** HISTORY OF LINE DANCING **

Line Dances began sometime around BC. As far as I have been able to determine from research, line
dancing in one form or another has been around since recorded time.

What we do today evolved from the old "Contra" dances that were very popular in the New England
States from the early 1800's. Contra style dances are still popular but in a slightly different form. In the
1800's two lines would form, men on one side, women on the other. The partners would join between
the two lines and generally do their own routine down the middle. When they reached the end of the
lines, they parted and moved back into their respective lines and the next couple would begin.
The "Stroll" from back in the 1940's is a good example of this style of dance. If you saw the movie
"Grease", you saw the "Stroll" being done by John Travolta.

In the 1970's, the form of Line Dance we do today was born. I have no data on specific dates but,
when I first got into "Country Western" style dance, there weren't that many line dances being done. I
was told that "Four Corners" was the second oldest line dance of this style but, no one could ever tell
me what was the oldest. That is hearsay because I've never been able to find anything in writing to
back it up. I have books written by a man who was born in the early 1800's and who gave what I
consider to be fairly accurate information on the concept of line dancing. That's where I got most of my
information.

The "JR Hustle" dating back to 1980 & "The Traveling Four Corners" were choreographed by a gal
from Texas by the name of Jimmie Ruth White. The Traveling Four Corners is (in it's original form), a
quad dance (square) but choreographed in the general concept of the Line Dance. I've seen some
very old film dating back to the beginning of moving pictures and some even older photos of African
tribes in line dance formation doing step combinations not that far removed from what we do today.
There were similar dances done by the American Indian. I realize that most people, when they think of
Indian dances, visualize circles around a fire but, many dances were done in lines, moving left & right
in a step, close, step, close series of moves. Until recently, the most common move in line dances was
the basic Schottische; step, cross, step, lift (or scoot). This, followed by the Polka and the Cha Cha,
both of which play a very large part in the composition of the Line Dance. More recently, still,
syncopations of the style normally found in WCS have made a large imprint on the Line Dance
choreography.

Looking back at some of the earlier line dances, having the correct number of steps, utilizing the
correct number of musical beats, didn't seem all that important. The JR Hustle mentioned earlier, was
the only dance for a very long time that actually followed the concept of phrasing to the musical major
(32 beats). Chorus lines, which have been around for a very long time, are not that different in
concept when compared with line dances we do today. So, as I said, Line Dancing, in one form or
another, has been around for a very long time.

A long time friend of mine, the first I know of to teach CW dance in the public school system, gave me
step-descriptions from the 1970's. Back in the 70's & early 80's, teachers from all over the country
would get together in what they called "Dance Caravans" similar to the "Dance Camps" that you see
today except it was for teachers only. They exchanged dances, ideas and general information on how
to improve on what they were doing. Most of these people were professionals who owned their own
studios and generally taught in several areas of dance, not just CW. Specifics on Line Dancing history
is rare and trying to nail down exact dates is impossible.

This article was written by and is Copyright:

Rick Bowen, Pine Grove, CA, USA.
The above was taken from Julian Gothard's LINE & COUNTRY & WESTERN DANCE & MUSIC FAQ and is
reprinted exactly as posted. For further information on all forms of country & western dancing, go to
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jgothard/contents.htm

http://www.country-time.com/ldinfo/history.htm

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Further Information pertaining to the history of Country Dance & Music can be found here:

An excellent article on the History of Country Dance in America by the noted choreographer Fred
Rapoport can be found here: http://www.tiac.net/users/twostep/history.htm

An article entitled "Line Dancing - A step in the right direction?" by Duncan Warwick can be found at:
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~duncan/step.html This article includes some interesting insights and
perspectives on the history and future of C&W line dancing.

Follow The History of Country Music from the 1920's through to the current day with Roughstock's
guide to the History of Country Music: http://www.roughstock.com/history/

Alternatively you could try these books:

Dance Across Texas - Betty Casey (University of Texas Press, 1985)

Kicker Dancin' Texas Style - Shirley Rushing & Patrick McMillan (Hunter Textbooks, 1988)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Line Dance Time Line
0305 Doris Volz, CA, USA

2004 Line dances on video are easily downloaded as more dancers access the Internet
w/broadband. Most line dance events now publish workshop schedules of dances taught and
choreographers are sending their newest creations to the Internet via websites, electronic
newsletters and email. A 'hit' line dance can be learned around the world in a matter of
hours/days. ALL LINE DANCE STEP SHEETS ARE FREE ON THE INTERNET to Download the
dances mentioned on LineDanceFun: USE Linedancer Magazine & enter the name into their
search box or use FREE GOOGLE toolbar ~ type name + 'choreographed by' in their search box
Line Dances of Exceptional Merit archived in 2004
Guyton Mundy took the line dance scene by storm as he produced choreography that stretched
from his 2003 mega hit Clean Up to the Elbow to dances that popularized his now famous hip hop
moves ...his archived webpage from 2004.

By June of 2004 ...International super star instructor Max Perry had FIVE choreography hits at
ONCE ...unheard of in prior line dance history. His beginner hit, Steppin' Out, continues to be
enjoyed by dancers of ALL levels. His very advanced Waltz is the Key set a line dance
choreography record with 575 counts! He pleased the 'country' fans with Texas and Baptized in
Beer and the 'softshoe' ones with Possibility Foxtrot. HE was the MAN at JG2 Raleigh, North
Carolina, USA 2004 ...quite an accomplishment for a choreographer who is surrounded by a field
of mega stars writing for the mainstream dancers in the world-wide line dance scene!

Also premiering at the 2004 JG2 event was the now mega hit, The Way written to Clay Aiken's
tune and taught by choreographer Gerard Murphy. The JG2 Event, located in Aiken's home town,
ran an American Idol karaoke contest as part of their 2004 event ...a fitting tribute to Clay
Aiken!

