of the Turkey Mountain Window Smashers, about 1989. Members are, L to… View item
Document

Ted Glabach - Vermont dance caller

This is the transcription of a lengthy interview with Dummerston, VT, dance caller Ted Glabach and his wife Marie, conducted in 1978 by Steve Green. Glabach was a farmer, born around 1913, who had… View item
Sound

Hurry Hurry Hurry - Ted Glabach

Ted Glabach calling to recorded instrumental; a transcription of his his calls can be found on p. 26 of the interview conducted with him by Steve Green.A more detailed description of this dance as… View item
Sound

That's Where My Money Goes

PersonnelTed Glabach, PrompterRobinson's Orchestra Paul Robinson, Violin John Robinson, Banjo Bob Emerson, PianoNotes from Steve Green (1978): The following pieces were recorded from a homemade 78 rpm… View item