Doing my usual experiment with any new Google service, I searched for “square dance” in Google Scholar. Most references used square dance as an analogy (e.g., Knowledge Creation as a Square Dance on the Hilbert Cube, but I found a few dissertations (or maybe just academic papers) on square dancing:

• The relationship of specific aptitudes to ability in square dance, HA Oswalt. University of Arkansas, 1976
• A philosophical, historical, and cultural analysis of the American square dance, PA Phillips, Boston University, 1973
• The rural square dance in the Northeastern United States: a continuity of tradition, DJ Winslow, University of Pennsylvania, 1972
• Folk and square dancing as related to the social studies unit in New York City elementary schools, AA Sher, Columbia University, 1963

Here’s a paper on Energy cost of square dancing, from the Journal of Applied Physiology. The abstract:

This experiment was concerned with determining the energy cost of two popular Western square dancing routines: the “Mish-Mash,” which is a relatively fast-moving dance with quick movements, and the “Singing” dance, which is a slower and more deliberate type of dance. The subjects were four middle-aged couples, veteran members of a local square dancing club. Sitting and standing pulmonary ventilations were determined through the use of the Tissot gasometer. Kofranyi-Michaelis respirometers were employed for the dance routine ventilations. These apparatus were fitted with a Monoghan neoprene cushion plastic mask. Gas samples were collected in polyethylene metallized bags and analyzed for O2 and CO2 content. The net energy cost for the two dances was appropriately summarized. The results indicated that for the males the net average energy cost of the “Mish-Mash” dance was 0.085 and 0.077 kcal/min per kg for the “Singing” dance. For the females, the cost was 0.088 and 0.084 kcal/min per kg, respectively. A net average cost of these two dances yielded a caloric expenditure of 5.7 kcal/min for a 70-kg male and 5.2 kcal/min for a 60-kg female. It was indicated that during the course of a typical square dance evening, a 70-kg man would expend some 425 kcal. while a 60-kg female would burn some 390 kcal. The energy cost of the dances studied were determined to be within the permissible work load of a functional class 1 patient with diseases of the heart as determined by the American Heart Association.

My guess is that the “Mish-Mash” is the patter, and the “Singing” dance is the singing call part of a tip.

And then there’s the 1964 article on Square Dancing and Social Adjustment

, from a journal called “Ment. Retard.” Unfortunately, there’s no abstract available. Too bad.

I also found a paper on Dance Dance Revolution, I Can See Tomorrow In Your Dance: A Study of Dance Dance Revolution and Music Video Games, with a quote: “Activity is like being a participant in a square dance where we repeat formulaic sequences as dictated by the caller.” Unfortunately, the whole paper is only available for a fee. Note to self: follow through with plans to write something about DDR. I actually went to an arcade to try it (nothing like a middle-aged woman at a video game arcade…fortunately, it was in the middle of a school day, so there were very few kids around), and made a fool out of myself on the easiest level.