A Line Dance Timeline archived from 2003 and 2004. Archived Video Clips: Neil Hale dancin'
Curtain Call and Las Pistolas Eve Yeaton dancin' MIL's Guilty and Hot Temptation; Scott Blevins
dancin' his Bidness and Cold Blooded; Eve and Scott dancin' Joey Warren's In The Zone; Guyton
Mundy dancin' Natural Selection (videos courtesy of CJ and linked to www.archive.org which is a
slower server ...patience please)

Archived version of all VIDEOS on Line Dance Fun from Feb 2004. Best Known Line Dances in
2004 ...Survey taken in July 2004. December 2004 popular line dances on Carol Craven's weekly
survey

2003 Boots N Buckles Club in Newark, CA celebrated 18 years of providing dancers with a DJ
(Bob Hubbard) and a place to dance. June 7, 2003 also marked the reappearance of legendary
line dance choreographer Neil Hale to the San Francisco Bay Area dance scene. (From the mid
1980's to the mid 1990's Swiss Park was home to instructor/choreographers Neil Hale and
Charlotte Skeeters.) His newest dance Las Pistolas (done to the Dean Brothers tune: Memories
Are Made Of This) has a salsa look and feel! With his sharpened teach skills, chisled body and
sizzlin' hip swivels ... not to mention his out out in in stylized salsa moves ...Neil Hale has Cruised
back into the dance scene with a Whole Lot of Peppa ...ready to influence the next generation of
choreographers and dancers! Neil Hale dancin' his Curtain Call and Las Pistolas Neil Hale vintage
video: The Derringer Dancers: Cruisin' - Mustang Sally - Linda Lu - Hot Tamales - Cha Cha
Lengua, Neil Hale (Cruisin, Cha Cha Lengua) is frequently acknowledged as "the god father of
American line dance choreography. Link to SF Bay Area/California Choreography in 2003. "06/03

2002 marks the year that Jo Thompson and Terry Hogan started their focus away from the
country western line dance community & Charlotte Skeeters ended her 17+ years of weekly line
dance classes. 1999 marked the transition year that the focus on country music and country
western 'attire' were no longer the 'norm' at line dance socials and events. (1999 Desert Sands
Report) In 2001 as many line dancers danced in reeboks, jazz & swing shoes as did those who
danced in boots. The sea of cowboy hats was gone. (2001 Golden Gate Classic Report)

Contrary to popular belief, line dance has always been done to non-country music. Some of The
earliet written & most popular line dances in the world are done to pop music (Electric Slide and
Cruisin'), pop-crossover (Achy Breaky), rock (Copperhead Road) and techno music (Dance Ranch
Romp & Swamp Thang).

Early settlers arriving into the USA in the mid 1800's brought new dance steps ...non-partner
dancing consisted of extemporaneous footwork - clogging, shuffling, leaping, heel clicking and
'cutting the pigeon wing' (clapping the feet together while leaping in the air) while a lone fiddler
played for many or just a few. Clothes & shoes were fancy, or not ...everyone noticed, no one
cared. World War II servicemen were entertained at home & over seas by country-western
bands and entertainers from the Grand Ole Opry ...the music for the Cotton-eyed Joe,
schottische, waltzes and two-step literally influenced the World.
In 1979 country-western music TV specials were popular ...Hank, Waylon, Willie, etc were at the
top of country charts ... western movies inspired a new look at western clothes.
The 1980's movie Urban Cowboy showed John Travolta in cowboy hat, buckle and tight jeans
two-steppin' in a Texas honky tonk with Debra Winger. Texas dances & country-western music &
western clothes became the 'style' ...dance routines were created and shared and taught and
line dancin'just came to be.

The Achy Breaky hit the country western dance floors in 1992. Back in 1992 Jo Thompson was
just beginning to focus her energy on country dance & was asked to make instructional tapes for
Texas Dance Productions. She choreographed Midnight Waltz and Dance Ranch Romp in 1993 for
those videos & we are still dancin' those dances in 2003! Jo Thompson is a prolific
choreographer. A brilliant dancer entertainer, a business woman and entrepreneur. She has given
line dance years of fun & dance. Jo Thompson's Midnight Waltz, Dance Ranch Romp & Dizzy
(1998) are Worldwide Classics. Jukebox (2001) Splish Splash and Come Dance With Me (2002)
are danced worldwide. Her a must read line dance website is archived; Jo Thompson.com 2002
is as Sensational as she is! Just Google her name! In 2004 the San Francisco Bay Area is
dancing her Come Dance With Me, September and the co creation: We Are The Same.

