Colorado State Folk Dance

Square Dance

Adopted in 1992.

Introduced by House Bill No. 1058, the square dance was adopted by the Colorado General Assembly as the official state folk dance of Colorado on March 16, 1992. Square dancing is the American folk dance which traces its ancestry to the English country dance and the French ballroom dance, and which is called, cued, or prompted to the dancers and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, the Virginia Reel, and heritage dances.

Citation: House Bill 1058, 1992; Colorado Revised Statute 24-80-909.5.

Colorado State Folk Dance: Square Dance

Did you know that Colorado has a state folk dance? It's the Square Dance, and was designated by the Legislature in 1992. Square dancing, which is a dance where steps are called out by a caller, was especially popular in the 19th century, but continues to be practiced by many today. The best-known square dance is the Virginia Reel. Colorado children often learn to square dance as part of their 4th grade Colorado history studies.

According to the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Information Technologies:

"Square dancing is the American folk dance which traces its ancestry to the English country dance and the French ballroom dance, and which is called, cued, or prompted to the dancers and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, the Virginia Reel, and heritage dances."

Colorado Law

The law designating the square dancing, as the official Colorado state folk dance is found in the Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 24, Article 80, Part 9, Section 24-80-909.5.

TITLE 24. GOVERNMENT - STATE.
ARTICLE 80. STATE HISTORY, ARCHIVES, AND EMBLEMS.
PART 9. STATE EMBLEMS AND SYMBOLS

24-80-909.5. State folk dance. Square dancing, the American folk dance which traces its ancestry to the English country dance and the French ballroom dance, and which is called, cued, or prompted to the dancers and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, the Virginia reel, and heritage dances, is hereby made and declared to be the state folk dance of the state of Colorado.

Source: L. 92: Entire section added, p. 1072, § 2, effective March 16.
Annotations

Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 1992 act enacting this section, see section 1 of chapter 158, Session Laws of Colorado 1992.