Simp

le
Squa
re
Danc
e

Folk
Dance
Grade
Level:
Any
Time:
15-30
minute
s
Lesson
by
Claire
Dragini
s&
Haley
Steger

Overview
Students will learn basic square
dancing steps and use them in a
dance during class.

Objectives
1. Students will demonstrate
and use square dancing
steps.
2. Students will study cultural
aspects of American
Dance.

Activities/Procedures
1. Pair students, make groups
of four pairs.
2. Have students create the
square: one pair along
each side.
3. Begin teaching the
individual moves:
Honor your: Students
bow slightly to their
partner or the person they
share a corner with (the
corner).
Circle: Students join
hands, move around the
circle in the indicated
direction.
Do-si-do:
Partners face
Simple
Square Dance
each other and cross arms,
pass their partners right
shoulder, cross behind

Materials
Songs such as Cotton Eye Joe,
Ozark Rag, Red River Valley,
Darling Nellie Grey, etc.

Formations:
Circle, square

Questions to ask/discuss
1. Who has square danced in
the past?
2. What do you think of when
you think of square
dancing?