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

Browse Items (1930 total)

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Best Things in Life Are Free - Jim Mayo

This song was used by Jim Mayo for his first recording which was on Mac Gregor Records (#2055) in 1963. The figure used here was created for this group of dancers to show how MWSD singing calls are… View item
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Old Grey Bonnet - Jim Mayo

Listen to Charley Thomas calling this song. View item
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Jim Mayo's 40th - Hash

The caller is Earl Johnston, a member of the first CALLERLAB Board of Governors. Johnston was from Vernon, CT, and was a disciple of Al Brundage. This footage was taken by Bill Cross on October 1,… View item
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Auctioneer - Ralph Sweet

Recorded at the Greenfield, MA, Grange Hall on June 27, 2010. The event was sponsored by Country Dance and Song Society to celebrate the publication of "On the Beat with Ralph Sweet." This dance is… View item
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Beseda quadrille

These are two videos demonstrating the Czech Beseda quadrille from mid-19th century, here performed by a group that rehearsed with noted Czech dance leader Jitka Bonušova. The date of composition for… View item
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Beseda Quadrille, part I

František Bonuš, a noted dance pedagogue from Prague, led a quadrille workshop in Berea, Kentucky in 1987. The video of the entire workshop is lengthy and has been edited and divided into nine parts.… View item
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Auctioneer (description and history)

The Auctioneerby David MillstoneJuly, 2012The Auctioneer is Ralph Sweet's signature number, and the dance has a storied history before him. The Auctioneer song was a 1956 hit, selling 2.5 million… View item
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Auctioneer (remake - clip) - Marshall Flippo

This is a remake in the 1970s by Marshall Flippo of his big hit. For this version, he changed the choreography to reflect changes in MWSD, and the music also has a very different sound. This is Blue… View item
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Auctioneer (1958 original - clip) - Marshall Flippo

This is an audio clip of the first of three recordings Marshall Flippo made of this tune; this is the recording that launched his career as a square dance caller. Transcription provided by Jeff… View item
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Trail Of The Lonesome Pine - Rich Sbardella

Called by Rich and Lynn Sbardella at Ralph Sweet's Powder Mill Barn, Hazardville, CT. Dance was hosted by the South Windsor MWSDC. Ralph Sweet, who owns this barn, is in the middle square. The singing… View item
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Auctioneer - Tony Parkes

Tony Parkes, caller.This song was originally recorded by Leroy Van Dyke in 1956, and the dance was made famous by Marshall Flippo, who recorded it twice. The calls Tony uses here are from Flippo's… View item
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Eleanor Roosevelt square dancing

Newsreel footage of Eleanor Roosevelt dancing in Arthurdale, West Virginia, 1940 View item