Arts4Freedom

Elevating voices through the arts

July 4 Dance

Freedom Will Not Be De-Feeted

CALLING ALL SOFT-SHOE & CLOG [wooden shoe] DANCERS

At high noon on July 4, 2026, Holland Zeeland Indivisible will celebrate democracy with a Soft-Shoe/Clogging Flash Mob danced around the fountain in Centennial Park, downtown Holland. For three minutes, a cohort of Soft-Shoe Dancers and Wooden Shoe Cloggers will shuffle/clog out an enthusiastic, rhythmic rendition of “You’re A Grand Old Flag,” accompanying themselves on kazoos. The event will be recorded, edited and distributed through HZ Indivisible and other social media platforms.  This site-specific community event will use dance to rhythmically, joyfully salute the American flag that represents all who live and believe in democracy. It celebrates the 250th anniversary of this great, fragile democratic republic, the patriotic indivisibility of our citizenry, and honors the flag that represents us, our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the courage required to uphold our democracy.

Local Professor Emeritus of Dance (Hope College) and choreographer M. Linda Graham will organize and oversee the rehearsals and presentation with the support of a volunteer team to record, edit, and distribute the event, sponsored by Holland Zeeland Indivisible.

What can you do?

Dancer requirements: 

  1. Provide own leather-soled soft-shoes/wooden shoes
  2. Provide own attire: comfortable red, white, and blue clothing that accommodates movement; attire should stylistically recall the 1960s/1970s 
  3. Commit to and attend all rehearsals/performance, including arriving on time, participating for the entire rehearsal and performance
  4. Willingly follow choreographic and performance instruction, constructively responding to correction & suggestion 

Soft-Shoe Dancer Rehearsals

  • Tuesday, June 30, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., location TBD
  • Thursday, July 2, 6 – 7 p.m., location TBD
  • Saturday, July 4, 11:00 – 11:30 a.m., Centennial Park

Clog Dancer Rehearsals

  • Tuesday, June 30, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., location TBD
  • Thursday, July 2, 6 – 7 p.m., location TBD
  • Saturday, July 4, 11:00 – 11:30 a.m., Centennial Park

Kazoos will be provided. A link to rehearsal videos of the dances (one for shufflers, one for cloggers) will be sent to all participants by Tuesday June 2, to enable preparation and practice. The [unlisted] videos will be provided via YouTube. Questions? Contact M. Linda Graham.

“Everyone can’t talk at the same time; that just creates bedlam. But everyone can dance at the same time, and studies show that when people dance together, they feel closer to each other.” – MaryLee Hardenberg

Arts4Freedom is designed to give voice through the arts to people of all ages to celebrate the experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the fabric of our nation. Free expression and independent thinking are both core to our American experience: We elevate both through this series of events.