“Promenade Act” 

Square, Round, Contra, Line, Heritage dancers and Cloggers across the United States are encouraged to contact their congressman and congresswoman asking them to be a Co-sponsor of H.R. 645, also known as the “Promenade Act”.  The “Promenade Act” will permanently designate the Square Dance as the National Folk Dance of the United States of America

H.R. 645 was introduced in the 1^st Session of the 108^th Congress on February 5, 2003, to amend title 36, United States Code, designating the Square Dance as the National Folk Dance by U. S. Representative Ed Whitfield, 1^st District, Kentucky.  The Square Dance is a traditional form of family recreation and encompasses all age groups, including youth and the handicapable.  It is a healthy form of activity that exercises the body, heart and mind, and is a very politically correct activity.

The Square Dance is a great part of our American heritage and history that should be given official recognition by Congress.  There are thirty-one states that have passed legislation designating the Square Dance as their State Folk Dance: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

The Square Dance is recognized in all the free world today with many square dance groups in foreign countries as well: Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, Philippines, and many other countries, who with us, keep alive a heritage and tradition that predates the birth of this great Nation.

Members of the United Square Dancers of America’s Executive Committee recently walked the halls of the House and Senate Office Buildings in Washington D.C. discussing this legislation with various Congressional offices and staff members seeking their co-sponsorship of the “Promenade Act”.  In each case the response was very positive, raising the hopes for success.  If Square, Round, Contra, Line, Heritage Dancers and Cloggers from all across the United States MAKE A LOT OF NOISE by urging their Representatives to Co-Sponsor this legislation, the Square Dance will finally be permanently designated as the National Folk Dance of the United States of America.

If you have Internet access, go to the USDA home page at http://www.usda.org and click on the Folk Dance section.  There you can print an individual congressional letter, a group congressional letter and a signature petition form.  If you click here - and then enter your own zip code, it will connect you with your Congressperson.  Telephone calls also are effective and with Congressional mail now taking over a month to arrive, these other methods of communicating may be more effective.