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

Browse Items (1940 total)

Moving Image

Birdie in the Cage - Larry Edelman - Dances of Jerry Goodwin

Larry Edelman led a workshop session on dances he learned from the calling of Jerry Goodwin, originally from West Virginia but living and calling in western Pennsylvania when Larry studied with him in… View item
Still Image

Herb Greggerson - Herb's Blue Bonnet Calls

Greggerson's book, originally published in 1937, contains more than 50 dances, supplemented with photographs and diagrams. The full text is available at the Internet Archive.After a brief foreward… View item
Sound

Chain Down the Line (clip) - Herb Greggerson

Herb Greggerson is one of the most important names in southwestern U.S. square dance calling. This routine is also known as The Route.This site contains video footage of The Route called by Tony… View item
Sound

Trail of the Lonesome Pine (clip) - Don Armstrong

Armstrong took the figures from Ralph Page's "Gents and Corners" dance and set them to a popular tune, creating a well-known singing square. We've also included here a clip of Ted Sannella prompting… View item
Sound

Ted Sannella - Reel Your Partner (clip)

This clip starts with the middle break. The dance is published in Ted Sannella's book Balance and Swing.Live recording by Ted Sannella at the Downeast Country Dance Festival, South Portland, Maine;… View item
Sound

Pony Boy (clip) - Floyd Woodhull

Another recording of Pony Boy (full length) View item
Still Image

Floyd Woodhull's Old-Tyme Masters (photo)

View item
Website

Floyd Woodhull

Website from upstate New York detailing life and musical career of Floyd (Woody) Woodhull, square dance caller, accordion player and band leader. Also includes a discography. View item
Still Image

Les Gotcher - photo

Gotcher was a recipient of the Milestone award from CALLERLAB, with this biographical information. View item
Sound

Wheel and Deal (clip) - Les Gotcher

excerpt from a live recording in the early 1960s View item
Document

Les Gotcher - Square Dancin'

Published in 1950, the book contains directions to 100 dances, as well as photographs illustrating basic moves for beginners. Among those are Do-Ci-Do, Docey, Do-Sa-Do, and Do-Paso. (see the Contents… View item
Sound

Do Paso What (clip) - Les Gotcher

sample of Les Gotcher's calling style, in this case building a dance from a break sequence Black Mountain 128 View item