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.<ref>[http://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_dances.htm Official State Dances], ''NetState.com'', accessed April 21, 2006.</ref>

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.<ref name="AP Square">{{cite news |last1=Sampson |first1=Pamela |title=Critics Claim Square Dance Conspiracy Confuses Culture with Hobby |url=https://apnews.com/article/fc13cfcfd440118a481e9ba345c69933 |access-date=October 11, 2021 |work=Associated Press |date=October 22, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813122535/https://apnews.com/article/fc13cfcfd440118a481e9ba345c69933 |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref> {{TOC right}}

==Table== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! State, district,<br /> or territory !! Dance!! Year adopted !{{Reference column heading}} |- | Alabama || Square dance || 1981 |<ref>{{cite web|date=2001-07-12|title=Official American Folk Dance of Alabama|url=http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_dance.html|access-date=2007-03-18|work=Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors|publisher=Alabama Department of Archives & History|archive-date=2008-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110063739/http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_dance.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | Arkansas || Square dance || 1991 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ar_square_dance.htm|title=Arkansas American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" | California || West Coast Swing ||rowspan="2" | 1988 | rowspan="2" |<ref name="CA">{{cite web|year=2007|title=History and Culture - State Symbols|url=http://www.library.ca.gov/history/symbols.html|access-date=2008-03-31|work=The California State Library|publisher=State of California|archive-date=2019-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105214315/http://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/state-symbols/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=California State Dance|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ca_swing_dance.htm|access-date=12 July 2021|website=NETSTATE.COM|publisher=NSTATE, LLC}}</ref> |- || Square dance (Official folk dance) |- | Colorado || Square dance ||1992 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archives.colorado.gov/collections/symbols-emblems|title=Symbols & Emblems | Archives|website=archives.colorado.gov}}</ref> |- | Connecticut || Square dance || 1995 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ct_square_dance.htm|title=Connecticut State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Delaware || None (Maypole proposed in 2016–2017 legislative session) || |<ref>{{citation|title=Title 29. State Government: General Provisions|chapter-url=https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c003/index.html|chapter=Chapter3. State Seal, Song, and Symbols|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Goss|first=Scott|title=Delaware looks to get in on maypole dancing craze (a few centuries late)|date=May 8, 2018|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/08/bill-would-establish-maypole-official-dance-delaware/589777002/|work=DelawareOnline|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> |- |District of Columbia |Hand dancing |1999 |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Austermuhle|first=Martin|date=August 27, 2010|title=What the Heck Is Hand Dancing?|url=https://dcist.com/story/10/08/27/what-the-heck-is-hand-dancing/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-09|website=DCist|language=en|archive-date=2021-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011063709/https://dcist.com/story/10/08/27/what-the-heck-is-hand-dancing/}}</ref> |- | Georgia || Square dance || 1996 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ga_square_dance.htm|title=Georgia State Folk Dance, Square Dancing, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Hawaii || Hula || 1999 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=State dance |url=https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol01_Ch0001-0042F/HRS0005/HRS_0005-0021.htm |access-date=17 Oct 2025 |website=capitol.hawaii.gov}}</ref> |- | Idaho || Square dance ||1989 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/id_square_dance.htm|title=Idaho State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Illinois || Square dance || 1990 |<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/symbols/dance.html|title=Illinois official Dance|work=State Symbols|publisher=Illinois State museum}}</ref> |- | Kentucky || Clogging || 2006 |<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm |title=Kentucky State Symbols |publisher=Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives |date=2007-03-30 |access-date=2007-07-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128223448/http://kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm |archive-date=2011-01-28 }}</ref><ref name="KRS 2.101">{{cite web|url=https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/KRS/2/101 |title=Kentucky Revised Statutes 2.101 | access-date=May 29, 2025}}</ref> |- | Louisiana || Square dance || 1999 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/la_square_dance.htm|title=Louisiana State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Maryland || Square dance || 1994 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/folk.html|title=Square Dance, Maryland State Folk Dance|website=msa.maryland.gov}}</ref> |- | Massachusetts || Square dance || 1990 |<ref>[http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/2-32.htm Folk dance of the Commonwealth], General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 2, Section 32.