Line Dancing Etiquette

Most of the following tips apply to any kind of dancing, but it's worth mentioning them:

• Never come onto the dance floor carrying drinks, glasses, or cans.
• Never stay on the floor to talk – if the music has started, go off the dance floor to chat.
• When dancing near beginners – be mindful and courteous and don't show off!
• Don't start a different dance, unless there is plenty of room and you sense it is acceptable.
• Remember the floor is for everyone. Try to leave the outside lane clear for couple dancers.
• Those dancing around the outside lane have the right of way. Don't block their progress.
• If the floor is crowded, take small steps, enjoy the company, but watch for collisions.
• If you should bump into someone, it is customary to apologise whether it is your fault or not.
• If possible start another line rather than join one which will block the outside lanes.
• Don't be tempted to stop dancing to teach, especially if there is no room.
• Never walk through a line of dancers to cross the floor – always walk round the floor or wait.
• Remember everyone was once a beginner; if you can already dance do try to be helpful to newcomers.
• When starting off the dance, go to the front so that others can fall in behind you.
• And finally, keep your head up, keep smiling and enjoy yourselves.

*Please Note: Line dancing can be vigorous. Take it easy at first if you are overweight or unfit.

Introduction~

Shaira (third from left) and Intan (far right) with some of their students.

Line dancing is a formation dance that has origins reaching back into traditional folk dancing. Since the latter part of the 20th century, line dancing has been more closely identified with country and western music, although there are examples of the group dance found with pop music as well. Many country music clubs today regularly hold line dances for their customers, with all patrons invited to participate.

The basics of line dancing are very simple. Participants stand in either a single line or a succession of parallel lines if the number of people and the amount of floor space require this arrangement. While the dancers will move without touching one another, they will execute the same moves at the same time. This gives line dancing a strong sense of cohesiveness, even though there is no physical interaction between the participants.

With line dancing, the movement that takes place is normally queued off what is known as the count. Generally, one count is equal to one musical beat. Movements take place at each beat. While the basics of line dancing address movements of the feet and legs, more complicated dance routines will also include hand movements and even facial expressions as part of the overall effect.

Often a staple with folk music and dancing around the world, the concept of line dancing began to take hold in other genres during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Country music was the first to embrace line dancing, and remains the foundation for many of the more popular line dances today. However, pop music also has made use of line dancing from time to time. While many musicologists identify line dancing with the disco era of the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s, others note that line dances such as the Hustle were popular as early as 1974.

A Christmas Line Dance party that we attended in Ipoh on 11 December 2009

Today, many different musical genres are compatible with the art of line dancing. Along with folk, country, and pop music, line dancing can also be employed with Swing, Big Band, and Celtic music. The symmetry and graceful movements that are often a part of basic line dancing make it possible for just about anyone to enjoy this form of dancing.

Go here and here to know more about line dancing.

International Women's Day

Greetings to All!

Firstly, we would like to wish all women of the world~ Happy International Women's Day. It was just a co-incidence that we were in Ipoh yesterday to do a performance for the state's level' Hari Wanita (Women's Day). If not, we won't have realized it at all *glurp*

Thus... we guess it's rather good for us also to choose this day to start blogging on our line dancing classes, activities, events and such; especially to commemorate the International Women's Day! ♀

Anyhow let us talk about yesterday, and we will keep more on us for the next blog post and forth~

Our heartiest gratitude and a big thank you are of course specially to Chris Ng, for giving us the chance to join the Rainbow Group. We performed to three numbers at the MB's residence: You Can Dance by Jackie & Doug Miranda, Thai Hati by Kenny Teh and Jai Ho by Ginger Kozlowski. We danced the first two songs happily in front of about 1,000 guest in the hall including the MB's wife. We then invited them to join us line dancing to Jai Ho, which was not that difficult although it's meant for an intermediate level.

We would like to thank Chris again for the great opportunity. We enjoyed ourselves so much! Click on the above pic to view more pics from the event.

Till then... have a great week ahead everyone. Do come back often for more updates!

Oh! yes... before we forgot~ see all you again on the 26th at ICCC! :)