Line dances are choreographed dances that individuals perform in rows and lines on the dance floor. A partner is not needed, which means anyone can participate.  The dancers perform the steps in unison and usually face the same direction at the same time. The Electric Slide, the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha Cha Slide, and the Wobble are the more well-known line dances and can be picked up easily by anyone at a party. People who line dance regularly require more of a challenge than the above mentioned dances.

 

 

Choreography

 

Dances can be any length but are generally made up of 32 or 64 counts. Steps performed in sequences of 8 beats. The steps are repeated throughout the dance. Many modern dances follow the phrasing of the music which means, for example, the dance may not be performed consecutively if the first verse is 32 counts and the second verse has 40 counts. The dancer would perform 8 counts and then begin the dance again with the first eight counts. This is called a restart. Or the choreographer may include 8 counts of steps which  may be entirely different from the main dance which is called a tag. Phrased dances required the dancer to be aware of changes in the music instead of performing same steps consecutively.

 

 

Walls

 

Line dances are categorized in many ways and one of them is by noting the number of walls the dance begins again after completing the sequence. In a one wall dance, the dance begins and ends facing the front wall. In a two wall dance the sequence begins in the front and ends in the back. In a four wall dance, the dance begins facing each direction of the room. This does not mean there are no other turns in the dance; however, the choreographer strategically designs the steps so they begin and end in a certain direction. 

 

 

Complexity

 

Dances are categorized by levels such as Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Beginner dances tend to be 32 counts or less. They don’t involve many turns, and if there is turning it is generally in one direction. In the dance for Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy by Big and Rich, each turn is a 90 degrees or a quarter turn left. Beginner dances tend to have one step per beat of music and involves steps such as walking forward or back or doing a grapevine. These dances are not likely to have tags or restarts to give the dancer something else to be concerned about.

As dances grow more complex there may be multiple turns either 180 degrees also called a half turn, 75 degrees also called a three-quarter turn, or 360 degrees also called a full turn. There could be syncopated beats which involve three steps per two beats of music and this may occur while turning. These dances could have one or multiple tags and restarts.

 

 

Music

 

Line dancers are often performed to country music though it is not limited to country music. There is even what is called Progressive Line Dancing that is danced various types of music such as pop and not to country music. Though if you visit the local country bar you will hear dances being performed to songs by pop artists such as Kelly Clarkson and Maroon Five. There are also dancers performed to songs by artists that are a blend of hip hop and country such as Colt Ford, the Lacs, and Mikel Knight. The songs are chosen by the choreographer or sometimes a dance instructor might match up the dance they like with a different song.

 

 

Dress

 

Regular line dancers don’t necessarily dress in Western wear. Most regulars, at least in South Florida, wear jeans or a comfortable dress and a top one would wear out on a Saturday night. Dancers vary in their shoes based on their preference. Many dancers wear dance boots which have a smooth bottom to that allows dancers to spin easily on the dance floor (as opposed to rubber soled riding boots that do not slide). Dancers may also wear ballroom shoes or dance sneakers. Some people wear cowboy hats for style (they also serve to block distracting flashing lights).

 

 

Where to Dance

 

Locations to dance can be varied. The obvious place would be country western bars, but line dance lessons can also take place at gyms, dance studios, churches, ballrooms, and restaurants looking to attract business. 

 

 

The Million Dollar Question

 

The question anyone asks if they spend just a half an hour in a country bar watching the dancers is,“How does everyone know what to do?” Line dancing can be intimidating to a newcomer who is observing a group of people who seem to know how to dance to every song that is played.

 

The answer is they attend dance classes and may even practice on their own at home. They have probably been attending classes for years and dance multiple nights a week.