Washington State Folk Dance

Square Dancing was adopted as the Official Washington State Folk Dance on April 17, 1979. This dance form was brought with French immigrants in the form of the Quadrille, which means “square” in French. Pioneers adopted the simpler “Square” Dance as its official name, added their own form of music, and adapted the step patterns, and a new American form of dance was formed. Cite this…...

Illinois Art and Theatre Symbols

ContentsArt and Theatre Symbols of IllinoisItems of Interest for Illinois Theater Lovers Art and Theatre Symbols of Illinois Illinois State Folk DanceRead more about the origins of square dance and its adoption as the state dance.Source: Illinois State Museum Illinois State Poet LaureatesLearn about the history of the poet laureate position in Illinois, see a list of past laureates, and read about the present...

Hawaii State Dance

ContentsThe History of the HulaFrom Pacific Islander Americans and Native HawaiiansHawaii State Dance Hula became Hawaii’s official dance in 1999. Learn about the culture and history of ancient and modern hula.Source: Alternative Hawaii     The History of the Hula From Pacific Islander Americans and Native Hawaiians According to the City of Albuquerque, which has a significant pacific islander...

Shirley Temple Black

Born: April 23, 1928 – Santa Monica, California Born with the name Shirley Jane Temple, the talented singer and tap-dancer was perhaps the last child actress allowed to be a child. Her father was a bank teller and her mother a housewife, but Shirley Temple’s cheerful demeanor and bright smile were just what the doctor ordered for the depression sickened United States. Her cute lisp combined with a...

Contra Dancing

ContentsRelated LinksAccording to the Hamilton Country Dancers, an Arkansas dance group, Contra Dancing is a form of American folk dance in which the dancers form a set of two parallel lines which run the length of the hall. Each dance consists of a sequence of moves that ends with couples having progressed one position up or down the set. As the sequence is repeated, a couple will eventually dance with every...