A Meat and Potato Man is a rare find ...the kind that country music star Alan Jackson sings
about in his tune of the same name: "I like my wrangler jeans, cowboy boots, cornbread and
beans and country roots ...I don't like politics, hypocrites or folks with poodles dressed like
kids ...I'm a hound dog fan ...It's just who I am." The song could have been written for Mr.
Terry Hogan. He is a gifted dancer and choreographer, a brilliant instructor who casts a far-
reaching shadow ...dozens have fine tuned their own talent by working with this Australian Icon.
Terry Hogan hosted the Sunshine Classic four times; 2002 was his last year as Event Director
and last year for teaching weekly line dance classes in Brisbane. His events seemed to go
together effortlessly ...his creative talents and dedication have helped shape our current line
dance culture. Terry Hogan began writing intermediate plus dances to country music in 1992
(Last Chance to Joe Diffie's Honky Tonk Attitude). Girls Night Out (1994), Tulsa Slide (1995),
and Nightmare (1996) are Australian classics; Along For The Ride & Alligator Shoes were
Terry's first American hits on the West Coast in 1997. The hits continued with Cuban Heels
and Too Much Fun (1998) and Straighten Up & Fly Right, Alright Already and Completely
( w/Thomas O'Dwyer) in 1999. Promises and Two Shades of Blue (2001) are danced worldwide.
His steps are w/Dancin' Down Under and original steps are archived on LineDanceFun.com
In 1984 Charlotte Skeeters paired up with Neil Hale to teach line dance in the San Francisco
Bay Area. They took over CW Parker's classes at Swiss Park in Newark, California. Neil Hale
retired from those weekly classes in 1998; Charlotte Skeeters ended her weekly teaching
career at Swiss Park in September of 2002 and returned in 2004 for 8 week sessions she
teaches in rotation w/Trish Boesel. She is a member of the National Teachers Association
(NTA). At the request of the president of Country Western Dance International, she developed
the Line Dance Competition program and the Line Dance Judges Training program for that
organization (CWDI). She was inducted into the CWDI Hall of Fame in 1998. Charlotte Skeeters
officiates as Line Dance and Team competition director/coordinator at many line dance festivals
throughout the year, both un-affiliated (Independent) and organization affiliated functions and
travels to Europe, Japan, and Australia, conducting Judges training clinics as well as teaching as
much as she can fit in (teaching is her first love). Charlotte introduced Country Western Dance
International to Australia (October 1995) and was honored to be the first American to be
inducted into Australia's "Bootscooters Hall of Fame" (January 1998), in Tamworth. She has
trained over 700 judges in Australia, New Zealand, England and USA and has worked as Head
Judge at many of the events in these countries. In November 2002, she will be in Singapore
conducting line dance instructors training with Canadian instructor, Bill Bader. Charlotte
Skeeters is Event Director of the Golden Gate Classic and Choreographer's Competition which
will be held in 2003, for the 8th year. Charlotte will continue to attend Line Dance Events, guest
teach and support local classes and socials. Among her International hit choreography: Pencil
Thin Mustache (1997), Mama's Lil Baby (1998), Begin The Beguine (1999), Hasta Manana (2000),
Heal The World (2001) and River of Dreams (2002) Built For Comfort (2003).

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1976 I was teaching in Florida, and was exposed to Line Dancing for the first time. There was a
dance called The Bus Stop, and various other dances I never learned names of, but they all
seemed to be danced to K.C. and the Sunshine Bands music. There was a dance to Shake Your
Booty and Get Down Tonight and several other songs ~ MAX PERRY (quoted from his article
on the hustle)
 The Texas Freeze

1980 Ovation Records AV-1755 (1980, USA) One of the most soulful singer/stylists in country
music, Joe Sun was once called "the best singer to hit Nashville in twenty years" by Johnny Cash,
and deemed a combination of Tom Waits and Hank Williams by one reviewer. Since Sun burst
onto the country charts with his own mega-hit, " Old Flames (Can't Hold A Candle To You)," he
continually sharpened his powerful songwriting skills. While on the Ovation label, he released
three critically acclaimed albums: "Old Flames", "Out Of Your Mind", and the final one "Livin' On
Honky Tonk Time" which included Bombed, Boozed and Busted ....the song that Ken Engel
describes as his favorite to do to his creation of theTexas Freeze, a 16 count dance. Kenneth E.
Engel (AKA Kentucky Ken) was an instructor at Mr. Lucky's in Phoenix, AZ in 1976-1978 and then
at Gilley's in Texas in 1980 where URBAN COWBOY was filmed. He taught John Travolta the
two-step for this movie. Ken's resume.

In May of 1981, the Oakridge Boys released "Fancy Free". Track #1 was "Elvira", the music that
we are familar with to dance the Freeze. The Freeze is first described and diagrammed in Betty
Casey's Dance across Texas published by University of Texas Press, in 1985 ...page 82. The
word 'grapevine' was not used in the original step description & the dance started with the left
foot as was the custom for a "drill" line dance. Leaning forward on the rock count ...dancers
would 'freeze' for 3 counts when someone hollared out the word. View dance ranking 2001.
 Tush Push - two authors claim credit - James Ferrazzano & Ken Engel.

James Ferrazzano: Alabama Slammer, Arkansas Stomp, Amos Moses, Carolina Stroll, Gone Young,
Kansas City Stomp, Montana Four Corner, Montana Stomp, Riggins Stomp, & Oklahoma Shuffle.
Ken Engel's original steps for Tush Push and his bio: http://www.linedancefun.com/kennethengel
View dance ranking 2001.

1987 AT the Fairplex L.A. County Fair ...Doug & Cheryl Miranda (California) and their class
danced Hooked On Country during their performance. Back shuffles were NEW to line dance and
the music was to Albert Coleman and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra ...Just Hooked on Country AND
the crowd went wild! This dance was Doug Miranda's first choreography to be seen and then
taught as a dance.

1988 Steve Earle released "Copperhead Road"; The album's only commercial U.S. single was
"Copperhead Road" - targeted exclusively to rock radio. This music inspired the classic line dance
Copperhead Road,creator unknown. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.

1989 Cruisin' (Neil Hale, California) was choreographed to "Still Cruisin'"from the "Still Cruisin'
(After All These Years)" CD by the Beach Boys. The signature "figure 8" pattern defined this
simple, single wall, beginning/intermediate level line dance, and it is easily one of the most
recognizable and well known dances in the world today. Cruising' was the first internationally
acclaimed choreography of its kind to be done to a non-Country/Western song. It is conceptually
simple, and it can be danced to a variety of rhythms, including a variety of Latin and Swing. It
continues being taught and enjoyed in venues wherever line dancing is done, and - in a poll
conducted in England in October, 2000 Cruisin' by Neil Hale, was voted the "Best Known" line
dance in the world. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.

