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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Independence Lancers

The Lancers is a five-part Quadrille that made its way from 19th century ballrooms to 1985 in southwestern Pennsylvania at the Independence Grange Hall, Independence Township, Washington County,… View item
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Larry Edelman - roots of early modern square dance

At a 1992 workshop in Denmark, caller and dance historian Larry Edelman explains influences that created the early forms of modern square dance in the years after WW II. Callers drew on figures from… View item
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Yee Haw! A Curious Stroll Down Square Dancing’s Memory Lane

A quirky and informative movie of how square dancing has been portrayed in historical, non-theatrical motion pictures aggregated from The Internet Archive. The collection illustrates some of the ways… View item
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Larry Edelman Collection - 78 rpm recordings

This large collection (1,358 items) of 78 rpm records is comprised mostly of square dance calling and music, and couples dancing music. It is an extensive assortment of recordings, all of which have… View item
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Schottische

A two-couple horse and buggy schottische (here dubbed the "Four Horseperson Schottische) danced in Colorado.There are many examples of couple dances included in the SDHP collection.Click on this… View item
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Larry Edelman calls a Square Dance by Bernie Chalk

Larry Edelman comments: "I believe I first saw it called by Paul Tyler in 1983 and he attributed it to Bernie Chalk. Years later, when Bernie was staying with me on one of his annual trips to the US I… View item
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Larry Edelman - square thru variations

Larry Edelman writes, "It’s a drill that I picked up from an issue of SIO, probably from 1959 or so. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t note which issue or year. If it had an author attributed to it, I… View item
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Four Leaf Clover - Larry Edelman

The dance is called by Larry Edelman, appearing at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. He credits this to Ed Gilmore. View item
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Las Cuadrillas: Five-Part Suite

The interpretation and choreography of the five part Las Cuadrillas is by Dr. Lorenzo A. Trujillo based on the teaching of Marie Oralia Duran Trujillo, Damian Archuleta, with additional notes by Helen… View item
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Dick Perry Orchestra - dance photographs

These photographs show the Dick Perry Orchestra playing for a dance at the Putney (VT) Town Hall. The group turns up in many newspaper stories from the 1950s and 1960s. View item
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East Meets West (clip) - Lawrence Loy

Lawrence Loy was from western Massachusetts but this recording, with its apt title, shows the influence of the western style of dance, with changing choreography. After generic opening figures, two… View item
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Paddy Dear (clip) - Lawrence Loy

According to a detailed discography, this was recorded January 1946 at RCA Victor Studio, 155 E, 24th St., Manhattan, New York City - Carson Robison and His Buckaroos View item