PRINTER'S NO. 1204
No. 1050 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY WOJNAROSKI, LEDERER, LAUGHLIN, CALTAGIRONE,
SOLOBAY, HERMAN, SHANER, WALKO, MARKOSEK, FICHTER, MELIO,
ORIE, CORRIGAN, FREEMAN, YUDICHAK, TRELLO, WOGAN, READSHAW,
WANSACZ, M. COHEN, YOUNGBLOOD, DALEY, BEBKO-JONES, PISTELLA,
C. WILLIAMS, ROBERTS, KELLER, MARSICO, SAYLOR, GEORGE, CURRY,
CAWLEY, STABACK, GRUCELA, JOSEPHS AND COSTA, MARCH 19, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 19, 2001
AN ACT
1 Designating the polka as the official dance of Pennsylvania; and
2 designating the square dance as the official American folk
3 dance of Pennsylvania.
4 WHEREAS, The polka has become an important part of 20th
5 century American and Pennsylvania culture; and
6 WHEREAS, The polka is a product of the millions of Eastern
7 European immigrants that migrated to Pennsylvania; and
8 WHEREAS, The polka has been a popular dance and form of
9 cultural expression in Pennsylvania since the 1920's; and
10 WHEREAS, The Pittsburgh Polka helped inspire western
11 Pennsylvania's own Pittsburgh Steelers to win four NFL Super
12 Bowls in the 1970's; and
13 WHEREAS, The "Pennsylvania Polka" is one of the most well-
14 known polkas heard throughout the United States; and
15 WHEREAS, The polka continues to be an important aspect of
16 Polish-American and other Eastern European cultures; and
1 WHEREAS, The polka remains a popular dance and entertainment
2 form among the citizens of this Commonwealth today; and
3 WHEREAS, Square dance is in itself representative of the
4 melting pot of our nation having been brought to this country by
5 our pioneers; and
6 WHEREAS, The ancestry of American square dance can be traced
7 as far back as 1450, as shown by its genealogical history, and
8 includes a multitude of dance forms from England, Germany,
9 Poland, Ireland, Scotland and Mexico; and
10 WHEREAS, Records in American history from 1651 show American
11 square dance has been danced through the years dating back to
12 the days of our first settlers; and
13 WHEREAS, Square dance offers fun and fellowship to both young
14 and old as well as the handicapped, with no restrictions as to
15 race, color or creed; and
16 WHEREAS, Due to the popularity of American square dance,
17 Square Dance Federations have been formed in every state in the
18 United States and in most foreign countries; and
19 WHEREAS, Square dance is the American folk dance which
20 includes squares, rounds, contra, clogging, country western and
21 line dancing; and
22 WHEREAS, Since 1951 square dance enthusiasts have joined
23 together for a National Square and Round Dance Convention; and
24 WHEREAS, Since 1994 the Pennsylvania Square and Round Dance
25 Federation has sponsored annual State Square and Round Dance
26 Conventions in this Commonwealth.
27 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
28 hereby enacts as follows:
29 Section 1. Designation of official dance of Pennsylvania.
30 The polka is hereby selected, designated and adopted in
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1 perpetuity as the official dance of this Commonwealth and added
2 to the array of official symbols of our Commonwealth.
3 Section 2. Designation of official American folk dance of
4 Pennsylvania.
5 The square dance is hereby selected, designated and adopted
6 in perpetuity as the official American folk dance of this
7 Commonwealth and added to the array of symbols of our
8 Commonwealth.
9 Section 3. Effective date.
10 This act shall take effect immediately.
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