History of Square Dancing - THE SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN SQUARE AND ROUND DANCE ASSOCIATION (SEMA)

THE SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN SQUARE AND ROUND DANCE ASSOCIATION (SEMA)

History of square dancing:

The origins of Square dances can be traced back to steps and figures used in traditional folk dances and social dances from many countries. One of the earliest influences may have been the Morris dance, an English dance for six men involving a line formation and energetic steps. This dance is closely related to another ancestor of square dancing, English country dance, which included a variety of dances for groups of couples arranged in circles, lines, or squares. In 1651, John Playford published 105 of these dances in The English Dancing Master, eight of which are square dances exhibiting concepts still in use, such as the head couples performing an action and the side couples repeating it. Three of the dances, such as "Dull Sir John", specifically use the term square dance in the phrase, "A Square Dance for eight thus". In the early 1800s, English country dances merged with French dances to form the quadrille, a dance for four couples in a square. These dances further evolved in America, where they arrived with European settlers. After the American Revolution, the quadrille became especially popular. Quadrilles were originally danced from memorized steps and sequences, but eventually a caller began calling out the steps. This practice became common by the early 1900s and gave rise to the modern caller.

Between 1940 and 1960, modern western square dance evolved from the western style of traditional square dance that had formed in the United States. Traditional western square dancing was promoted beginning in the 1930s by Lloyd Shaw, who solicited definitions from callers across the country in order to preserve that dance form and make it available to other teachers. In addition, Henry Ford popularized square dancing, wanting to promote a wholesome social activity. Beginning in the early 1920s, he used his wealth to promote square dancing, through books and square dancing events. Ford also promoted square dance classes in public school, which were present in half of all American schools by 1928 as part of the standard physical education curriculum. Modern western square dance evolved in square dance events funded by Ford, using direction and guidance prepared by Colorado school superintendent Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw.
In the mid-1940s, square dancing was booming in popularity, especially after World War II. However, callers across different regions used different terminology for the same moves — or the same terms for different moves — creating confusion when dancers traveled or moved between clubs. There was a strong desire among leaders in the square dance community to bring some order to the chaos. Thus, a small group of influential callers gathered informally in a motel room in Santa Monica, California, in 1948. This meeting is widely recognized as a turning point in the standardization of square dance calls. These callers discussed the lack of consistency in square dance figures across regions, and began drafting a common vocabulary of calls, deciding what moves should be called and what each term meant. They focused on basic movements — ones that could be used widely and taught easily. This eventually led to the first standardized call lists, which could be used by clubs, teachers, and callers across the country. This standardized square dance activity is called "Modern Western Square Dancing."

Starting in the 1970s, many U.S. states adopted square dance as their state folk dance, the result of a campaign by square dancers to make it the national folk dance. In 1974, Callerlab, the International Association of Square Dance Callers, was founded to standardize square dance calls, improve caller education, and promote square dancing worldwide. Today, CALLERLAB still sets the global standards for Modern Western Square Dance, with international members and influence. It continues to publish and update the call lists and provides leadership in keeping the activity consistent and welcoming.