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

Kentucky Set Running - 1993

Notes by John Ramsay: "The Kids From The Country, a country dance team from Silver Creek School in Berea, Kentucky demonstrate "running a set" or Set Running. Their music teacher, Mr. Barton, is the… View item
Sound

Kentucky Set Running - 1917 firsthand account

After graduation from Vassar and a summer holiday with family, Marguerite Butler, at age 22, headed for Pine Mountain Settlement School in a remote area of eastern Kentucky to try to make some… View item
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Kentucky Running Set - demonstration

This short piece gives an idea of the speed of the so-called "running set." Two couples illustrate the southern Appalachian dosido, a series of four hand turns-- partner left, opposite… View item
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Kentucky Running Set

Stew Shacklette provides a brief introduction, followed by instruction in several components of the dance (1:03), and concluding with all the figures danced (3:10). Excerpted from "The Kentucky… View item
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
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Keith Blackmon & Pony Boy

Nils Fredland led a workshop session that included many dances from the Keith Blackmon collection at the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, Durham, NH, January 19, 2013. Here, he speaks briefly about… View item
Document

Keeler Calling

This three-disk set of 78rpm records features caller Elisha Keeler and the band with whom he recorded, Mac Ceppos and his Country Rhythm Boys:   Mac Ceppos, violin   Eddie Smith, accordion   Bill… View item
Moving Image

Kathy Anderson - Youth Square Dance Scene

Caller Kathy Anderson discusses the burst of enthusiasm among young people for simple square dances set to hot old-time tunes. Starting in Portland, Oregon, with the efforts of caller Bill Martin, the… View item
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Kathy Anderson - Sandy Bradley, an appreciation

Sandy Bradley was a dynamic Seattle caller who burst onto the dance scene in the 1970s and early 1980, bringing an enthusiastic presence and a love of traditional western squares to audiences around… View item
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Kathy Anderson - Patter Calling

Caller Kathy Anderson is well-known for her fast-moving squares, accompanied by equally lively patter calling. She talks about how she uses patter, what she chooses to include and what to leave out,… View item
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Kathy Anderson - Getting started as a caller

Today, Kathy Anderson is one of the more active callers of traditional and newly-composed square dances in the contra dance world; she is a featured caller at dance weekends and camps across the… View item
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Kathy Anderson - four styles of squares

Caller Kathy Anderson gives an overview of the characteristics of four different regional styles of traditional square dances-- old-time Southern, New England, traditional Western, and singing… View item