Square Roots: Hopkins Area Children Learn About a Folk Tradition

Old-time music and enthusiastic shouts from young children filled the earlier this week as square dancers from across the Twin Cities shared their passion with Hopkins Kids and Company students.

Square Dance Federation of Minnesota members taught 60 second through sixth graders about do-si-dos, promenades and circles-to-the-left during an action-filled two hours.

But the lesson wasn’t just about the dance moves. It was a way for the youngest generation to learn about one of America’s oldest dance forms.

"They need to know the folk dance history, and this is the dance that originated in America," said Dee Scott, the federation's promotion director.