1989 Marcia Griffiths (along with Bunny Wailer) recorded the "Electric Boogie", a pop hit in the
U.S. This music inspired a variation of the Freeze ...we call the Electric Slide. View dance
ranking 2000 And 2001.
1991 Mustang Sally was choreographed to "Mustang Sally" by the Commitments. This cover of
an older Rhythm & Blues tune by Wilson Pickett had an especially pronounced backbeat and - by
this time - there were other choreographers experimenting with similar non-Country/Western,
and generally more danceable, music. Mustang Sally, by Neil Hale, is a spirited, two wall, 48
count, intermediate level line dance.

1992 "Achy Breaky Heart" recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus "burst on the radio airwaves in the spring
of 1992. The catchy, rhythmic tune became a national phenomenon that summer, igniting a dance
craze (Achy Breaky by Melanie Greenwood), a hit video and pop crossover airplay." The lyrics
were automatically sung by nearly every dancer while doin' this line dance ....sometimes up to 4
times each night at venues around the world! View dance ranking 2001.

1992 Bar Room Romeo created by Ron (Doc) Holliday and written to music played by a local
Fresno, CA band, but most instructor/DJ's used the Forester Sisters track entitled "Redneck
Romeo" from their "I Got A Date" album released in 1992. In 1993, Dolly Parton asked Billy Ray
Cyrus & friends to sing in her hit single "Romeo". In 2002, "Romeo" continues to bring dancers on
the floor for Bar Room Romeo.

1992 Linda Lu, created by Neil Hale in 1992, was originally done to a Lee Greenwood cover of
the older Rhythm & Blues tune "Linda Lu," by Ray Sharpe. Unbeknownst to the choreographer at
the time was the fact that the Lee Greenwood CD, "Loves On The Way", from which it was taken
had gone out of print and was no longer available. Linda Lu thus remained a regional only hit until
1993 when the song was covered again by Ricky Van Shelton on the "A Bridge I Didn't Burn" CD.
The tempo of this cover was quite a bit faster than Lee Greenwood's version, and Linda Lu was
quickly embraced by an enthusiastic Australian line dance community (seen here in a video lesson)
where it remained one of the their top dances for years. Neil Hale's bio:
http://www.linedancefun.com/neilhale

1992 Waltz Across Texas created by Lois and John Nielson. Ernest Tubb, Willie Nelson &
Charlie Daniels released their tune "Waltz Across Texas" 10/23/92. In 2002, dancers still do
Waltz Across Texas or Jo Thompson's Midnight Waltz as a floor split when any waltz music is
played. The Nielson bio: http://www.linedancefun.com/nielson View dance ranking 2001.

1993 Hot Tamales - The Up-tempo Country/Western tune "Country Down To My Soul" by Lee
Roy Parnell from his "on The Road" CD, released in October 1993, provided a perfect and
irresistible opportunity for Neil Hale to assure C/W purists that he had not abandoned his
roots, and that he was still Country "down to his soul." The twangy, and at time searing, guitar
solo provided the perfect backdrop for yet another signature Neil Hale move, the 8 count Hot
Tamales' shoulder shimmies. Hot Tamales, a 64 count, two wall, up-tempo intermediate line
dance was taken on tour to Australia in 1996 and to Great Britain in 1997 where it met with
sweeping and instantaneous success on both continents. Hot Tamales became a regional hit the
moment it was taught & remains a San Francisco Bay Area standard at the start of the new
millennium. Hot Tamales is the first choreography to be listed on international top ten line dance
charts 3 full years after its creation. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.
1993 Jo Thompson created Midnight Waltz ...a 48 count, 4 wall line dance done to any slow to
medium tempo waltz music. Midnight Waltz continues to be used in country western line dance
competitions around the world ...it is on schedules for 2002 competitions. View dance ranking
2001.

1993 The 90s country group Twister Alley started playing traditional country music at Gilley's
but soon developed into more high-energy country. The group is quoted as saying their techno-
country single, the furiously paced "Dance", from their 1993 album "Twister Alley" was too
outlandish for country radio in 1993. Jo listed "Dance" as a music choice for her Dance Ranch
Romp she wrote in 1993.

1994 Cowgirls' Twist - Bill Bader of Vancouver, BC. This line dance was performed by more
than 3700 dancers on July 4, 1996 in Redwood City, CA that won the 1996 Guinness World
Record for the World's Largest Line Dance. Bil's bio: http://www.billbader.com

1994 Cha Cha Lengua, Neil Hale's slow, stylish, intermediate level line dance was choreographed
to "Un Momento Alla" from the self-titled "Rick Trevino" CD released in February, 1994. Like
Hot Tamales, Cha Cha Lengua owes much of its popularity to dance stylist and choreographer,
Michele Burton, who - with her dance team, "The Derringer Dancers" - paid the ultimate tribute
to Neil Hale by incorporating these dances into their performances both live and on video. Cha
Cha Lengua is the first internationally acclaimed choreography to be danced to a non-
Country/Western song in a language other than English. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.

1994 When The Tractors sing ...Baby Likes To Rocket It (to a boogie woogie choo choo train)
Rock It by Hillbilly Rick Meyers is THE dance. A beginner level 48 count, 2 wall dance, the Rock
It is still requested and filling the floor summer 2002. Hillbilly Rick's bio:
http://www.hillbillyrick.com

1995 Smokey Places written by Michele Perron in January 1995. Smokey Places is the first
internationally acclaimed Rumba line dance ever choreographed to country music. "Smokey
Places" by Ronnie McDowell is the #6 track on the album "I'm Still Missing You" released in
1988. The original step sheet for this 32 count, four wall, beginner plus level line dance is also
signed in "Thanks" by Ronnie McDowell. Dancers do Smokey Places or Neil Hale's Cruisin' as a
floor split whenever cha cha music is played. Michele Perron's bio:
http://www.micheleperron.com View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.

