Community square dances are attended by young and old, couples and singles, and anyone interested in getting out, moving, listening to live music, and enjoying fellowship with others in the community. Beginners welcome!
Hart Square Foundation is dedicated to preserving history and sharing traditional arts with our community. With a shared passion for folk dancing and folk music rooted in the traditions of Appalachia, Hart Square Foundation and Hickory Music Factory teamed up to share these traditional arts through the launch of a community square dance series at Hart Square Village.
Hart Square Foundation consulted with Phil Jameson for guidance in developing a dance curriculum that is reflective of the historical forms of dance that are native to our region. Phil has done extensive research in the area of Appalachian dance. He taught traditional music and dance at Warren Wilson College, served as the coordinator of the Old-Time Music and Dance Week at the Swannanoa Gathering for 25 years, and authored the book “Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance.”
Hart Square’s community square dance program launched in January 2024 with monthly intergenerational dances that take place in the Great Hall of the Sigmon Family Education Center. This program primarily draws upon the traditional social dances of America, which are taught by a professional caller and danced to live music provided by the Hickory Music Factory’s “Old-Time String Band.” Guests are invited to journey into the past to learn square dances that were historically practiced in southern Appalachia the last Tuesday of every month from 6pm to 8pm at Hart Square Village.
