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

Browse Items (1930 total)

Moving Image

Late Nineteenth Century Quadrille

Virtually every dance manual published during the nineteeth century contains information on the performance of the quadrille. The Library of Congress site where this video (and others in the same… View item
Website

Lawrence Loy - biography

Two items, both related to caller Lawrence Loy. A detailed biography can be found at Hillbilly-Music.com, which has a detailed website with information about performers, including a jukebox with audio… View item
Moving Image

Lazy H - Bob Dalsemer

Bob Dalsemer calls a condensed version of Ed Gilmore's "Lazy H" figure. View item
Moving Image

Lazy H - Tony Parkes

Tony Parkes is calling Ed Gilmore's classic dance, the Lazy H. As the dance progresses, Tony adds variations so that instead of couples doing a right and left through around a standing line of four,… View item
Sound

Lazy H (clip) - Ed Gilmore

Recording of Ed Gilmore calling his composition, the Lazy H. You can also watch a video of that dance with Tony Parkes calling. View item
Moving Image

le quadrille Américain - late 19th century

Tune composed and dance choreographed by François Paul in 1888, this dance was done up until World War I. It is composed of five figures: promenade, the basket, wooden horses, the visits and "The… View item
Sound

Learn Square Dancing - Ed Gilmore

This is a track from Ed Gilmore's instructional square dance LP, "Learn Square Dancing," released on Decca in 1956. The album included instructional segments such as this with short practice pieces… View item
Website

Learn To Dance and Call Square Dances the Foster Way

Two sets of instructional cards are available online. Each set contains 35 two-sided cards, with descriptions of basic figures as well as complete dance routines.Some original sets are available for… View item
Moving Image

Lee Kopman - MWSD Challenge-4 Dancing

This video is of dancing at the AACE (Academy of Advanced and Challenge Enthusiasts) event in Milwaukee, WI in June of 2010. The CALLERLAB dance program is Challenge-4. The caller is Lee Kopman. View item
Still Image

Lee Kopman calls

This "Wordle" is an illustration of how frequently calls written by Lee Kopman appear in modern square dance calling. The size correlates with the frequency of the call's use, Readers interested in… View item
Moving Image

Lee Kopman on Phil Donahue

Lee Kopman has created more calls used in contemporary square dance than any other individual, some 350 or more. In 1980, he appeared on the Phil Donahue Show and presented this program of square… 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