1995 Fly Like A Bird written by Hedy McAdams to the #5 track of the same name off the
1994 "Some Change" album by blues-rock singer/songwriter Boz Scaggs. The Fly Like A Bird
signed step sheet chronologically lists the awards this dance has won. View ranking in 2000 And
2001.

1995 Black Dresses was Michael Barr's first choreographed dance. It debuted in 1995 to a song
of the same name by Steve Kolander. The best cut came off the CDX compilation (Vol. 100
January 1995). Although it is on his CD named, Steve Kolander, the CDX cut has more
orchistration for a better dance cut. Black Dresses debuted at the 1995 Golden Gate Classic,
this brought the 48 count 4 wall line dance to the attention of Charlotte Skeeters and Neil Hale.
Charlotte decided to teach the dance downunder and it was taught in the UK which brought
Michael into the world arena. View dance ranking 2000.

1996 Choreography taught in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1996.

1996 Cruise Control - Neil Hale, took first place at the first Annual CWDI International
Choreographers' Competition. Cruise Control is a 32 count, one-wall, fast-paced, line dance done
to "All Over But The shoutin'" by Shenandoah from their somewhat difficult to find CD, "Now
and Then" released in April, 1996.

1996 Swamp Thang - written by Max Perry and danced to "Swamp Thing" by The Grid. The 1994
hit song is a mixture of banjoes blended with techno. A purely mechanical performance that
sounded like live music. View ranking in 2000 And 2001. Max Perry wrote an enlightening artice
on hustle line dance in 1996 ...the archived article.

1996 Swing Time Boogie written by Scott Blevins to "Swing City", track #1 on the album "Swing
City" by Roger's Brown --the first artist to meld the big band swing sound with country music.
Swing Time Boogie is the first internationally acclaimed choreography to be danced to phrased
music. In May, 2003 Scott had a packed floor at TWO separate workshops for this classic 'Hall
of Fame'line dance at Doug & Jackie Miranda's Bonanaza Bash in Ontario, CA Scott taught this
dance by request as an 'oldie' at the 2004 JG2 Marathon.

1996 Ricky Martin released his album "A Medio Vivir" which was Latin in focus with "a tinge of
rock " in 1995. Sherry McClure wrote Uno, Dos, Tres (aka 13 MWZ), a 32 count, 4 wall
intermediate line dance in 1996 to track #3 "Maria" ...this latin music with rock influence
inspired the explosive creation of Latin rhythm line dances still being written at the beginning of
the new millenium. View dance ranking in 2001.

1997 Choreography taught in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1997.

1997 Running Bear, the song, was initially recorded by Johnny Preston, but it was covered by
the Dean Brothers in August, 1996 when it appeared on their "On The Right Tracks" CD. The
clean, predictable, but slightly uneven phrasing of the song provided an opportunity to
experiment with a slightly uneven phrasing of the song provided an opportunity to grandstand
with that rare, clean break at the end of the song. Running Bear, along with Ribbon of Highway,
has been featured in the UK's Linedancer Magazine's Blasts From The Past. Running Bear by
Neil Hale is a fun, crowd-pleasing dance that is also popular in New Zealand and with the very
vibrant dance community in Hong Kong.

1997 Ribbon of Highway represents a departure from most of Neil Hale's choreography in that
it is done to a Two Step rhythm from the song of the same name by Scooter Lee off her "Moving
On Up" CD. Both Ribbon of Highway and Running Bear, by Neil Hale, owe much of their success
to the exposure these dances were given by Scooter Lee and The Dean Brothers for whose
songs these line dances were created. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.
1997 Pencil Thin Mustache was the dance that started Charlotte Skeeters (California) hit
parade ... view dance ranking 2000. This 2 wall, 64 count intermediate line dance done to the
cover of the same name by Jimmy Buffet, took 2nd place in New Line Dance Choreography at the
1997 Desert Sands Festival in Las Vegas, NV.

1997 From the first teach of Hey Bruce ...this 48 count 2 wall line dance hooked the dancer.
The weird name, the pulsing song and the arm movements hit a spot dancers were ready for. The
driving beat of the song, The Heat is On, by La Bouche (Sweet Dreams CD), got the attention of
the dancer. Originally done to My Girl and then Hey Baby (name comes from the last few words
on the song Hey Baby), both off the Alabama CD, "Dancin' on the Boulevard", the dance needed a
true Hustle piece of music. With The Heat is On the dance took off. Bringing the Hustle count
to the line dancer was the motivation. Hey Bruce garnished a number of awards in Canada and at
Worlds held in Nashville, TN in 1998. Michael Barr taught Hey Bruce by request as an 'oldie' at
the 2004 JG2 Marathon.

1998 Choreography taught in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1998.

1998 Got To Be Funky was created by USA choreographer Dawn Beecham. She taught her
newly created beginner dance in a workshop in October 1998 at the Tarheel Classic in North
Carolina ...the 'funk' music (Everything I Do) Got To Be Funky by blues singer Maurice John
Vaughn from his album "In The Shadow Of The City" brings dancers on the floor at both socials
and country/western bars across the world. It only took TWO months for this 32 count, 4 wall
easy intermediate dance - Got To Be Funky to hit the top ten line dance ballots throughout the
world. It was still strong in country/western bar venues summer of 2002. View ranking in 2000
And 2001.

