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It has been suggested that Linedance be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2006.

For the rap/funk remix; see Line Dance (Booty Call).

A line dance is a formation dance in which a group of people dance in a line formation or in lines, and they all execute the same movements. Certain line dances may be considered variations of circle dances, where people are joined by hands in chain, e.g., the Dabke dance of the Middle East. In fact, most circle dances may be danced in a line formation, rather than in a circle; this is most common when only a small number of dancers are available.

Modern social line dancing

Description

In a small group there may be only one line, but usually there are several parallel lines, one behind the other. A dance teacher, or more experienced dancer, will usually perform on a stage or in the center of the first line. Inexperienced dancers are encouraged to take positions in the middle of the group to allow watching other dancers' feet in front of them. Experienced dancers are encouraged to take positions on the outside edges of the group to help others.

In this parallel line formation, the dancers dance in a synchronized manner, but independently of each other. There are usually no moves that require any interaction between the dancers, other than they execute the maneuvers at the same time. Each dance has a different sequence of movements that must be learned.

Although line dances can be fairly simple, as with the 18 count 4 wall beginner "Electric Slide"; increasing complexity can be created through several means. In general dances with more counts are more difficult. The inclusion of unusual or unfamiliar sequences of steps also make a dance more challenging. Body movment other than steps, hand gestures for example, can increase complexity. "Phrased" line dances are written to go with specific versions of songs. Tags, bridges, and skipping over, or repeating portions of the dance, are all devices that are used to follow the phrasing in the music. These phrased dances require dancers to be more conscious of the music and not simply repeat the same sequence of steps for an entire song.

There are several variations to the parallel lines set-up. There may, for example, be two sets of lines where the dancers face in directly towards each other. In larger groups these will become several sets of in-facing parallel lines. In these "contra" line dances, the dancers will dance with the others in the facing lines. The dancers often weave in and out, exchanging places, or dance up to each other, and make momentary contact, such as a hand clap, or a swing, or take hold in Promenade position for a few counts, and then move on. This has it roots in Square or Round Dancing.

These contact maneuvers are more likely in the variation where line dancing takes place in two concentric rings which are facing each other, such as a Barn Dance or Indian Outlaw.

Two dancers (usually partners) can dance together in what is known as a cape dance, where the male partner stands next to the female and holds her corresponding hands - one arm over her shoulder, like cape.

Music

Line dancing has had a cowboy image, and it was danced predominantly to country-western music. This has been changing since the late 1990s, as more young people became involved. Today, country music may make up the minority of a DJ's play list, with the balance spread through a variety of many different musical styles both new and old. Genres including Celtic, Swing, Pop, Rock, Big Band, Folk, and almost anything else that has a regular beat.

History

Line dance is sometimes thought of as originating in the Wild West. In fact, it has a much more diverse background. Many folk dances are danced in unison in lines, usually single lines, and often with a connection between dancers. The absence of a physical connection between dancers is a distinguishing feature of country western line dance. Unison movements done by separate individuals in line might be traced back to old styles of group exercise. There have been line dances during the heyday of many modern popular music styles, including swing, rock and roll, and disco.

Line dancing's current popularity grew out of the disco period, when the country-western dance and music communities continued to explore and develop this form of dancing.

At least five lines dances that are strongly asscociated with country western music were written in the 1970s, two of which are dated to 1972: "Walkin' Wazi" and "Cowboy Boogie". This was five years before the disco craze created by the release of Saturday Night Fever in 1977. Two non country line dances from the 1970s are "The Bus Stop" and "Nutbush". Over a dozen line dances were created during the 1980s for country songs. "Boot Scootin' Boogie" was choreographed by Bill Bader in October of 1990 for the orginal Asleep at the Wheel recording of the song of the same name. Billy Ray Cyrus' 1992 hit Achy Breaky Heart, helped catapult western line dancing back into the musical mainstream's public consciousness. In the mid 1990s country western music was influenced by the popularity of line dancing. This influence was so great that Chet Atkins was quoted as saying "The music has gotten pretty bad, I think. It's all that damn line dancing." In 1994 a choreographer named Max Perry had a world wide dance hit with the dance "Swamp Thang" that was danced to the song "Swamp Thing" by The Grid. This was a techno song that fused banjo sounds in the melody line and helped to start a trend of dancing to forms of music other than country. Max Perry along with Jo Thompson, Scott Blevins and several others began to use ballroom rhythms and technique to take line dancing to the next level.In 1998, the band Steps created further interest with the techno dance song "5,6,7,8". In 1999 the Gap retailer debuted the "Khaki Country" ad on the Academy Awards ceremony. Line dancers performed to the 1999 version of Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Dwight Yoakum.

Line dancing is a popular recreation activity and is practiced and learned in country-western dance bars, social clubs, dance clubs and ballrooms worldwide. It avoids the problem of imbalance of male/female partners that plagues ballroom/swing/salsa dancing clubs. It is sometimes combined on dance programs with other forms of country-western dance, such as two-step, shuffle, and western promenade dances, as well as western-style variants of the waltz, polka and swing.

Two popular dances that technically classify as line dances are the Nutbush (performed to Nutbush City Limits by Tina Turner) and the Macarena.The Chicken Dance, although danced in a circle may be considered to be a line dance.

