List of U.S. state dances
Updated: 11/6/2025, 2:26:51 AM Wikipedia source
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.
Tables
· Table
Alabama
Alabama
State, district, or territory
Alabama
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1981
Arkansas
Arkansas
State, district, or territory
Arkansas
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1991
California
California
State, district, or territory
California
Dance
West Coast Swing
Year adopted
1988
Square dance (Official folk dance)
Square dance (Official folk dance)
State, district, or territory
Square dance (Official folk dance)
Colorado
Colorado
State, district, or territory
Colorado
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1992
Connecticut
Connecticut
State, district, or territory
Connecticut
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1995
Delaware
Delaware
State, district, or territory
Delaware
Dance
None (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session)
District of Columbia
District of Columbia
State, district, or territory
District of Columbia
Dance
Hand dancing
Year adopted
1999
Georgia
Georgia
State, district, or territory
Georgia
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1996
Hawaii
Hawaii
State, district, or territory
Hawaii
Dance
Hula
Year adopted
1999
Idaho
Idaho
State, district, or territory
Idaho
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1989
Illinois
Illinois
State, district, or territory
Illinois
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1990
Kentucky
Kentucky
State, district, or territory
Kentucky
Dance
Clogging
Year adopted
2006
Louisiana
Louisiana
State, district, or territory
Louisiana
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1999
Maryland
Maryland
State, district, or territory
Maryland
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1994
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
State, district, or territory
Massachusetts
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1990
Minnesota
Minnesota
State, district, or territory
Minnesota
Dance
None (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994)
Mississippi
Mississippi
State, district, or territory
Mississippi
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1995
Missouri
Missouri
State, district, or territory
Missouri
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1995
Nebraska
Nebraska
State, district, or territory
Nebraska
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1997
New Jersey
New Jersey
State, district, or territory
New Jersey
Dance
Square dance (Official folk dance)
Year adopted
1983
North Carolina
North Carolina
State, district, or territory
North Carolina
Dance
Clogging (Official folk dance)
Year adopted
2005
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
State, district, or territory
Carolina shag (Official popular dance)
North Dakota
North Dakota
State, district, or territory
North Dakota
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1995
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
State, district, or territory
Oklahoma
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1988
Oregon
Oregon
State, district, or territory
Oregon
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1977
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
State, district, or territory
Pennsylvania
Dance
Polka
Year adopted
1990
South Carolina
South Carolina
State, district, or territory
South Carolina
Dance
Square dance (State American Folk Dance)
Year adopted
1994
The Shag
The Shag
State, district, or territory
The Shag
Dance
1984
Tennessee
Tennessee
State, district, or territory
Tennessee
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1980
Texas
Texas
State, district, or territory
Texas
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1994
Utah
Utah
State, district, or territory
Utah
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1994
Virginia
Virginia
State, district, or territory
Virginia
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
2011
Washington
Washington
State, district, or territory
Washington
Dance
Square dance
Year adopted
1979
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
State, district, or territory
Wisconsin
Dance
Polka
Year adopted
1993
| State, district, or territory | Dance | Year adopted | Ref. |
| Alabama | Square dance | 1981 | |
| Arkansas | Square dance | 1991 | |
| California | West Coast Swing | 1988 | |
| Square dance (Official folk dance) | |||
| Colorado | Square dance | 1992 | |
| Connecticut | Square dance | 1995 | |
| Delaware | None (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session) | ||
| District of Columbia | Hand dancing | 1999 | |
| Georgia | Square dance | 1996 | |
| Hawaii | Hula | 1999 | |
| Idaho | Square dance | 1989 | |
| Illinois | Square dance | 1990 | |
| Kentucky | Clogging | 2006 | |
| Louisiana | Square dance | 1999 | |
| Maryland | Square dance | 1994 | |
| Massachusetts | Square dance | 1990 | |
| Minnesota | None (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994) | ||
| Mississippi | Square dance | 1995 | |
| Missouri | Square dance | 1995 | |
| Nebraska | Square dance | 1997 | |
| New Jersey | Square dance (Official folk dance) | 1983 | |
| North Carolina | Clogging (Official folk dance) | 2005 | |
| Carolina shag (Official popular dance) | |||
| North Dakota | Square dance | 1995 | |
| Oklahoma | Square dance | 1988 | |
| Oregon | Square dance | 1977 | |
| Pennsylvania | Polka | 1990 | |
| South Carolina | Square dance (State American Folk Dance) | 1994 | |
| The Shag | 1984 | ||
| Tennessee | Square dance | 1980 | |
| Texas | Square dance | 1994 | |
| Utah | Square dance | 1994 | |
| Virginia | Square dance | 2011 | |
| Washington | Square dance | 1979 | |
| Wisconsin | Polka | 1993 |
References
- Official State Dances, NetState.com, accessed April 21, 2006.http://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_dances.htm
- Associated Presshttps://web.archive.org/web/20220813122535/https://apnews.com/article/fc13cfcfd440118a481e9ba345c69933
- Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honorshttps://web.archive.org/web/20080110063739/http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_dance.html
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ar_square_dance.htm
- The California State Libraryhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190105214315/http://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/state-symbols/
- NETSTATE.COMhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ca_swing_dance.htm
- archives.colorado.govhttps://archives.colorado.gov/collections/symbols-emblems
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ct_square_dance.htm
- Title 29. State Government: General Provisionshttps://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c003/index.html
- DelawareOnlinehttps://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/08/bill-would-establish-maypole-official-dance-delaware/589777002/
- DCisthttps://dcist.com/story/10/08/27/what-the-heck-is-hand-dancing/
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ga_square_dance.htm
- capitol.hawaii.govhttps://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol01_Ch0001-0042F/HRS0005/HRS_0005-0021.htm
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/id_square_dance.htm
- State Symbolshttp://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/symbols/dance.html
- "Kentucky State Symbols"https://web.archive.org/web/20110128223448/http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm
- "Kentucky Revised Statutes 2.101"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/KRS/2/101
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/la_square_dance.htm
- msa.maryland.govhttps://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/folk.html
- Folk dance of the Commonwealth, General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 2, Section 32.http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/2-32.htm
- Citizen Information Servicehttp://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1a.htm
- www.leg.mn.govhttps://www.leg.mn.gov/leg/unsym
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_dances.htm
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/mo_square_dance.htm
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ne_square_dance.htm
- The Official Web Site for The State of New Jerseyhttp://www.state.nj.us/njfacts/dance.htm
- North Carolina State Libraryhttps://web.archive.org/web/20080206210322/http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM#dances
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/nd_square_dance.htm
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ok_square_dance.htm
- "Square Dance"http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Oregon/StateDanceSquare.html
- The State Folk Dance - The Square Dancehttps://web.archive.org/web/20080315152640/http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/square.htm
- The State Dance - The Shaghttps://web.archive.org/web/20080318235030/http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/shag.htm
- www.netstate.comhttps://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/tn_square_dance.htm
- "Texas Legislature Online - 72(R) History for HCR 153"http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=72R&Bill=HCR153
- Utah State Folk Dance - Square Dance Archived 2012-09-04 at the Wayback Machine from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer - Utah'shttp://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_symbols/dance.html
- "Virginia Emblems And Designations"https://web.archive.org/web/20121016202857/http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101%2Bful%2BHB1082%2F
- "Symbols of Washington State"https://web.archive.org/web/20070305110012/http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/
- "Wis. Stat. § 1.10(2)"http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/1/10