1998 Dizzy - Jo Thompson, USA written especially for Scooter Lee's "Movin' On Up" album.
"Dizzy" (country dance mix version) ...the lyrics are automatically sung by nearly every dancer
while doin' Dizzy ....I know sometimes up to 4 times a night at venues around the world ...in 1998
- 1999. This dance still shows up on request lists at festivals ...summer of 2001. View dance
ranking 2000 UK And 2001. It still fills the floor when called in the San Francisco bay area in
2004.

1998 Mama's Lil' Baby - Charlotte Skeeters (CA. This 4 wall, easy intermediate dance done to
Shortenin' Bread, The Tractors placed 4th in New Choreography competition at the '98
Jamboree BC - Canada. View dance ranking 2001.

1999 Choreography taught in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999.

1999 Jai' Du Boogie - Max Perry, USA written especially for Scooter Lee's music of the same
name. Max Perry's bio: http://www.maxperry.com View ranking 2000 And 2001.

1999 What's Your Name - Michael Barr, CA. A big fan of Delbert McClinton, Michael found the
well phrased song off McClinton's "The Great Songs Come Together" CD. The song, Why Me, is
often used as the name of the dance. The 64 count 4 wall dance is a fun pattern that finishes
with a 16 count traverse of the dance floor. With a few awards around the line dance world,
What's Your Name has earned it's spot in time. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001.

1999 Whole Lotta Peppas, true to its name, is an up-tempo, intermediated level, 48 count, two-
wall line dance. It is done to a Salsa rhythm, "The Cup of Life" (Spanish Radio World Cup" Edit)
by Ricky Martin from the self-titled "Ricky Martin" CD. Latin Rhythms were the rave of the
dance floor at this time, and Whole Lotta Peppas, by Neil Hale, represented one of many Latin
line dances that provided a refreshing, much-needed, and stimulating boost to the international
line dance scene.

1999 Storybook Endings, is a 3/4 time waltz line dance done to "Someone Must Feel Like A Fool
Tonight" by Kenny Rogers. It is from the somewhat hard to find - but still available - "Back
Home Again" CD that was released in November, 1991. The dance is one wall, easy to learn, and
conceptually simple. The appropriately entitled "Storybook Endings" represents what may be the
culmination of a string of very successful line dances by Neil Hale. They have spanned the final
decade of the century, and will most certainly continue being enjoyed many years into the new
millenium by line dancers throughout the world.
Neil Hale is a writer: His last published work for the "Yankee Spotlight" (an Australian magazine
now out of print but on the Internet at: http://www.countrygoss.com.au) concerned the 1999
Golden Gate Classic. Neil's article: http://www.linedancefun.com/neilhale

03/1999 - Personal observation written as a Thank You to Neil Hale for being my instructor.
07/1999 - Personal observation written the summer I knew as a person, I just have to dance.
10/1999 - The Golden Gate Classic - the dances called ...and my personal observations.
10/2000 - Best Known Line Dances - California choreographer JP Potter's Crush - (08/00)
ranked 24% & Bye, Bye, Bye - (04/00) ranked 13%
11/2000 - The last Desert Sands Festival - Las Vegas - the dances called at this festival.

2001 Playlist for August 2001 Social (Australia) Playlist for June 2001 Social (England)
CWDI - Competition Dances 2001

2002 Playlist for Sunshine Classic (Australia)

Classics that filled honky tonks & social dance floors in 2003:All are original steps, most are
vintage signed sheets! The Fireman (George Davis), Fat Sally Lee (Arthur Smith), The Cowboy,
(Kole Dunn), Ain't Going Nowhere - Mudslide Boogie & City Slicker ( Lori Wong), Conrado Cha Cha
( Rob "I" Ingenthron), Mambo #5 (Pedro Machado/AT Kinson), Cruisin' - Cha Cha Lengua - Linda
Lu - & Hot Tamales (Neil Hale), Bar Room Romeo (Ron Holliday), Midnight Waltz, (Jo Thompson),
Baby Likes To Rock It (Hillbilly Rick), Got To Be Funky (Dawn Beecham), You Sang To Me -
Hurricane - Desert Sands Cha Cha - Chevy - Dancin With You & Ooo Aah! (Sal Gonzalez),Boot
Scootin' Boogie (Tom Mattox & Skippy Blair), Black Coffee (Helen O'Malley), Smokey Places
(Michele Perron), Alley Cat (Donna Aiken), Norma Jean (Donna & Dena Wasnick), Cannibal Stomp
(Lisa Firth), MMMBop (Kelly Kaylin) and Uno Dos Tres - aka 13 MWZ (Sherry McClure), Boot
Scootin' Boogie aka Vancover Boogie - Cowgirls' Twist & Ophelia (Bill Bader), Waltz Across
Texas (Lois & John Nielson), Swing Time Boogie & Ride That Train (Scott Blevins), signed Swamp
Thang (Max Perry), and Honey Suckle Vine - Fly Like A Bird - Shipwrecked - Prairie Strut - Still
The Same - Younger Men & Love Letters (Hedy McAdams) Wild, Wild, West Boogie and Zydeco
Lady (Chris Hookie). Tornado (Michelle Stremcha), Rodeo (Dale White).

2001 - 2005 A Line Dance Time Line

Comments go to doris@linedancefun.com
Doris Volz is a San Francisco Bay Area dancer (1992), writer & publisher of LineDanceFun. com
(first published in June, 1996 - an archived page from 1998) In 1994, she began attending
weekly line dance classes taught by Hedy McAdams, Michael Barr, Neil Hale, and Charlotte
Skeeters before they were line dance choreographers ...with the exception of Neil Hale! Neil
had been Mr. Cruisin' since 1989! His Mustang Sally, Linda Lu, Hot Tamales, Cha Cha Lengua and
Cruisin' were on 'local' country western bar instructors line dance schedules in the early
1990's.

