Line dancing is one of those things that looks complicated from the sidelines but is actually pretty simple once you learn the basic moves. Most country line dances use the same handful of steps arranged in different patterns. Learn those steps and you can fake your way through most dances at any honky-tonk in America. Here’s how to get started.
Why Line Dancing Works for Beginners
Unlike partner dancing, line dancing doesn’t require you to coordinate with another person. Everyone faces the same direction and does the same steps at the same time. You can watch the people around you if you get lost, and because the dance repeats every 32 or 64 counts with a quarter turn, you get multiple chances to catch on. Nobody is watching you individually because they’re focused on their own feet. It’s a low-pressure way to get on a dance floor.
The Basic Steps You’ll Use in Every Dance
Almost every country line dance is built from a small vocabulary of moves. The grapevine is a side step where you step right, cross left behind, step right, then touch left beside right (then reverse going left). The shuffle is three quick steps in one direction (step-together-step) done in the time of two beats. The coaster step is a back step, feet together, forward step. The jazz box (or jazz square) is cross right over left, step back on left, step right to the side, step left forward. The vine, shuffle, coaster step, and jazz box cover probably 80% of what you’ll encounter in beginner dances.
Five Dances to Learn First
The Cupid Shuffle is the easiest line dance you can learn. The song literally tells you what to do: “to the right, to the right, to the left, to the left, now kick, now kick, now walk it by yourself.” If you can follow spoken directions, you can do the Cupid Shuffle. Start here if you’ve never line danced before.
The Electric Slide (or Electric Boogie) shows up at every wedding, country bar, and family reunion. It’s a 22-count dance with grapevines, a back step, and a quarter turn. Once you learn it, you’ll never be able to un-learn it. The Cha Cha Slide is another call-and-response dance where the song tells you the steps, making it nearly impossible to mess up.
The Watermelon Crawl is more of a traditional country line dance, set to the Tracy Byrd song of the same name. It’s a 32-count, four-wall dance with shuffles, turns, and a moderate tempo that gives you time to think between steps. The Boot Scootin’ Boogie, set to the Brooks & Dunn classic, is another 32-count staple that uses grapevines and has a satisfying swing feel. Both of these are honky-tonk essentials.
Dance Floor Tips
Stand in the back rows when you’re learning. Experienced dancers line up in front, and you can follow their lead from behind. Wear shoes with smooth soles that let you slide. Rubber-soled shoes stick to the floor and make turns difficult. Boots work well because the leather soles slide naturally.
Don’t apologize for making mistakes. Everyone on that floor messed up when they started. If you lose your place, just keep moving and pick it up on the next sequence. YouTube tutorials are helpful for practicing at home before going out. Search for the dance name plus “beginner tutorial” and you’ll find step-by-step breakdowns for every dance mentioned here.
Where to Go
Most honky-tonks and country bars have a dance floor, and many offer beginner lessons before the regular crowd arrives, usually around 7-8 PM on weeknights. Nashville’s Broadway has multiple venues with dance floors. Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth is the world’s largest honky-tonk and has free line dance lessons. The Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville does the same. If you don’t live near a honky-tonk, check local community centers and dance studios. Many offer country line dance classes that run 4-8 weeks and cover all the basics.