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 2016–2017) [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]
Pennsylvania Polka 1942 South Carolina The Shag 1984 [30]
Square dance (State American Folk Dance) 1994 [31]
Richardson waltz (State waltz) 2000 [32]
Tennessee Square dance 1980 [33]
Texas Square dance 1994 [34]
Utah Square dance 1994 [35]
Virginia Square dance 2011 [36]
Washington Square dance 1979 [37]
Wisconsin Polka 1993 [38]

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
  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 Dance - The Shag". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  31. ^ "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.
  32. ^ "SC Statehouse Students' web page, The State Waltz - The Richardson Waltz". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  33. ^ "Tennessee State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  34. ^ "Texas Legislature Online - 72(R) History for HCR 153". Texas State Legislature. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  35. ^ Utah State Folk Dance - Square Dance from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer - Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08
  36. ^ "Virginia Emblems And Designations". Virginia State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
  37. ^ "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  38. ^ "Wis. Stat. § 1.10(2)". State of Wisconsin. Retrieved 2014-08-03.

External links

U.S. state symbols by type
U.S. state symbols by state
United States state-related lists
Categories