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Country Dancing - Country Line Dance |
| What is Country Dancing and Country Line Dance? |
| by: Shawn Trautman |
| Country dancing is the all-American apple pie answer to social dancing. The music is country-western, the feel is casual and less stylized than ballroom, latin, or swing dance sub-cultures, and denim is acceptable on almost every occasion. Cowboy hats and boots come to mind when country social dancing is mentioned; although they are not required for casual social dancing, they are prevalent and appropriate. Depending on what part of the country you are in, you might need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare off of the well-polished belt buckles. |
| Where to Learn and Attire for Learning |
| One can learn country dances at some of the local dance studios, but your best bet for getting started in your local area with country social dancing are your local country bars and nightclubs. Here you can learn the basics of the various country social dances and the popular local line dances and meet the instructors. Most of the instructors on the country circuit are freelance teachers who teach at the nightclubs in the early evenings and teach private lessons during the week and on weekends. Be comfortable and wear jeans when you go to learn country social dancing. You would most likely feel slightly overdressed if you wore the same outfit you selected for a ballroom lesson to a country bar for a beginner two-step lesson. If you have cowboy boots, wear them—they help you get into the feel of the music and culture. Ladies, close-heeled shoes are appropriate when learning social dancing in any of the subcultures. Never wear flip-flops or open-heeled sandals or mules to a couples social dance lesson. If you forget this rule, chances are you will only forget it once. Close-toed shoes are also recommended for ladies, especially while your dance partner gets the hang of the basic steps and leading. |
| Where to Dance and Attire for Going out Dancing |
| Country nightclubs and bars are the best places to go out dancing in the country social dance subculture. Most large country nightclubs make it a point to have a large, well-maintained hardwood dance floor with convenient rails on which to set drinks and lean surrounding the floor. Ladies, if you want to wear a skirt or a dress you can, but chances are you will feel overdressed. A sparkly or fun top with jeans (at any age) and close-toed, close-heeled shoes are appropriate attire for a lady at a country nightclub. Likewise, gentlemen, don't even bother with anything dry-clean only. Jeans and a clean-collared shirt are appropriate, with either cowboy boots or non-sneaker shoes. Casual is key. |
| Most Popular Dances |
| You might be surprised at the variety of dances you will see in the country subculture. On any given evening in a country nightclub, you can see and dance with people doing the two-step, triple two-step, waltz, cha-cha, slow dance, swing, West coast swing, polka, and even occasionally the hustle. In addition to the couples dancing, there is also a lot of attention to line dancing, which is done by individuals. You might also want to give a few dances a try and head to a lesson to get your feet wet with it as well. |
| Of Special Note |
| If you are budget-conscious with your entertainment discretionary spending, country might be the initial route for you to take. Group lessons are extremely inexpensive, private lessons are usually significantly less expensive than in a ballroom, the appropriate attire is most likely already hanging in your closet or sitting in your drawer, and cover charges at country nightclubs are usually negligible when compared to other dance venues. Also, if you are interested in learning to couples dance but you’re afraid of looking or feeling frou-frou or effeminate, the country scene and the country style of social dancing are as no-frills as they come. For many people, the country subculture eases the transition into the world of couples dance, regardless of whether they are huge fans of country music. |
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