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

Browse Items (1930 total)

Sound

Bruce Johnson, patter - 1961

Live recording of Bruce Johnson calling to a jig. Jim Mayo comments: "Bruce kept on using 6/8 time music long after most others had abandoned it. It also shows his nearly unique ability to… View item
Moving Image

Warp and Weft - grid square

Grid square composed by Rick Mohr; dance directions on his website. Called here by Lisa Greenleaf; the tune is Julia Delaney, played by Daron Douglas (fiddle), Anna Patton (clarinet), and Karen… View item
Moving Image

Rod's Quad #2 - double quadrille

Dance written by Rod Linnell; the video includes a variation created by the caller, Lisa Greenleaf. (Rod Linnell composed five double quadrilles, which are published in "Square Dances from a… View item
Document

Chicken Plucker - choreographic innovation

The Chicken Plucker routine created by Bill Shymkus appeared in the October 1957 issue of Sets in Order; the same issue contained ads for the new record release by Lee Helsel. This routine is… View item
Sound

Chicken Plucker - Lee Helsel

This is an excerpt of a 1957 recording (Sets in Order #1102) by Lee Helsel that was the first recording of the Chicken Plucker routine created by Bill Shymkus. The dance figures appeared in the… View item
Document

The Beginnings of Modern Square Dancing - Jim Mayo

Article by Jim Mayo looking at the transition from traditional to modern square dancing, a short version of the ideas presented at length in his book. View item
Website

Al Brundage & the Pioneer Trio, 1951

Recorded live at his Country Barn, this recording features caller Al Brundage and the Pioneer Trio. Also included are comments made by Al Brundage about how this recording came to be.1 - Mountain Rag… View item
Document

Square Dance Revival in Lincoln [Nebraska], 1940–1950

[Note: Large file may take a while to load completely.] This detailed booklet describes the revival of square dancing in Lincoln, Nebraska, and offers resources to encourage further growth. After… View item
Website

Hilton Kelly - Catskill fiddler & caller

Article about Catskills fiddler and caller Hilton Kelly, who has been playing and calling square dances in that region of New York for more than 75 years. Kelly died March 3, 2015; his death was noted… View item
Website

Square Dance Articles - Buddy Weaver resources page

Buddy Weaver has collected on his website a series of transcriptions and printed essays by numerous well-respected square dance callers. On this site, you'll find pieces by Doc Alumbaugh, Ed… View item
Sound

Bill Peters & Jim Mayo - Australia, 1986

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Document

Ed Gilmore interview, 1961

This interview was recorded in 1961 between Christmas and New Year at the Mission In Hotel, Riverside CA between Ed Gilmore and the then president of the Square Dance Society of New South Wales… View item