Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 11, 2026

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.

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Jun 11, 2026
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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 56
Square dance (Official folk dance)
Colorado Square dance 1992 7
Connecticut Square dance 1995 8
Delaware None (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session) 910
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 1617
Louisiana Square dance 1999 18
Maryland Square dance 1994 19
Massachusetts Square dance 1990 2021
Minnesota None (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994) 22
Mississippi Square dance 1995 23
Missouri Square dance 1995 24
Nebraska Square dance 1997 25
New Jersey Square dance (Official folk dance) 1983 26
North Carolina Clogging (Official folk dance) 2005 27
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
North Dakota Square dance 1995 28
Oklahoma Square dance 1988 29
Oregon Square dance 1977 30
Pennsylvania Polka 1990
South Carolina Square dance (State American Folk Dance) 1994 31
The Shag 1984 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

See also

References

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.
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