This line dance time line web page exists to preserve California line dance history. The
inspiration came from the published UK Survey first conducted in 2000 that ranked Neil Hale's
Cruisin' as the 'best known' line dance in the world AND Betty Casey's Dance Across Texas
...the book that inspired me to continue writing line dance event reports. As published in her
book ...In 1895 dancers shared the same excitement and experiences as we do at the turn of the
new millennium ...read about a social that happened Valentine's Day 1895.
June 2004 - marked the first Anniversary of the weekly 'Come Dance With Me' Saratoga
inter/adv line dance social hosted by instructor, Doris Volz.

April 29, 2004 Line Dance Fun received the one millionth hit. By early 2005, the website
averaged 1500-2000+ hits a day. (archives for LineDanceFun 2004 will not be available until Jan
2005) The number one downloaded file is the line dancing dog in competition ...archived dancin'
dog video clip.

This website was first published as an AOL home page July 18 of 1996 (and first archived in
1997). The first home page was black text published on a HOT PINK background and consisted
of a list of all dances being down in the S F Bay Area prior to 1995 and a list of the 'new' dances
(which included links to original dance sheets in .pdf format) that were created or taught in the
S F Bay Area in 1996. It took 8 weeks (May-June-July) of reading manuals to learn how to write
html, make all the .pdf files and prepare the list of "oldie standard" S F Bay Area dances. After
the list was as complete as I could make it from my collection of sheets and my 'observations' of
the local dance floors, I asked Knox Rhine for his help in filling in the missing names of the
choreographers from his collection of dance sheets. Knox Rhine was THE most knowledgeable
dancer I knew and was 'keeper of all accurate information' relating to line dance. His library of
dances. The Line Dance Fun AOL home page was averaging 50 hits a day simply through word of
mouth. Because of that response and because of the extremely primitive way AOL provided
users with sending files to the Internet, Line Dance Fun went domain October 14, 1996. The
Super Information Dance Floor was the largest 'library' website to visit for line dance step
sheets in 1996. Dancers emailed the steps (re typed from sheets) to the publisher, Don
Deyne. His library of dances. Line Dance Fun was the first line dance website to publish .pdf files
of original signed dance sheets w/permission of the choreographer, first on the Internet with
line dance video clips (.avi) and first to offer downloadable music files (.ram).
The purpose of this website is to share original line dance steps with the dance community and
secondly to preserve the local San Francisco Bay Area line dance history. The opening line to the
website: If you want to have TOO MUCH FUN Dancin' in The San Francisco Bay Area, you gotta
know the dances we dance. Line Dance Fun in April 1997 & as first listed in Yahoo. The Line
Dance Fun 1996-1997 'chat page'. I crashed my site in 2000 and the archive recorded my words
from February. Hit dances from June 20, 2003 & July, 2003

http://www.linedancefun.com/timeline.htm

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History
Line Dances began sometime around BC. As far as I have been able to determine from
research, line dancing in one form or another has been around since recorded time.

What we do today evolved from the old "Contra" dances that were very popular in the New
Englnad States from the early 1800's. Contra style dances are still popular but in a slightly
different form. In the 1800's two lines would form, men on one side, women on the other. The
partners would join between the two lines and generally do their own routine down the
middle. When they reached the end of the lines, they parted and moved back into their
respective lines and the next couple would begin. The "Stroll" from back in the 1940's is a
good example of this style of dance. If you saw the movie "Grease", you saw the "Stroll"
being done by John Travolta.

In the 1970's, the form of Line Dance we do today was born. I have no data on specific dates
but, when I first got into "Country Western" style dance, there weren't that many line dances
being done. I was told that "Four Corners" was the second oldest line dance of this sytle but,
no one could ever tell me what was the oldest. That is hearsay because I've never been able to
find anything in writing to back it up. I have books written by a man who was born in the
early 1800's and who gave what I consider to be fairly accurate information on the concept of
line dancing. That's where I got most of my information. [Rick did not give me this mans
name or any other info. on him]. The "JR Hustle" dating back to 1980 & "The Traveling Four
Corners" were choreographed by a gal from Texas by the name of Jimmie Ruth White. The
Traveling Four Corners is (in it's original form), a quad dance (square) but choreographed in
the general concept of the Line Dance. I've seen some very old film dating back to the
beginning of moving pictures and some even older photos of African tribes in line dance
formation doing step combinations not that far removed from what we do today. There were
similar dances done by the American Indian. I realize that most people, when they think of
Indian dances, visualize circles around a fire but, many dances were done in lines, moving left
& right in a step, close, step, close series of moves

Until recently, the most common move in line dances was the basic Schottische; step, cross,
step, lift (or scoot). This, followed by the Polka and the Cha Cha, both of which play a very
large part in the composition of the Line Dance. More recently, still, syncopations of the style
normally found in WCS have made a large imprint on the Line Dance choreography.

Looking back at some of the earlier line dances, having the correct number of steps, utilizing
the correct number of musical beats, didn't seem all that important. The JR Hustle mentioned
earlier, was the only dance for a very long time that actually followed the concept of phrasing
to the musical major (32 beats).

Chorus lines, which have been around for a very long time, are not that different in concept
when compared with line dances we do today. So, as I said, Line Dancing, in one form or
another, has been around for a very long time.

A long time friend of mine, the first I know of to teach CW dance in the public school system,
gave me step-descriptions from the 1970's. Back in the 70's & early 80's, teachers from all
over the country would get together in what they called "Dance Caravans" similar to the
"Dance Camps" that you see today except it was for teachers only.They exchanged dances,
ideas and general information on how to improve on what they were doing. Most of these
people were professionals who owned their own studios and generally taught in seveal areas
of dance, not just CW. Specifics on Line Dancing history is rare and trying to nail down exact
dates is impossible. [This is an article written by Rick Bowen, Pine Grove, CA.]

http://www.eijkhout.net/rad/dance_specific/linedance.html

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Think of the Wild West and the

imagination runs away with itself. Myth, mystery and a healthy supply of romantic fiction
conjure up a satisfying picture of gun toting Clint Eastwoods, head hunting Apaches, and
stressed out sheriffs trying to enforce the rule of law. The very fact that the genre of spaghetti
westerns was inspired by an Italian should set alarm bells ringing.

