Philly’s LGBTQ+ square dance group, Independence Squares, has a fresh take on an American pastime

Did you know that in the 1920s, Henry Ford was so afraid of the rise of jazz that he did everything he could to popularize square dancing, which he saw as a tool he could use to uphold a more “wholesome” America?

While his motivation was based on prejudice and antisemitism, there’s a group in Philly that is here to reclaim what a square dance group can look like. That group is called Independence Squares, and they’re a multi-generational, mixed-gender, all-are-welcome LGBTQ+ square dancing club.

“It was barely disguised bigotry,” Dave Blatt, the communications coordinator for the Independence Squares, said of Ford’s ties to square dancing. “I’m kind of pleased that maybe he wouldn’t like what he’s seeing here right now.”

Peg Wilsbach, an advanced/challenge rep with Independence Squares, agrees with him. “He could be do-si-doing in his grave, and that’s okay with us, because we are welcoming of everyone,” she said.

The club is proud to have created a more gender-neutral space, where they bend the rules of traditional square dancing by removing the need for moves specific to men and women.

For example, traditionally, the man in the partnering would stand on the left, while the woman stands on the right. The Independence Squares still dance in couples and groups, but dancers can choose which side to stand on. Attendees also do not need to arrive with a partner.

To get involved in the club, take a look at their schedule. The group meets throughout the year, and has open houses for new dancers once a month at 2111 Sansom St.