{"id":270372,"date":"2022-06-01T12:53:08","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T19:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/?p=270372"},"modified":"2024-08-01T13:00:01","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T20:00:01","slug":"learn-to-square-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/resources\/learn-to-square-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Put on Your Dancing Shoes and Learn to Square Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image by box_fox55 from Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dancing has been part of how humans express themselves for centuries, and it’s still used to strengthen and celebrate communities all over the world today. Different dances may be used to share emotions or as part of important cultural traditions. One form of dancing that’s part of American culture is square dancing, which has been practiced during celebrations and social gatherings for generations. Square dancing is an amalgamation of steps and music from cultures all over the world, coming together in a melting pot of movement that mirrors American culture itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

History of Square Dancing<\/h2>\n

The roots of square dancing can be traced back to at least the 17th century, when communal dances such as the English Morris dance and the French quadrille were popular. The quadrille was danced by at least four couples in a square or rectangle, giving modern square dancing its shape. In America, the quadrille blended with English, Irish, and Scottish dances as well as the music and dances of Native Americans and enslaved people. Black Americans were the first to begin calling out the steps to guide dancers, and this became a key element of square dancing. Many Americans today are familiar with the basics of square dancing thanks to the efforts of Lloyd Shaw, an educator in the 1930s and 1940s who led a nationwide push to include square dancing in school curricula in order to help preserve this piece of American culture. Today, this historical dance form is still practiced and enjoyed by people all over the country.<\/span><\/p>\n