List of U.S. state dances

Many states of the United States have adopted official dances as one of their state symbols. The practice has extended to U.S. territories and Washington, D.C.[1]

Starting in the 1970s, many states adopted square dance as their state dance, the result of a campaign by square dancers to make it the national dance.[2]

Table

State, district,
or territory		 Dance Year adopted Ref.
Alabama Square dance 1981 [3]
Arkansas Square dance 1991 [4]
California West Coast Swing 1988 [5][6]
Square dance (Official folk dance)
Colorado Square dance 1992 [7]
Connecticut Square dance 1995 [8]
Delaware None (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session) [9][10]
District of Columbia Hand dancing 1999 [11]
Georgia Square dance 1996 [12]
Hawaii Hula 1999 [13]
Idaho Square dance 1989 [14]
Illinois Square dance 1990 [15]
Kentucky Clogging 2006 [16]
Louisiana Square dance 1999 [17]
Maryland Square dance 1994 [18]
Massachusetts Square dance 1990 [19][20]
Minnesota None (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994) [21]
Mississippi Square dance 1995 [22]
Missouri Square dance 1995 [23]
Nebraska Square dance 1997 [24]
New Jersey Square dance (Official folk dance) 1983 [25]
North Carolina Clogging (Official folk dance) 2005 [26]
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
North Dakota Square dance 1995 [27]
Oklahoma Square dance 1988 [28]
Oregon Square dance 1977 [29]
South Carolina Square dance (State American Folk Dance) 1994 [30]
The Shag 1984 [31]
Tennessee Square dance 1980 [32]
Texas Square dance 1994 [33]
Utah Square dance 1994 [34]
Virginia Square dance 2011 [35]
Washington Square dance 1979 [36]
Wisconsin Polka 1993 [37]

See also

References

  1. ^ Official State Dances, NetState.com, accessed April 21, 2006.
  2. ^ Sampson, Pamela (October 22, 1996). "Critics Claim Square Dance Conspiracy Confuses Culture with Hobby". Associated Press. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Official American Folk Dance of Alabama". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2001-07-12. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  4. ^ "Arkansas American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  5. ^ "History and Culture - State Symbols". The California State Library. State of California. 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  6. ^ "California State Dance". NETSTATE.COM. NSTATE, LLC. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Symbols & Emblems | Archives". archives.colorado.gov.
  8. ^ "Connecticut State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  9. ^ "Chapter3. State Seal, Song, and Symbols", Title 29. State Government: General Provisions, retrieved 2019-05-28
  10. ^ Goss, Scott (May 8, 2018), "Delaware looks to get in on maypole dancing craze (a few centuries late)", DelawareOnline, retrieved 2019-05-28
  11. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (August 27, 2010). "What the Heck Is Hand Dancing?". DCist. Archived from the original on 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  12. ^ "Georgia State Folk Dance, Square Dancing, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  13. ^ http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol01_Ch0001-0042F/HRS0005/HRS_0005-0021.htm [bare URL]
  14. ^ "Idaho State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  15. ^ "Illinois official Dance". State Symbols. Illinois State museum.
  16. ^ "Kentucky State Symbols". Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives. 2007-03-30. Archived from the original on 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
  17. ^ "Louisiana State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  18. ^ "Square Dance, Maryland State Folk Dance". msa.maryland.gov.
  19. ^ Folk dance of the Commonwealth, General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 2, Section 32.
  20. ^ "State Symbols". Citizen Information Service. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  21. ^ "Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious State Symbols - Minnesota". www.leg.mn.gov.
  22. ^ "Official State Dances from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  23. ^ "Missouri State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  24. ^ "Nebraska State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  25. ^ "New Jersey's State Dance". The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  26. ^ "Official State Symbols of North Carolina". North Carolina State Library. State of North Carolina. Archived from the original on 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  27. ^ "North Dakota State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  28. ^ "Oklahoma State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  29. ^ "Square Dance". 8 October 2014.
  30. ^ "SC Statehouse Students' web page, The State Folk Dance - The Square Dance". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  31. ^ "SC Statehouse Students' web page, The State Dance - The Shag". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  32. ^ "Tennessee State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  33. ^ "Texas Legislature Online - 72(R) History for HCR 153". Texas State Legislature. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  34. ^ Utah State Folk Dance - Square Dance from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer - Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
  35. ^ "Virginia Emblems And Designations". Virginia State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
  36. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  37. ^ "Wis. Stat. § 1.10(2)". State of Wisconsin. Retrieved 2014-08-03.