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

Browse Items (377 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "1950s"
Sound

Chase the Rabbit - Ed Gilmore

Ed Gilmore, caller. Gilmore was from California, but demonstrates here his familiarity with traditional Southern Appalachian style patter. View item
Sound

Grand Square - Bob Osgood

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Website

Sets in Order archive

The complete collection of Sets in Order (which changed its name to Square Dancing in 1968) is available online through the University of Denver. A duplicate set is now housed on the Internet Archive.… View item
Sound

Auctioneer (1958 original - clip) - Marshall Flippo

This is an audio clip of the first of three recordings Marshall Flippo made of this tune; this is the recording that launched his career as a square dance caller. Transcription provided by Jeff… View item
Moving Image

Square Dance - Steamboat Springs, 1951

This silent movie shows children dancing at the second annual Square Dance Festival held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The film was taken by Leonard Fisher, whose daughter was one of the dancers;… View item
Sound

Ends Turn In (clip) - Joe Lewis

Joe Lewis was one of the big names in square dance calling; he played an accordion that was specially fitted out so that different notes would produce different kinds of sounds, and his big hit was… View item
Moving Image

Old American Barn Dance, 1953

This is an abridged version of a clip uploaded by TVDays.com, edited to show one of the square dance segments featured on each program. For a full clip, go here. View item
Sound

Al Brundage – Live recording, 1952

Early MWSD choreographyThis recording is an example of what local callers in southern New England were calling in 1952. The location is not identified. Al says he is using a record without speed… 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
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

Lake of the Ozarks Square Dancers - 1953

The Lake of the Ozarks Square Dancers were based in Tuscumbia, Missouri.The group toured around the Midwest and eventually reached national fame after appearances with caller L. D. Keller on the Ted… View item