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

Browse Items (1950 total)

Sound

Bud Udick - Hash #2

This 1949 audio clip features Bud Udick calling with "Cactus" Tait's Orchestra, recorded live "at the regular weekly square dances at the beautiful Broadmoor Hotel" in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A… View item
Moving Image

Bill Martin - Oregon Public Broadcast TV

Note: Oregon Art Beat no longer streams this recording, but the video will play on our site.Broadcast in 2003, this public television documentary profiles caller Bill Martin and the old-time southern… View item
Moving Image

Not Your Grandparents Square Dance

Old-time music and square dancing in Portland, Oregon. Interviews with Bill Martin and Michael Ismerio, and footage from the Old Time Music Gathering, reveal the intimate links between the old-time… View item
Moving Image

Central City, Colorado - 1955

The caller featured here is Ray Smith; we have not yet identified the fiddler and piano player. By 1960, Al "Tex" Brownlee was the caller and he used recorded music.Dancers:Couple 1: Dave Chandler and… View item
Document

Ed Austin's Life in Dance

This autobiography by Ed Austin focuses on his lifetime involvement with traditional dance, including a detailed description of the dances he filmed in Central City, Colorado. Click here to watch his… View item
Moving Image

The Farmer

Square Dancing at the Firemen's Hall in Grafton, OH.This dance starts off as as variation of the classic Uptown/Downtown, them moves into the Cut Away Six / Divide the Ring figure, with additional… View item
Moving Image

Barn Dance - Wisconsin

This is video from an Old-time Barn Dance held in the O'Brien Farms beautifully refurbished barn in Brooklyn, WI. Music provided by the Ambrosia Dance Band (Chuck Hornemann, Paul Kienitz, Peter… View item
Document

Box the Gnat - a short history

Box the Gnat - a short historyby Tony ParkesNobody seems to know when "box the gnat" took on the standardized meaning it has today inrecreational square and contra dancing. In Instant Hash (1962),… View item
Moving Image

Going to the Barn Dance Tonight - Soundie

Carson Robison (on guitar) was a country music star. The Wikipedia article about him says, "According to Billboard, his 1942 recording of the standard "Turkey in the Straw" was that year's top selling… View item
Moving Image

Square Dancing with Joe Lewis - Australia, 1952

A unique heritage clip of the Australian visit of American 'Hall of Fame' Square Dance Caller, Joe Lewis, on arrival at Essendon airport, Melbourne, in 1952, with commentary by Australian square dance… View item
Moving Image

Australia Square Dance Boom, 1952 - Jim Vickers-Willis

Drawing on audio clips, still photographs, newspaper clippings, and other illustrates, this short piece describes the enormous interest in square dancing in Australia in the 1950s. The primary focus… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance Revival - Australia, 1980

Television documentary that looks at square dancing in Australia. Mention is made of the boom years of the early 1950s an the start of square dancing there, but this focuses on a revival around 1980.… View item