Did you know that September is National Square Dance Month!!!
It was suggested/created/established by Bob Osgood in his magazine “American Square Dance.” Pam Clasper did some research on this and provides this link to the original article suggesting it:
The Sets In Order magazine from the August 1969 mentions it on page 10. The full issue is available via the CALLERLAB KnowledgeBase at:
There was also a movement to have Square Dancing declared the National Folk Dance of the USA. Although this has not happened, However, there are twenty-four states that have declared it the State Folk Dance. These include:
Alabama Louisiana Oklahoma
Arkansas Maryland Oregon
California Massachusetts South Carolina
Colorado Mississippi Tennessee
Connecticut Missouri Texas
Georgia Nebraska Utah
Idaho New Jersey Virginia
Illinois North Dakota Washington
For more information on state dances see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_dances.
Maybe it is time that we consider a committee to pursue the idea of working to have Square Dancing officially declared the National Folk Dance and seek official government endorsement of September as National Square Dance Month.
For this year, let us make the focus of National Square Dance Month getting folks back on the dance floor as health and safety provisions permit. In saying this I want to remind everyone that it is absolutely critical that you strictly follow the official congregating guidelines of the area you live in.
In closing, please send the any historical or current information that relates to this news blast to Pam Clasper, Chair of the History Committee: pam@clasper.ca
Hoping we can all be out on the dance floor soon,
Stay safe, healthy, and happy,
Sincerely,
Harlan Kerr
Chair of the CALLERLAB Board of Governors