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

Browse Items (185 total)

  • Subject is exactly "Modern square dance - general"
Sound

"Doc" Alumbaugh

This is a short clip from a tip called by "Doc" Alumbaugh at the 1954 National Square Dance Convention in Dallas, Texas. The choreography is the "classic" figures Dip and Dive and… View item
Document

ABC's of Square Dancing

This informal guide to square dancing is aimed at beginners, an easy-to-ready pamphlet that a caller could distribute to dancers in a class. It strikes a friendly tone: --- So you wanta'… View item
Sound

Birdie in the Cage - Al Brundage

This is a short clip from a dance called by Al Brundage in 1952. View item
Sound

Patter - Al Brundage, 1962

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Still Image

Stepney Barn

The Stepney Barn was constructed by Al Brundage. In his description below, note that the barn opened in 1948 with 442 dancers, testimony to the popularity of square dancing at that time. Readers… View item
Document

GLBTQ Square Dance history

In recent decades, as modern square dancing has been declining overall, one of the growth areas was in the LGBTQ community. This short history, prepared for this SDHP item, offers a brief look at the… View item
Moving Image

Marshall Flippo interview

Marshall Flippo is one of the most popular and durable of MWSD callers. This is a recent interview with him done at the Riverside County Square Dance Festival in November of 2011. View item
Sound

Patter - Bill Castner

This is a short clip of patter calling by Bill Castner, a caller from California. View item
Sound

I Don't Know Why - Bill Castner

This is a short clip of Bill Castner calling the singing call I Don't Know Why (Sets In Order record # 1119) from a dance recorded in 1960. View item
Moving Image

Bill Litchman - oral history

This is an interview conducted with Bill Litchman as part of the research into preparing a 2018 exhibit on "Square Dancing in the American West" at the University of Denver. Litchman discusses his own… View item
Sound

Patter Calling - Bill Peters

This is a short clip of Bill Peters calling patter at a dance in Adelaide, Australia in 1986. View item
Sound

Bill Shymkus

This is a short clip of a tip called by Bill Shymkus at the 3rd National Square Dance Convention in Dallas , Texas. The choreography is the goal post pattern that was very common at that time. View item