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

Browse Items (1924 total)

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Catskill Mountains square dance - 1950s

Short clip showing teenagers dancing; the caller plays accordion, joined by a fiddler and a drummer. You can see the men turning the ladies under as they pass them on a grand right and left. View item
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Roll the Barrel - Pistol Packin' Mama

Singing square called by Frank Kendall, Gassetts, Vermont. The Gassetts Grange hosts a monthly dance with a mix of round dances and traditional Eastern singing squares, with live music provided by… View item
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Double Tea-Cup Chain

The photograph of eight couples dancing a double star as part of the double teacup chain figures is from the March, 1963, issue of Bow & Swing, "The Magazine of Square Dancing in Florida." View item
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Lancers

Footage from a 2015 historical ball sponsored by the Golden Forest dance group in Russia. This version has some interesting variations, including the "chassez by your partner" in the fourth figure… View item
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Mabou Dancers

The Mabou Dancers are a performance group that shows the 3rd figure of the Mabou set. Here they are performing in the Mabou Community Hall. View item
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Inverness Set - 2nd and 3rd figures

Great example of square dancing at a house party, an authentic setting. It's common for squares to be done at house parties. Lots of well-known locals in the video. The musicians are Howie… View item
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Dancers at Pappy Shaw's summer school - 1947

These photos show dancers at Shaw's summer class in August of 1947. In addition to squares, photos illustrate round dances, including the Varsouviana. (This last photo includes musicians: piano,… View item
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Tait's Orchestra with Bud Udick

Cactus Tait’s Orchestra, taken at the Broadmoor hotel ballroom.. From left to right: piano, Mrs. Ethel Tait caller, Col. Earl “Bud” W. Udick (1/11/1916 – 9/5/1979) fiddle, Ben Chichester (1897-… View item
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Ladies Whirligig - two New England versions

Here is the same basic dance called by two New England callers who overlapped. The first is an excerpt from a recording by Ralph Page; the second is a live recording of Louise Winston from 1970.The… View item
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Blue Bonnet Set - 1939

This 1939 newspaper pictoral spread looks at Herb Greggerson's Blue Bonnet Set, the team that won the Texas square dancing championship in March that year. Before that, the prize was often taken… View item
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Jessie Polka - couple dance

Sometimes danced as a couple, and sometimes (as here) in a larger group, here is a trio young dancers doing the Jessie Polka. The tune is Down Yonder, featuring Sky Bartlett (L) and Ernie Duffy (R) on… View item
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Rye Waltz - couple dance

The Rye Waltz is an adaptation of Comin’ Through the Rye and The Highland Schottische, and intersperses a schottische step with a waltz. Music by The Latter Day Lizards and guests; the Lizards are… View item