Official State Dance???

[Vince A]

I have heard at least 10 times over the past few years, but now I see that's it's true . . .

http://www.streetswing.com/statednc.htm

[d nice]

In general I wouldn't necessarily believe something just because it is on streetswing.com. In this case though it is true. Swing (WCS) is the state dance.

[Porfirio Landeros]

I think our new Governor, Arnold, may be inclined to let us change the state dance to Viennese Waltz ;-)

[dancergal]

Hmmm a State dance that half the masses don't know what it is. Very curious how that was done. I find myself explaining to people what West Coast Swing dancing is. Occasionally, when we are out dancing locally at a nightclub and people come up to us after the dance is over and say. "Wow, you guys are great! What kind of dance are you doing?" Now we can tell them, "It's the State Dance." :D

[Vince A]

In general I wouldn't necessarily believe something just because it is on streetswing.com. In this case though it is true. Swing (WCS) is the state dance.
Because of its origin???

[d nice]

Sonny doesn't really put as much research into the non WCS areas. Some of it is woefully incorrect, and some of it is nothing but opinion presented as fact. His WCS info though tends to be pretty spot on.

This of course is to be expected he is a WCS dancer and his site is extremely broad in scope.

[Vince A]

I understand . . I would have suspected that the WCS was his primary dance of choice???

[jon]

Swing (WCS) is the state dance. Because of its origin???

Bcause a special interest group complained enough to get state legislators to do it. Same as for most of the other state symbols (http://www.library.ca.gov/history/cahinsig.cfm). These designations serve no purpose other than pacifying small vocal groups and wasting taxpayer money.

One of the silliest is the coordinated multiyear campaign by Modern Western Square Dancers leading to "square dancing" (defined extremely vaguely) being recognized as the "state folk dance" of many US states.

[Vince A]

Thanks jon . . . so that's where all my tax $$$ are going???

[jon]

Thanks jon . . . so that's where all my tax $$$ are going???

Well, that and making up for Prop. 13 :-)

[Vince A]

It's always been Proposition 13 . . .

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Florida doesn't have a state dance listed. I wonder what other states do?

[NeoDevin]

I didn't know states had official dances. Learn something new every day

[SDsalsaguy]

I didn't know states had official dances. Learn something new every day
I think it is sort of like snack foods... some states have official ones (yes, its true! :shock:) while others do not. Same with official state dances...

[wedance]

Hmm. Florida doesn't have a state dance listed. I wonder what other states do?

[Sagitta]

Welcome wedance! For a moment I was wondering what was going on :? and then read the subject line. If we talk of swing I've often heard of the Carolina Shag, so I guess it fits for South Carolina's State dance. I'm correct, I hope! Am I? That is shag is a regional swing dance?

What sort of dances are you into? Social/Competitive dancing?

[Sagitta]

Texas: Two-Step or Texas Two-Step

Maryland: Modern Western Square Dancing

Wisconsin: Polka

Pennyslvannia State Dance: They can't decide!! :shock: :) To polka or square dance in Pa? (http://www.yorksundaynews.com/Stories/0,1413,137~10047~1800081,00.html) says the headlines!

[wedance]

I'm a social dancer. WCS, Shag, Hustle, Cha-Cha are my favorites.

I also Co-Direct a weekend event every year in Gatlinburg, TN for 800 dancers.

How about you?

[Sagitta]

TN / GA?

I'm a social dancer too, though I'm considering joining the university team where I am as I sometimes feel I'm not progressing along as fast as I want to! I started out doing swing last year, learning first ECS/jump swing and then a little lindy, and even taking a basics WCS class. Then as I started trying out ballroom and latin dancing I found that I wasn't making as much progress as I wanted in latin due to swing. So, I do mostly ballroom and latin now, spending most of my time on salsa currently!

[wedance]

I grew up in the Bronx and dated and married a PR gal so our first dance was Salsa.

When we moved to GA, many years later and started WCS, the same happened to us. Everytime we tried doing Salsa, we wound up doing swing.

Gatlinburg is about 4 hours from Atlanta/Alpharetta in the Smoky mountains. A great draw for dancers.

[Sagitta]

So, you too have found the similiarity between swing and salsa an issue! Do you not do salsa as much just because it isn't popular where you are?

[wedance]

Actually, once we mastered WCS we were able to change dances as the music changed.

Salsa is getting very popular in Atlanta, but the clubs don't get going till 11PM. We plan to start going to the Salsa clubs again this month. We love the dance and the music, also Merengue. By the way, you can very easily do WCS to Merengue music.

Most people look at you like you're from another planet, but it works. The merengue can tire you out easier than WCS.

[Sagitta]

I actually remember a thread(s) somewhere in the forums about mixing dance styles to music. Hmm...when I learn WCS I will definitely try that out. Anyway, thanks for filling us in on your doings. Now getting back to the topic of this thread, do you happen to know if GA, TN or NY have state dances?

[wedance]

I only knew of Cal and SC.

[pygmalion]

Georgia and Tennessee both square dance. New York -- no official dance listed. You must google, my friends. Google! :lol: :lol:

[pygmalion]

Sorry. Just read the rest of the thread. Yes, the shag is the South Carolina state dance. Adopted in 1984. You should try googling. Hmm. Is googling a word? Whatever. Google. Google. Try it. You'll like it. :lol:

[Swing Kitten]

... and become an addict! ... especially once you install the google toolbar!

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Looks like so far all the state dances are club/street dances. I wonder if any ballroom dance is a state's official dance. Not necessarily a US state -- some state in the world. Anybody know? I'm NOT going to google. I'm NOT going to google. :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

I'm NOT going to google. I'm NOT going to google. :lol:
Yeah. Sure. Right. :lol:

[pygmalion]

You know me too well. I confess. I googled. :oops: :lol:

Both Wisconsin and Oklahoma have state waltzes. But Wisconsin's official dance is the polka and Oklahoma also has an official folk dance. So I'm not sure if either counts.

This looks like a pretty intensive google project. Challenge! 8) :lol:

[pygmalion]

Oh, by the way, square dance is the dance of choice for a LOT of states.