How to Do Country Line Dances

Country line dancing is a fun and friendly activity. It promotes your health through movement, provides a great way to meet new people and offers a fun choice for hanging out with friends. One of the best things about line dancing is that you can share the dance floor with lots of other folks without feeling like you've been shoved into a cattle trailer with a herd of struggling livestock. Country line dancing lets you enjoy yourself in your own personal space, giving you the freedom to perform variations of popular dances without stepping on your neighbor's toes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Toe the line! Country line dancing is done on a smooth dance floor, usually wood or laminate. You'll want to get yourself a comfortable pair of boots with a slick sole for all that sliding and stomping. You're not limited to western-style boots, so browse local boot retailers until you find a pair that fits your personality. If you're going to go line dancing regularly, invest in a good pair of boots. You will be stomping, so consider shock-absorbing insoles to help prevent injury. A rubber-soled boot can be worn, but you will have to compensate for them during spins and slides.

2. Dress for success! Line dancing can be quite a workout. Dress in layers if possible so that you can adjust to breezy outdoor areas after hitching and turning yourself into a sweat. Most folks are happy to wear jeans and a tee shirt when they go dancing, but almost anything goes. Many clubs and bars are enforcing dress codes these days, so if you aren't sure, check their website or call them in advance to ask. Wearing a cowboy hat is fun, but it can get warm fast on the dance floor and they tend to get knocked off ladies' heads during underarm turns.

3. Learn a lesson! Many country bars and clubs offer line dance lessons during the week, generally in the early evening. The lessons not only teach you how to move with the rest of the dancers, they give you a chance to meet people! Frequently the club will instruct you in one line dance and one couples' dance per night. Couples lessons often involve rotating partners, so you can meet many people in a short time and remember their names for later. Check the website or call to find out if any lessons are offered at your local club.

4. Put your best foot forward! Even if you can't get to a lesson, it's easy to pick up the moves if you just get out on the floor and try it. Country line dancing incorporates many common dance moves in different combinations, so if you keep trying you'll start to get comfortable in your boots. You'll learn to recognize that grapevine when it crops up and remember to catch it next time around. Soon you'll be tush pushin' with the best of them!

Tips & Warnings

• Some country line dances are low-impact enough that folks of any age can do them. If you or someone you know could benefit from a fun low-impact form of exercise, this is a great choice.
• Ladies, if you're tired of going to the “meat market” clubs where bodies press in from all sides and yours isn't the only sweat on your shirt, try a country bar. Even if the dance floor does get packed, people still dance in lines and no one touches you without asking.
• About those boots. You can get your boots in any number of styles, but bear in mind that high heels and rubber soles can be somewhat risky. Line dancing is all about footwork. If your rubber sole sticks when you're turning you can injure your knees. Likewise, trying to execute an intricate footwork pattern while wearing high heels is a great way to turn your ankle, not to mention landing on your backside in the middle of the dance floor.
• Dance floor etiquette matters. When the dance floor is crowded, keep your movements a little neater and smaller. Don't incorporate a variation like a full-body push up that takes up tons of space, or throw your elbows around carelessly. People in line dance clubs typically have nice manners – don't make yourself look bad by ruining your neighbor's time.
• It can be slippery on the dance floor, especially if someone spills a drink from the sidelines. Keep your boots in the safest possible condition by checking the soles regularly and having them repaired or replaced as needed. If you dance three or more times a week, expect to replace leather soles at least once a year.