PRINTER'S NO. 584
No. 521 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY HABAY, M. N. WRIGHT, GIGLIOTTI, E. Z. TAYLOR,
ROBERTS, LEDERER, WOJNAROSKI, SCHULER, SAYLOR, TRELLO,
ROONEY, JOSEPHS AND SHANER, FEBRUARY 12, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 12, 1997
AN ACT
1 Proclaiming and designating the square dance as the official
2 American folk dance of this Commonwealth.
3 WHEREAS, Square dancing was truly the American dance
4 developing in this country as the country itself was progressing
5 and moving west; and
6 WHEREAS, Though the history of square dancing has gone
7 largely unrecorded, it began as it is today a fun folk dance
8 whose ancestry can be traced to four principal sources: the
9 calling and the timing came from the New England Quadrille, the
10 vigor and the fun came from the Kentucky Running Set, several of
11 the steps can be traced to Mexico and many figures can be traced
12 to European Folk Dances; and
13 WHEREAS, Modern square dancing has been a popular form of
14 entertainment in this Commonwealth for many years; and
15 WHEREAS, Due to the growing popularity of square dancing, a
16 State federation was formed to encourage and develop the art of
17 square dancing; and
1 WHEREAS, There are square dancing federations in every state
2 in the nation as well as the District of Columbia, Canada,
3 Mexico, Europe and Asia and for the past 46 years these dancing
4 enthusiasts have joined together during the National Square
5 Dance Convention; and
6 WHEREAS, Square dancing has become extremely popular with the
7 citizens of this Commonwealth.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Square dancing is hereby proclaimed, selected,
11 designated and adopted as the official American folk dance of
12 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
13 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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