Line Dancing

Overview

American line dance is a choreographed group dance (‘choreographed’ means that the steps are planned in advance and memorised).  The dancers stand in lines, without touching, and perform the same steps at the same time, acting together as a team.

Although its origins can be traced back to much earlier folk dances, the modern style of American line dance first became popular in the late 1970s and 1980s, particularly after the release of the film Saturday Night Fever in 1977, in which it featured. Although the dance can be performed to different styles of popular music (such as rock and roll or disco), it is often associated with country and western music – a blend of American folk and popular styles that has had a strong following since the 1920s.

Date and place of origin

1980s, America 

Famous performers

Country and western singers such as:

  • The Carter Family
  • Hank Williams
  • Johnny Cash 

Venue

Clubs and dance halls 

Dance Steps

Dancers stand in lines, all facing the same way. They perform the same steps in time with each other.
One run-through of a sequence of steps is called a ‘basic’ 
If a sequence of step is interrupted and the dance returns to the beginning, this is a ‘restart’.
Each dance has a number of ‘walls’, which refers to the number of walls in the room that the dancers face during a dance.  For example, in a one-wall dance, the dancers turn 180o during the sequence and so face a second wall.

Key Features

Metre, Rhythm and Tempo

The music is in 4/4 with a steady tempo.
The bass line often consists of crotchet movement.

Melody

Melodies are usually very repetitive and have a narrow range.
They are structured in regular 4-bar phrases.
Slides (glissandos) between notes are common.

Structure

A clear verse-and-chorus structure is often used, with sections in equal lengths. This suits the repetitive nature of American line dance (as one sequence of steps can fit into a verse or a chorus, and so can be repeated throughout the song).

Instrumentation

The melody in country and western music is usually sung (particularly by men). Common instruments include:

  • Guitar (the steel guitar is popular in country and western, which allows the player to slide easily between notes) 
  • Banjo 
  • Harmonica 
  • Accordion 
  • Violin 
  • Drums 

 

Test Yourself

  • What type of dance is American line dance? 
  • An individual dance 
  • A paired dance 
  • A group dance 
  • What do the terms one-wall and two-wall refer to? 
  • Name two famous country and western performers. 
  • Give three characteristic features of the melody in a country and western song. 

‘ACHY BREAKY HEART’ BY BILLY RAY CYRUS 

The hit song, released in 1992, popularised American line dancing around the world.  There are several line dance routines to this song.
Characteristic features include:

  • The 4/4 metre and steady tempo.
  • The repetitive melody, made up of regular, 4-bar phrases.
  • The simple verse-and-chorus structure.
  • The slides in the vocal line and guitar parts.
  • The strong pulse, with accents on the backbeats (beats 2 and 4).
  • The instrumentation, which includes electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, drum kit, male voice and backing singers.