Line dance
A choreographed group dance performed in lines.
A line dance is a choreographed dance in which a group of people dance along to a repeating sequence of steps while arranged in one or more lines or rows. These lines usually face all in the same direction, or less commonly face each other. Unlike circle dancing, line dancers are not in physical contact with each other. Each dance is usually associated with, and named for, a specific song, such as the Macarena or the Electric Slide, which are a few of the line dances that have consistently remained part of modern American culture for years. Line dancing is practiced and learned in country-western dance bars, social clubs, dance clubs and ballrooms.
- field
- Dance
- known_for
- Choreographed group dance performed in lines, often to country, disco, and pop music
Lore & Background
The precise origins of line dancing are not entirely clear. Music historian Christy Lane has stated that 'If you were to ask 10 people with some knowledge of when line dancing began, you'd probably get 10 different answers.' By and large, the growth and popularity of line dancing has mainly been tied to country and western music. It is likely that at least some of the steps and terminology used in modern line dancing originated from the dances brought to North America by European immigrants in the 1800s. Throughout the 1860s–1890s, the style that would later be known as country–western dance began to emerge from these dances. Schools in the United States began to incorporate dancing, particularly folk dancing, into physical education classes in the 1900s, which popularized folk and country dancing as a social activity. Finally, servicemen returning from World War I and World War II sometimes brought European dances back to the United States, incorporating elements into American dance styles. During the disco music era of the 1970s, numerous new dance styles emerged, including many line dances choreographed to disco songs. The 1980 film Urban Cowboy caused a trend for country and western culture. The music video for the 1990 Billy Ray Cyrus song 'Achy Breaky Heart' has been credited for launching line dancing into the mainstream. In the 1990s, the hit Spanish dance song 'Macarena' inspired a popular line dance.
Reader's Guide
Line dancing has evolved from folk and country-western roots into a global social dance phenomenon. Its significance lies in its accessibility: no partner is required, and participants arrange themselves in lines, facing the same direction, following a repeating sequence of steps. The dance form has accompanied many popular music styles since the early 1970s, including pop, swing, rock and roll, disco, Latin (salsa suelta), rhythm and blues, and jazz. The term 'modern line dance' now indicates styles that combine many genres, including pop, Latin, Irish, big band, and country, with participants wearing casual clothing and dance trainers rather than Western-style attire. Line dances are commonly described by their number of walls—the direction dancers face at any given time. In a one-wall dance, dancers face the same direction at the end of the sequence as at the beginning. In a two-wall dance, repetitions end alternately at the back and front walls. In a four-wall dance, the direction faced at the end of the sequence is 90 degrees to the right or left of the starting direction. The hustle line dance is an example of a four-wall dance. The legacy of line dancing includes iconic dances such as the Madison, the Electric Slide, the Macarena, and the 'Boot Scootin' Boogie', which have become embedded in popular culture and continue to be practiced in dance clubs, bars, and social venues worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is line dance?
Line dance is a choreographed group dance where participants perform a repeating sequence of steps while standing in one or more rows. The dancers typically all face the same direction, though some formations have lines facing one another.
How is line dance different from circle dancing?
The key distinction is that line dancers do not hold hands or make physical contact with the people beside them, unlike circle-dance participants who link arms. Line dancers move independently within their row rather than as a connected chain.
What songs are line dances usually paired with?
Each line dance is typically named after and tied to a specific track, with the Macarena and the Electric Slide being two of the most enduring examples in American pop culture. The genre draws on country, disco, and pop music alike.
Where do people most commonly learn and practice line dance?
Line dancing is widely taught and performed in country-western dance studios, social clubs, and community events across the United States. It has also spread into disco and pop-music settings, making it accessible beyond a single genre.
Do I need a partner to do line dance?
No—line dance is designed so that every dancer executes the same steps independently within a row, with no partner required. You simply need to know the choreography and stay in the line alongside others.
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