Online Talks & Presentations about Country Dance
updated 2/17/24
The COVID19 pandemic starting March 2020 was an opportunity for dance callers, musicians, and organizers to take a step back and reflect and dicuss the history and other aspects of contra, square, and English country dance.
This page lists some of the online chats & presentations that occurred (and are still occurring), plus a few that happened prior to the pandemic. Most of the links are to YouTube videos.
David Millstone
David Millstone is a dance caller, historian, and film maker from New Hampshire. His latest project is A Hand for the Band, a map and timeline of dance bands in the US, with info about each band and sounds samples.
Here are a few of the history talks that he presented:
Contra Dance in Modern Times: 75 years of change in post-WWII America
Flurry Festival, Saratoga Springs, NY February 14, 2021
2/17/24: this link seems to be defunct
David Millstone: Country Dance in Modern Times: Squares, ECD and Contras in Post-WWII America
presented by the Mt Airy PA Thursday Night contra
Description
video is also also on Facebook
350 Years of Country Dance with David Millstone
presented by New Mexico FolkMADS 3/10/21
David Millstone: Contra Chestnuts: A New Look at Old Dances
Handout (PDF)
presented by New Mexico FolkMADS 2 May 2021
CRACKING CHESTNUTS: David Smukler and David Millstone
Presented at virtual Ralph Page Weekend 1/7/21
Square Dance History With David Millstone (3 sessions)
Description
Presented by CDSS Feb 2022
Newbie Callers 2022-03-19: David Millstone on the Square Dance History Project
A Hand for the Band: How David Millstone Put Country Dance on the Map
Interview on NH Public Radio (audio) Dec 18 2023
Tony Parkes
Tony Parkes is a musician, contra & square dance caller, and author based in the Boston area. He recently published Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century.
Tony Parkes: Diversity in Square Dancing
Presented by the Mt Airy PA Thursday Night contra Jan 2021
Tony Parkes: Squaring the Line
Presented at virtual Ralph Page Weekend Jan 16 2022
Newbie Callers 2021-01-30: Tony Parkes on diversity in square dancing
Newbie Callers 2020-12-19: Tony Parkes on Contra
Phil Jamison
Phil Jamison is a musician, square dance caller, and author based in North Carolina. He recently published Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics.
Phil Jamison: Recognizing African American Contributions to Southern Appalachian Music and Dance
Description
Presented by CDSS (Common Time) Jan 2022
Phil Jamison: Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics
Presented by the Mt Airy PA Thursday Night contra 8/27/20
CDSS Podcasts
hosted by Julie Vallimont, explores contra dance music—its history, present, and potential future, through in-depth conversations with contra musicians.
ran from Mar 2020 until Apr 2022
Plus a couple of video sessions:
Conversations with callers across the continent, hosted by Mary Wesley
from Feb 2022; continuing monthly
1 hour chat with leading artists, teachers, and experts from the English Country Dance community (and a few contra & square callers & musicians..)
presented on Zoom & Facebook by the Historical Tea & Dance Society (Pasadena CA)
starting off weekly in March 2020, then monthly until Dec 2022
All of the chats can be viewed here (well-organized) or on YouTube.
The Zoom chats and other information available in the Dropbox folder for 5 Things downloads
Pre-Pandemic
1750-2015 Traditional Dance Music of the Monadnock Region of NH
#1 Intro & Bob McQuillen
#2 Ralph Sweet
#3 Dudley Laufman
#4 Bill Spence
#5 Andy Spence
#6 general comments
Posted at the Square Dance History Project
Panel Discussion with all six callers looking at different aspects of square dance history