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

Lucky Strike cigarettes - commercial

Television commercial featuring animated cigarettes doing square dance figures, with caller's patter describing the cigarette's many virtues. View item
Moving Image

Mabou Dancers

The Mabou Dancers are a performance group that shows the 3rd figure of the Mabou set. Here they are performing in the Mabou Community Hall. View item
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Mabou Hall Square Set - Cape Breton

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Mac McKenrick photos

Photograph of McKenrick advertisement for square dance instruction at his barn View item
Sound

MacNamara's Band - Basil "Smitty" Smith

Basil "Smitty" Smith calling with the Bills' Band at a barn dance in West Wardsboro, Vermont, recorded by Steve GreenMacNamara’s BandIrish song popularized by Bing CrosbyOh the head two couples… View item
Sound

MacNamara's Band - Irene Hewitt

Irene Hewitt was an Australia caller, here doing a well-known singing square. View item
Moving Image

Maggie Valley - Mountain Square Dance

Haywood County, North Carolina has long been known for its dancing. This was the home of Sam Queen’s Soco Gap Square Dancers, who were invited, in 1939, to perform for the king and queen of… View item
Sound

Makin' Whoopee - Les Gotcher, 1961

Although Gotcher is primarily known for his hash calls, this is a relatively rare example of him doing a singing square. Listeners may also enjoy the same dance as called by Gloria Rios Roth. View item
Document

Mal Hayden - Seacoast Demonstration - analysis of dances and tunes

This is a detailed look at the dances, figures, and tunes used in the Seacoast Demonstration called by Mal Hayden. View item
Sound

Mal Hayden - Seacoast Demonstration, 1960

This is Mal Hayden, a New Hampshire caller who straddled the space between traditional and early modern square dance calling. Information about him can be found at the Related Item.Drawing on various… View item
Moving Image

Malcolm McLaren, Buffalo Gals

Hip hop video riffing on square dancing, released in 1982 Another video shows the same material presented in a concert setting.McLaren was an English musician, performer, manager of the Sex Pistols,… View item
Moving Image

Maple Sugar - Don Messer and His Islanders

No calls, just a choreographed routine from Messer's popular television show. The dances on the Don Messer show were choreographed by Gunter Buchta; he created two new dances each week for the show.… View item