Line dancing in the late 1990s, and so far through the 2000s, has changed in some line dance clubs with the main bulk of the dancing done to pop music. This has brought with it a renewed interest in the dance form for people of all ages.

Line dancing is now seen not just as a form of dance but also as good exercise and as a good social scene.

Competition

One of the main organisations for line dance competition is Masters in Line (www.mastersinline.com). Masters in Line (MIL) run competitions all over the world, from Asia to America and feature a World Championship in Blackpool, UK during August each year. Competitors compete throughout the year at a number of events to qualify for the finals which are held in December, named the 'British Masters'. The Masters consist of three notable line dancers, Rachael McEnaney, Robert Fowler and Paul McAdam. Competitors compete in divisions, including 'Newcomer', 'Division 4', 'Division 3', 'Division 2' and 'All Stars'. Competitors must follow strict guidelines and rules related to each particular division. Normally competitions run over a number of days, featuring line dance workshops, socials and demonstrations from the Masters themselves as well as the competing. Another type of Line Dance instruction and competition is called "LineDanceSport" (www.linedancesport.com). This is the first syllabus created especially for studios to use as a programmed learning system for solo or line dancing. The syllabus mirrors the ballroom rhythms and is considered to be the standard for teaching in a studio environment. This form of line dancing has it's own competitions where students compete using "school figures".

Terms

Basic

A basic is one repetition of the main dance from the first count to the last not including any tags or bridges.In competition if this is danced "as written" with no variations, is called "Vanilla"

Variation

Dancers who have progressed beyond beginner status will often replace a section of a dance (say 8 beats) with a compatible set of steps which is called a variation. This is often required in competitive line dancing.

Count

A dance will have a number of counts, for example a 64-count dance. This is the number of beats of music it would take to complete one sequence of the dance. This is not necessarily the same number of steps in the dance as steps can be performed on an and count between two beats, or sometimes a step holds over more than one beat.

Restart

A restart is a point at which the basic dance sequence is interrupted and the dance routine is started again from the beginning. Restarts are used to fit the dances to the music.

Step

A dance is made up of a number of movements called steps. Each step is given a name so teachers can tell dancers to perform this step when teaching a dance. The most well-known is the grapevine (or vine for short), a four-count movement to the side. There can be any number of movements in one step.

Step descriptions

These descriptions are for the typical way they are danced; in particular dances they may have small variations, eg a stomp or a point instead of a touch, as given in the vine.

Chasse: Basically means "To The Side". This is not the same as the Ballet term. This could be plain side together steps or this could be a triple step of some kind.

Grapevine: Can be done to the left or the right. eg Step right to right, step left behind right, step right to right and touch left next to right. The name is sometimes abbreviated to vine. Originally created in the 1920's, the pattern is designed to blend the diagonal alignments in the room.

Lock step: Can be done traveling to backwards or forwards, starting on either foot. One foot will tightly cross the other foot either in front or behind. Can be used with walking steps forward or back or triple steps moving forward or backward.

Shuffle step: Done to the front or the back,left or right side, starting on either foot. This is a triple step that is done with the feet sliding rather than the more staccato (short and sharp) movement of the Cha Cha. There is a slight difference in the interpretation of the timing to give the element it's distinctive look. It is counted as 1 & 2, 3 & 4, etc. However, the actual amount of time devoted to each of the 3 steps in the shuffle is 3/4 of a beat, 1/4 of a beat, then 1 full beat of music. Shuffles can also be done while you are turning, eg through 180 degrees.

Triple Step: This is 3 steps being taken in only 2 beats of music. Can move forward, backward, left or right.

Weave: To the left or the right. This is a grapevine with a cross in front as well as a cross behind. Creates a slight zig zag pattern on the floor.

Other terms include: applejack, botafogo, coaster step,heel grind,jazz box, kick ball change, lunge, paddle, pivot turn, sailor step, spiral turn, stamp, stomp, sugarfoot, swivet and vaudeville. All together, there are about 45 individual elements that are used to create over 90% of the exisitng line dances.

Tag / Bridge

A tag or bridge is an extra set of steps not part of the main dance sequence that are inserted into one or more sequences to ensure the dance fits with the music. The term tag usually implies only a few additional counts (e.g. 2 or 4), whereas bridge implies a longer piece (e.g. 8 or 16). The terms are generally interchangeable however.

Wall

Each dance can be described to consist of a number of walls. A wall is the direction in which the dancers face at any given time, which would be the front, the back or one of the sides. A dance may contain many turns, to either the left or the right: quarter turns (90 degrees), half-turns (180 degrees), , three-quarter turns (270 degrees), and full turns (360 degrees), .

• A one-wall dance would mean that at the end of the routine, the dancers would be facing in the same direction as they had started and so each sequence would repeat exactly the same.
• A two-wall dance would mean the start of each routine alternates between two walls (almost always the front and back walls). In other words the dancers have effectively turned through 180 degrees during one sequence.
• A four wall line dance is one in which at the end of the whole routine of dance moves, the dancers will have turned effectively through 90 degrees, so that they would face all four walls in turn during four repetitions of the routine.

Step sheet

Describes the dance step sequence. Each step group (usually eight counts) is written out as calling cues that the instructor may use to direct the class. Below each group appears the individual foot or hand work required for each beat in the music.

1. The Roots of Country Music" Collectors Edition by Life September 1, 1994

• Articles to be merged from October 2006
• Line dances