Square dance Square dance A square dance is a dance for four couples (eight dancers in total) arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances were first documented in 16th-century England but were also quite common in France and throughout Europe. They came to North America with the European settlers and have undergone considerable development there. In some countries and regions, through preservation and repetition, square dances have attained the status of a folk dance. The Western American square dance may be the most widely known form worldwide, possibly due to its
Traditional square dance dance music tradition, which is based on Irish music but has evolved into a unique style. Cape Breton Island has a well-preserved style of dance music, based on Scottish fiddling. Square dance music was traditionally played on acoustic instruments, and in many places it still is. The fiddle is the most common lead instrument; other lead instruments, and instruments that carry the rhythm and harmony, vary by region. In areas that were settled by Europeans relatively early, such as New England and eastern Canada, the piano is the mainstay of square dance rhythm and chording. In the Southern United States