Like everything in life, when starting something new you should take small, manageable steps and celebrate the little victories. Starting with the amazing line dance you saw on the dance floor last Saturday may not be the best choice. Trying to do an advanced dance will only lead to frustration and end your journey before you truly begin.
1. Electric Slide
One of the first dances everyone learns is the “Electric Slide” that was choreographed by Ric Silver in 1976. Although inspired by the song “Electric Boogie” by Bunny Waller, this dance is so universal that many songs fit the beat. Since 1991, the dance has become associated with Brooks and Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” at most country western dance halls. This is a dance that will be done at least once every night!
Bob Seger’s “Old-time Rock ‘n’ Roll”, Spin Doctor’s “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”, Wang Chung’s “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”, and Run D.M.C.’s “Walk This Way” are classics that fit the “Electric Slide”. Chris Young’s “Famous Friends”, Georgia Florida Line’s “Life Rolls On”, and Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” are country hits of today that work.
The “Electric Slide” will help you practice the grapevine step and timing your moves to the music, but you may want more dances in your bag of tricks to feel like it was worth the cover to get into your favorite club.
“Three dances are all you need to get you through a night of line dancing as long as you are fine with a little repetition.”
2. Tush Push
Another enduring classic line dance is Jim Ferrazzano’s “Tush Push” from 1980. Choreographed to fit many songs that were popular at the time and some cha-cha influenced music, the dance works with many of the faster country music songs. Popular tunes to match to this dance are Joe Diffie’s “Third Rock from the Sun“, George Strait’s “The Fireman“, and Sugarland’s “Down in Mississippi (And Up to No Good)“. The “Tush Push” is great for working on another common line dance step, the triple-step or cha-cha step.
The “Tush Push” is so universal, that it pairs with a large list of songs. ZZ Top’s “La Grange”, Poison’s “Bastard Son of a Thousand Blues”, and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Call Me the Breeze” are some fast paced blues ballads that swing with the “Tush Push”. Charlie Daniel’s “Drinking My Baby Good-bye”, Gary Allan’s “House of Love”, and Garth Brooks’ “Papa Loved Mama” are more country standards.
3. Watermelon Crawl
Combining these two standards then results in a third dance that completes a solid trio for your first time out line dancing— “Watermelon Crawl“. Choreographed by Sue Lipscomb, the dance to the 1994 Tracy Byrd song of the same name can also be danced to songs as diverse as Tony Basil’s peppy “Mickey” and Chris LeDoux’s twangy “Cadillac Ranch“. Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like”, Aaron Gavins’ “Lonely Drum”, and Zac Brown’s “Same Boat” are some current songs that can fit “Watermelon Crawl” if you don’t have another dance you know to them.
Three dances are all you need to get you through a night of line dancing as long as you are fine with a little repetition. There will always be other beginners who will join in. Not everyone knows the latest dances and there really is no need.
So many songs the timing of either the “Electric Slide”, “Tush Push”, or “Watermelon Crawl” that if a song comes on that none of these dances fit, there’s a beer waiting at the bar! But drink fast because your break won’t be long—the next tune will probably be good for one of these three dances!