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.

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.

Table

State, district,
or territory		DanceYear adopted Ref.
AlabamaSquare dance1981
ArkansasSquare dance1991
California West Coast Swing1988
Square dance (Official folk dance)
ColoradoSquare dance1992
ConnecticutSquare dance1995
DelawareNone (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session)
District of Columbia Hand dancing 1999
GeorgiaSquare dance1996
HawaiiHula1999
IdahoSquare dance1989
IllinoisSquare dance1990
KentuckyClogging2006
LouisianaSquare dance1999
MarylandSquare dance1994
MassachusettsSquare dance1990
MinnesotaNone (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994)
MississippiSquare dance1995
MissouriSquare dance1995
NebraskaSquare dance1997
New JerseySquare dance (Official folk dance)1983
North Carolina Clogging (Official folk dance)2005
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
North DakotaSquare dance1995
OklahomaSquare dance1988
OregonSquare dance1977
PennsylvaniaPolka1990
South CarolinaSquare dance (State American Folk Dance) 1994
The Shag 1984
TennesseeSquare dance1980
TexasSquare dance1994
UtahSquare dance1994
VirginiaSquare dance2011
WashingtonSquare dance1979
WisconsinPolka1993

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. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Official American Folk Dance of Alabama". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2001-07-12. Archived from the original on 2008-01-10. 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. Archived from the original on 2019-01-05. 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. ↑ "State dance". capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 17 Oct 2025.
  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. ↑ "Kentucky Revised Statutes 2.101". Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Louisiana State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  19. ↑ "Square Dance, Maryland State Folk Dance". msa.maryland.gov.
  20. ↑ Folk dance of the Commonwealth, General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 2, Section 32.
  21. ↑ "State Symbols". Citizen Information Service. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  22. ↑ "Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious State Symbols - Minnesota". www.leg.mn.gov.
  23. ↑ "Official State Dances from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  24. ↑ "Missouri State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  25. ↑ "Nebraska State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  26. ↑ "New Jersey's State Dance". The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. The State of New Jersey. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  27. ↑ "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.
  28. ↑ "North Dakota State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  29. ↑ "Oklahoma State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM". www.netstate.com.
  30. ↑ "Square Dance". 8 October 2014.
  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 Dance - The Shag". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-03-18. 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 Archived 2012-09-04 at the Wayback Machine 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.