Playford’s Dancing Master: The Compleat Dance Guide
This is an exhaustive collection, catalogue, and index of all dances published in editions of the Dancing Master, 1651-1728
From Scott Pfitzinger
This book by Patrick Napier (available online as a PDF) provides a wonderful introduction to Kentucky Mountain Square Dancing. The book includes a bit of history and general calling tips prior to describing many Big Set and Running Set figures. It also includes fillers and closing calls.
From CDSS
A useful and informative introduction, plus a variety of figures for big set, square, and two couple formations.
From Hugh Stewart
This online collection of Charles Bolton’s work contains both interpretations of 17th and 18th-century English country dances (with music) as well as nine booklets of Charles’ original dances and tunes.
From CDSS
Contra, square, grid square, and mixer dances composed by Rick Mohr.
A collection of square dances for seated dancers. Descriptions of the figures are here.
From Fred Wersan
Dance Figures Index: English Country Dances, 1650-1833
A guide to the basic figures in major English printed longways country dances in eighteenth and early nineteenth-century sources. This database only includes sources for dances with instruction for country dances, or dances that could be identified as such. It does not include other dance forms, such as Cotillions or Allemand or similar dances.
Compiled by Robert M. Keller
Contra and square dances composed by North Carolina caller Bob Dalsemer.
The Challenge Square Dancing Handbook
This handbook by Clark Baker includes terminology and concepts used in higher levels of modern Western square dance.
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.