Why did everyone do square dancing in middle school?

j · Jun 22, 2009

Can anyone explain to me how all these people I've met, from all over the US, had a "unit" of square dancing in middle and/or high school (in the 90s mostly)? How did all these schools decide to do this? Federal law? Massive PR campaign by the western wear industry? How the hell did this happen?

Douglas · Jun 22, 2009

I didn't do square dancing but we did that silly Moorish dancing I think it was called, with the sticks. I did go to an all-boys school though, which may have had an impact.

scarphe · Jun 22, 2009

a secret gay agenda

kwilkinson · Jun 22, 2009

I can honestly and happily say that no dancing of any kind was ever required of me.

Baron · Jun 22, 2009

I did it in 6th grade, which was elementary school. Now that you mention it, that's pretty weird. I lived in a beach town in Southern California. There were no cowboys in sight.

aging in rhythm · Jun 22, 2009

I had it in 5th grade. We danced to two songs off a dusty old LP that was at least 40 years old by then.

Cary Grant · Jun 22, 2009

You can thank Henry Ford (my grandparents square-danced).

Henry Ford and Benjamin Lovett

Henry Ford (1863-1947), who once worked for the Edison Illuminating Company (1891), in 1903 started the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford and his wife Clara Bryant loved to dance. Henry Ford began his search for someone to teach square dancing. In 1923, Mr. Ford purchased the Wayside Inn because of its beautiful ballroom. Shortly after purchasing the Wayside Inn, Mr. Ford found Benjamin Lovett (1876-1952) and his wife Charlotte L. Cooke. Henry Ford felt Benjamin Lovett to be the perfect teacher of "old fashion" dances, and in 1924 Benjamin Lovett began teaching classes for Mr. Ford, something that lasted over 20 years.

Mr. Ford decided he wanted a place to dance near his home, so in 1937 Lovett Hall was built as part of a building at the Edison Institute. The floor was made of Burmese teakwood with a spring board floor designed specifically for dancing, along with English Colonial furnishings and chandeliers. Square dancing, along with quadrilles, two-steps, waltzes, and other old fashion dances, became a part of life for Ford employees and school children across the United States. Ford and Lovett believed square dancing taught social training, courtesy, good citizenship, along with rhythm. They felt it should be a part of every school's teaching of physical education.

Around 1928, Boards of Education all over the United States endorsed their square dancing program. Almost half the public schools in America began teaching square dancing and other old fashion dancing. Not only was this great exercise, but Ford and Lovett felt square dancing corrected the missing fun and teamwork that one-on-one dance lacked. Ford and Lovett felt that having square dancing in schools would help train children in manners, courtesy, and social training, a quality Henry Ford wanted to see excel in people.

j · Jun 22, 2009

Originally Posted by Cary Grant

You can thank Henry Ford (my grandparents square-danced).
Aha, thanks! That explains it.

Ludeykrus · Jun 22, 2009

We had to do square dancing in middle school. Big surprise.

whodini · Jun 22, 2009

I definitely remember doing it in second grade as part of PE or something. Weird.

inosaris · Jun 22, 2009

This thread brings back memories. It wasn't too bad - no one took it seriously

ahjota · Jun 22, 2009

Yeah, we did square dancing in 3rd or 4th grade. Also learned the Electric Slide, the Achy Breaky Heart, and all those other godawful line dances.

Originally Posted by Douglas

I didn't do square dancing but we did that silly Moorish dancing I think it was called, with the sticks. I did go to an all-boys school though, which may have had an impact.
Tinikling? Hehehe... it's a Philippine dance, but I think it originated from the southern islands, which might be why you made the Moorish connection. I did that dance for about fifteen years. Amateur troupe.

whodini · Jun 23, 2009

Originally Posted by ahjota

Yeah, we did square dancing in 3rd or 4th grade. Also learned the Electric Slide, the Achy Breaky Heart, and all those other godawful line dances.

Yup... Wow.

Ludeykrus · Jun 23, 2009

Anyone do running in gym to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby"?

j · Jun 23, 2009

Originally Posted by Ludeykrus

Anyone do running in gym to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby"?
I remember running in PE to the Ghostbusters theme by Ray Parker Jr. when I was 5.

Why did everyone do square dancing in middle school?

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