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cismaf/mf1a.htm |title=State Symbols |access-date=2007-03-18 |work=Citizen Information Service |publisher=Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts}}</ref> |- | Minnesota || None (Square dance was proposed in 1992 and 1994) ||| |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious State Symbols - Minnesota |url=https://www.leg.mn.gov/leg/unsym |website=www.leg.mn.gov}}</ref> |- | Mississippi || Square dance || 1995 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_dances.htm|title=Official State Dances from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Missouri || Square dance ||1995 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/mo_square_dance.htm|title=Missouri State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Nebraska || Square dance ||1997 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ne_square_dance.htm|title=Nebraska State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | New Jersey || Square dance (Official folk dance)||1983 |<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.state.nj.us/njfacts/dance.htm | title=New Jersey's State Dance| publisher=The State of New Jersey | work=The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey | access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" | North Carolina || Clogging (Official folk dance)|| rowspan="2" | 2005 |<ref name=NC>{{cite web | title= Official State Symbols of North Carolina | publisher= State of North Carolina | url= http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM#dances | work= North Carolina State Library | access-date= 2008-01-26 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080206210322/http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM#dances | archive-date= 2008-02-06 | url-status= dead }}</ref> |- || Carolina shag (Official popular dance) | |- | North Dakota || Square dance ||1995 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/nd_square_dance.htm|title=North Dakota State American Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Oklahoma || Square dance ||1988 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/ok_square_dance.htm|title=Oklahoma State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Oregon || Square dance ||1977 |<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Oregon/StateDanceSquare.html|title=Square Dance|date=8 October 2014 }}</ref> |- | Pennsylvania ||Polka ||1990 |- | rowspan="2"| South Carolina|| Square dance (State American Folk Dance) |1994 |<ref>{{cite web |title=SC Statehouse Students' web page, ''The State Folk Dance - The Square Dance'' |url=http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/square.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315152640/http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/square.htm  |archive-date=2008-03-15 |access-date=2008-03-31 |publisher=South Carolina General Assembly}}</ref> |- |The Shag |1984 |<ref>{{cite web |title=SC Statehouse Students' web page, ''The State Dance - The Shag'' |url=http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/shag.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318235030/http://www.scstatehouse.net/studentpage/shag.htm  |archive-date=2008-03-18 |access-date=2008-03-31 |publisher=South Carolina General Assembly}} </ref> |- | Tennessee || Square dance ||1980 |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/dances/tn_square_dance.htm|title=Tennessee State Folk Dance, Square Dance, from NETSTATE.COM|website=www.netstate.com}}</ref> |- | Texas || Square dance || 1994 |<ref>{{cite web | title= Texas Legislature Online - 72(R) History for HCR 153 | publisher = Texas State Legislature | url= http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=72R&Bill=HCR153 | access-date= 2013-09-09}}</ref> |- | Utah || Square dance ||1994 |<ref>[http://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_symbols/dance.html Utah State Folk Dance - Square Dance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904114134/http://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_symbols/dance.html |date=2012-09-04 }} from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer - Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on 2008-09-08</ref> |- | Virginia || Square dance || 2011 |<ref>{{cite web|title=Virginia Emblems And Designations |publisher=Virginia State Legislature |url=http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB1082/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016202857/http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101%2Bful%2BHB1082%2F |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-10-16 |access-date=2011-01-19 }}</ref> |- | Washington || Square dance || 1979 |<ref>{{cite web | title = Symbols of Washington State | publisher = Washington State Legislature | url = http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070305110012/http://www1.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/ | access-date = 2007-03-05 |archive-date=2007-03-05}}</ref> |- | Wisconsin || Polka || 1993 |<ref>{{cite web | title = Wis. Stat. § 1.10(2). | publisher = State of Wisconsin | url = http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/1/10 | access-date =2014-08-03}}</ref> |}

==See also== {{Portal|United States}} * Lists of U.S. state insignia * Flags of the U.S. states {{clear}}

== References == {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * "The State Folk Dance Conspiracy: Fabricating a National Folk Dance", originally published in ''Old-Time Herald'', v.4(7) pp. 9–12, Spring 1995. [https://juliannemangin.com/the-state-folk-dance-conspiracy/ The State Folk Dance Conspiracy: Fabricating a National Folk Dance] Accessed 8 Dec 2017

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dances}} .List U.S. state dances Category:Lists of United States state symbols