barn dance

noun

: an American social dance originally held in a barn and featuring several dance forms (such as square dancing)

Examples of barn dance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Founded back in 1975, the longstanding not-for-profit organization has continued to build relationships and an appreciation of music through regular sing-arounds, barn dances and its annual Folk Music and Storytelling Festival. —David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025

The Grand Ole Opry House at 50 March 16 marks a half-century for the 99-year-old Grand Ole Opry program on 2804 Opryland Drive, its sixth home since the show was initially broadcast as a barn dance in 1925. —David Farré, The Tennessean, 9 Mar. 2024

In short, the 2024 Convention was a formidable exercise in party discipline: a calculated blend of lockstep and barn dance, such as the Democrats, right now, can only dream of. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024

Their light, harmony-laden fare evokes blue-sky airiness, front-porch pleasantries and all-ages barn dances. —Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2024

Barry explained that jigs were different than barn dances and peasant music, that music and dancing were the religion of their grandparents and that musicians played for the dancers. —Lori Nickel, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024

Here, rates include meals and all beverages; horseback riding; guided hiking, biking, and fly-fishing; kids' and teens' programs; evening barn dances and rodeos; and shuttle service to and from Steamboat Springs. —Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2023

Those instruments moved guitar music out of the parlor and onto the porch—and to the barn dance, the blues session, the bluegrass jam, the union rally, the coffeehouse, and the civil-rights protest—and what might be called the century of the guitar was under way. —Paul Elie, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022

This stunning spring treat is dressed up and ready to go to all your favorite places, whether that's a barn dance, a bridal shower, or just an extra special treat for friends. —Torie Cox, Country Living, 27 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for barn dance

• advance
• askance
• enhance
• expanse
• finance
• freelance
• mischance
• perchance
• romance
• chance
• glance
• hance