This file includes Parties, Proms and Hops, couples dancing and, dancing as a metaphor.
Tap, ballet, etc. are in Performing Arts.
Also see Dance Song Titles and Music.
(Lord Byron)
On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;
No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
(John Michael Montgomery)
Life's a dance you learn as you go,
sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow;
don't worry 'bout what you don't know.
Life's a dance you learn as you go.
Dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never get hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
Live like there's heaven on earth.
"There is a time for everything
and a season for every activity under the heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die . . .
. . . a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance . . ."
Square Dancing is the folk dance of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
Square dancing is the official state dance of Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia.
A few states have a state dance in addition to having Square Dance as their folk dance. This includes: California - West Coast Swing; Delaware - Maypole Dance; Kentucky - Clogging, North Carolina - Carolina Shag; South Carolina - Carolina Shag; and Texas - Texas Two-Step.
Other state dances include: Hawaii - Hula; New York - Lindy Hop; North Carolina - Carolina Shag; North Carolina (folk dance) - Clogging; Ohio - Charleston; Pennsylvania - Polka; South Carolina - Carolina Shag, Wisconsin - Polka and Wisconsin (waltz) - The Wisconsin Waltz.
North Carolina has clogging as their state folk dance. South Carolina is the only state I know of that has three state dances; In addition to the state dance and folk dance listed above, they have a state waltz - The Richardson Waltz
As of 2021 these eleven states do not have a state dance: Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wyoming. There are groups in various states promoting the idea of a state dance - including a group of polka enthusiasts in Kansas.
Square Dancing is the official National Dance. Square Dance enthusiasts are trying to get Square Dancing recognized as the official dance or folk dance in all fifty states.
(Compiled by Denny Davis - see note at end of list)
A - Achy Breaky, Aerobic Dancing, Alamo Shuffle, Applejack, Arizona Strut, Arkansas Traveler, Atlanta Reel, Austin Cha Cha
B - Ballet, Ballroom Dancing, Barefootin', Barn Dance, B-Bop Swing, Beguine, Belly Dancing, Big Apple, Black Bottom, Bolero, Boogie Woogie, Boot Scootin' Boogie, Bop, Bossa Nova, Breakdancing, Bounce, Bump, Bunny Hop
C - Cajun Two Step, Cakewalk, California Two Step, Calypso, Can-can, Carolina Shag, Cha cha, Charleston, Charleston Strut, Chicken Dance, Circle Dance, Clogging, Conga Line, Continental, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Country Two Step, Cowboy Hustle, Country Jazz
D - Dakota Shuffle, Daytona Slide, Denver Waltz, Dixie Belle Stomp, Dog, Double Barrel Shotgun, Down and Out, Dune Buggy Boogie
E - East Coast Swing, Egyptian, Electric Horseman, Electric Slide, English Tango, Eternity Waltz
F - Fandango, Farmer's Quadrille, First Chance Waltz, Flemenco, Florida Barefootin', Folk Dance, Foxtrot, Freeze, Frug, Funky Twist
G - Galop, Gatlin Boogie, Gavotte, Georgia Stomp, Go-Go, Good Timin', Grand Duchess Hustle, Grand Slam, Grundy Gallop
H - Hand Jive, Hanky Panky, Hesitation Waltz, Hip Hop, Hillbilly Rock, Hitch Hike, Hokey Pokey, Honky Tonk, Hop, Hoochie-Koo, Hora, Houston Slide, Hucklebuck, Hula, Hully Gully, Hustle
I - In Cahoot Scoot, In Line Waltz, Indian Summer Shuffle, Indigo Shuffle, Inspiration Cha Cha, Irish Jig
J - Jazz, Jazz Jive, Jellyroll Jive, Jerk, Jig, Jitterbug, Jitterbug Stroll, Jive, Jukebox Jive, Jump Start
K - Kansas Kicker, Kansas City Stomp, Kentucky Shuffle, Kick Start, Kickin' Up Dust, Kokomo Stomp
L - Lambada, Latin Hustle, Las Vegas Strut, Last Call, Liberty Hip Hop, Limbo, Limbo Rock, Lindy Hop, Line Dance, Line Dance Boogie, Little Rock Waltz, Locomotion, Lonestar Shuffle
M - Macarena, Madison, Mambo, Mashed Potato, Maypole Dance, Mexican Hat Dance, Minuet, Minute Waltz, Modern Jive, Monkey, Monster Mash, Montana Stomp, Monterey Shuffle, Moonwalk, Moshing
N - Nantucket Sleigh Ride, Nashville Kick, New Orleans Bump, New York Hustle, Newport Tango, Night Shift Boogie
O - Oak Leaf Shuffle, Oklahoma Shag, Oklahoma Shuffle, One Step, One Step Forward, Opry Strut, Outlaw Polka, Outlaw Waltz
P - Peace Train, Polka, Pony, Pony Express, Prairie Strut, Psychabilly Boogie, Punxsutawney Promenade, Push, Pussy Footin'
Q - Quadrille, Quick 'n' Slow, Quicksand, Quicksilver Reel, Quickstep, Quittin' Time, Quo Shuffle
R - Rag Time, Ramble, Red Hot Salsa, Reel, Reggae, Reggae Cowboy, Rhumba, Rock and Roll, Rodeo Rock, Round Dance, Rumba, Runaway Train
S - Salsa, Samba, Schottische, Second Avenue Stroll, Shag, Shake, Shake a Tail Feather, Shimmy, Shuffle, Sidekick, Sidesteppin' Boogie, Slide, Square Dance, State Line Waltz, Stepping Out, Striptease, Stomp, Stroll, Strut, SuzieQ, Swim, Swing
T - Tango, Tap Dance, Tennessee Line, Tennessee Twister, Tequila Cha Cha, Texas Barefootin', Texas County Line, Texas Two Step, Texas Stomp, Toe/Heel Boogie, Tulsa Shuffle, Tumbleweed, Tush Push, Twine, Twist, Two Step
U - Uh Oh, Under Wraps, Unwound, Up Close and Personal, Uptown Rock
V - Valentine Waltz, Vancouver Boogie, Vegas Slide, Viennese Waltz, Virginia Reel
W - Walk Away Waltz, Waltz, Waltz Across Texas, Watermelon Crawl, Watusi, West Coast Swing, Western Barn Dance, Western Promenade, Western Square Dance, Western Swing, Whip, Whiplash, Wooly Bully
X - Xanadu, X-Citation, Xerxes Reel, XLR8, X-Roads
Y - Ya'll Come Two-Step, Yankee Turnabout, Yellow Rose Waltz
Z - ZigZag ChaCha, Zombie, Zuma Zoom, Zydeco Lady, Zydeco Stars, ZZ Swing
(I am looking for names of dances in the USA since 1950. Until I find dances for some of the letters I am using line-dances. If any one has suggestions--other than more line dances--please let me know.)
Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down,
don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly,
when you ask "How are you",
do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You better slow down,
don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child,
we'll do it tomorrow,
and in your haste,
not seen his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
let a good friendship die,
'cause you never had time to call and say "hi".
You better slow down,
don't dance so fast,
time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it is like and unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race,
so take it slower,
hear the music before the song is over.
(Anne Murray)
I'll always remember the song they were playing
The first time we danced and I knew
As we swayed to the music and held to each other
I fell in love with you.
Could I have this dance for the rest of my life
Could you be my partner every night?
When we're together it feels so right.
Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?
I'll always remember that magic moment
When I held you close to me.
As we moved together I knew forever
You're all I'll ever need.
(Lee Ann Womack, featuring Sons of the Desert; written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers. © Choice Is Tragic Music/Soda Creek Songs/Ensign Music/MCA Music Publishing.)
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger.
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed.
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me you'll give fate a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking.
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making.
Don't let some hell-bent heart
Leave you bitter.
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider.
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance.
Note: This makes great background music for a slideshow of family photos. I made one using photos that matched some of the lyrics and ended with photos of my father dancing with each of my granddaughters at a family wedding.
(Garth Brooks, written by Tony Arata)
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared 'neath the stars alone.
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye.
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance.
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I a king.
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have chanced it all.
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance.
(George Strait)
I don't want to be the kind to hesitate
Be too shy, wait too late.
I don't care what they say other lovers do
I just want to dance with you.
I got a feeling that you have a heart like mine
So let it show, let it shine.
If we have a chance to make one heart of two
Then I just want to dance with you.
chorus:
I want to dance with you
Twirl you all around the floor.
That's what they intended dancing for.
I just want to dance with you.
I want to dance with you
Hold you in my arms once more.
That's what they invented dancing for.
I just want to dance with you.
I caught you lookin' at me
When I looked at you.
Yes I did, ain't that true?
You won't get embarrassed by the things I do
I just want to dance with you.
Oh the boys are playing softly
And the girls are too.
So am I and so are you.
If this was a movie we'd be right on cue
I just want to dance with you.
(repeat chorus)
(Billy Bland, words and music by Henry Glover and Carl Spencer)
Let the little girl dance,
let the little girl dance
She never danced before
so let her on the floor.
Let the little girl dance,
let the little girl dance
She wants to give it a try,
so let the little girl by.
She's been a little wallflower on the shelf,
standing by herself.
Now she got the nerve to take a chance,
so let the little girl dance.
Let the little girl through,
she wants to pass by you.
Buddy, can't you see
she wants to dance with me.
Let the little girl dance.
Put some balloon stickers in the top left corner and draw strings on them. Beside the balloons print the words "party til . . ."
Starting in the lower right corner print the words ". . . the cows come home". The words should extend about 2/3 of the way across the page.
Where the words end put a cow die-cut or stickers. Put more balloons above the cow and draw strings so it looks like they are tied to the cow's tail.
(Shel Silverstein)
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a looney-gooney dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
It's always a party
When my friends are here.
We don't need streamers
Or balloons floating near.
'Cuz when we're together,
There's fun everywhere.
Our dreams are confetti
Tossed high in the air.
I used bright colors on black pages . . . with two used Gold or Silver letters. One prom was "Romance in the Tropics" so I used leftover stickers and palm tree die-cuts from Tropical Pack. With another I used multi-colored ABC stickers.
1) Lay a black page on top of a white page.
2) Cut the black page down the center from the top about 5".
3) Fold each side of the black page down to make the lapel.
4) Use photo tape to tape the sides and bottom of the black page to seal the pocket.
5) Use 3 or 4 button stickers down the front of the jacket (or thin real buttons).
6) Use paper to make a black square "pocket" and a triangle of paper for the hanky in the pocket!