Its understandable that line dancers would like to see their own history within the same frontier fairy
tale but the reality, if a little boring, is somewhat different. As Cathy Hellier, dance historian at the
Williamsberg Research Foundation in Virginia points out, rather puzzled by our phone call, line dance
is a modern form of dancing, isnt it?

Conditions on the western frontier in the 18th and 19th centuries were severe. True, the early settlers
were predominantly men but line dance didnt evolve just because they werent too keen on dancing
cheek to cheek. Survival was the main priority, and any free time would most likely have been spent
lying very still with their eyes closed. Its not possible to plot line dance on a continuous graph. But
what the settlers did bring with them were their own national traditions of dancing that form the basis of
what we all enjoy today. The original Schottische arrived from Poland. German settlers introduced
clogging, while Cajun influences not surprisingly can be laid squarely at the doorstep of the French.
None of these guys did the Tush Push, Cajun Mambo Walk or Roll Back The Rug. In the first place,
they wouldnt have known what a tush was. You have to take a leap into this century to discover the
first sightings of line dance, which in its recognisable form swung in on the coat tails of rock and roll.
There emerged what can be described as fad dances like the Stroll and later the Madison, and as
disco music took hold in the 70s the Hustle craze started followed by a distinct line dance called the
Bus Stop, which closely resembled the Electric Slide. The film industry was an important boost,
classically Grease (remember the Hand Jive?) and the movie Urban Cowboy in the early 80s, which
sparked a trend in country clubs doing Cotton Eyed Joe, Two Step, Waltz, Swing and about three or
four line dances. If you had taken the floor back then, most likely you would have found yourself
learning the Tush Push, Four Corners, the Stomp, and something very like Elvira or Texas Freeze.
Originally line dances were choreographed to all kinds of music. The Tush Push, written by Jim
Ferrazzano in 1980, was first intended for big band music at a speed of 140 bpm! A lot of dances were
done as folk dances or party mixers that were adapted to country music and given cutesy country
titles by ex-ballroom teachers. The Cowboy Charleston was by no means a country dance, and neither
was the Alley Cat. The Barn Dance Mixer (Wild, Wild, West) was a Merengue or Paso Doble party
mixer.

Line dance climbed into bed with country music when Billy Ray Cyrus wrote Achy Breaky Heart in
1992. A clever marketing trick, Melanie Greenwoods dance was written to promote the song. Five
years later and Achy Breaky Heart has snowballed into the biggest dance craze ever, line dancing
choreographed to country music. Not the legacy of bold frontier settlers with the American Dream in
their hearts, but an ingenious ploy to sell records. Bang goes the fairy tale. Enjoyable, straightforward
to learn and not requiring a partner, line dance was bound to spread. In many countries, particularly
across continental Europe, the US military laid the first foundations, sharing line and country dance
with the locals. A long standing affection for country music in the UK was a powerful springboard, and
line dance rapidly became a part of the holiday camp country music scene.

And so weve gone an international full circle, with different nations of dancers now adding their own
ideas and interpretations, just like theyve always done.

Thats the best way to see line dance and its history, as a family of dance styles, pieced together from
a jigsaw puzzle of nations. The spaghetti western theory may make a better story line but thats
Hollywood for you. You dont have to believe us if you dont want to.

AMERICAN TIME LINE. WHAT THEY DANCED AND

WHEN
pre 1890 Waltz, Quadrille, Minuet, Gavotte
1890s Polka, Schottische, Cotton Eyed Joe
1900-1920 Foxtrot, Turkey Trot, Peabody, Charleston
1920-1930 Jive, Lindy Hop
1930-1940 Rumba, Samba, Tango
1940-1950 Mambo, West Coast Swing
 1950-1960 Cha Cha, Bosa Nova, Stroll
1960 - Fad dances - Monkey, Jerk, Mashed Potato,
1970 Madison
1970-1980 Hustle, Two Step, Country Waltz, Line Dancing
Break Dancing, Tush Push, the classic country line
1980-1990
dances
1990- Achy Breaky and all the rest...
Compiled with the help of Brigham Young University, Salt Lake
City, Utah
This article is reproduced from Linedancer Magazine
Issue No 11 - April 1997
http://www.linedancermagazine.com/text/articles/history.html

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Western Dance History
Country western dance history

by Lori Heikkila

Dance, along with music, has always dynamically expressed the spirit and
personality of every culture. Modern western dance is part of this global
language and its roots run wide and deep. They can be traced to the
taverns of Ireland and to the ballrooms of Europe, to the Czarist palaces
of Russia and further back still to the fluid tribal rituals of Africa.
Representatives from all of these cultures brought their native dances
when they landed in America. Widely differing peoples who had little or no
exposure to one another gathered and danced on common ground.

The cowboy was not the most limber of creatures. The long hours in the
saddle and strenuous work produced dancers of questionable finesse. He
was not of a temperament to master intricate dance steps or to gracefully
lead a fair maiden across the floor to the strains of a fiddler's reel. Rather
he would join a dance with a wild whoop and a goat cry. Joseph McCoy,
the first great cattle baron, wrote in 1874 that the cowboy "usually enters
the dance with a peculiar zest, his eyes lit up with excitement, liquor and
lust. He stomps in without stopping to divest himself of his sombrero,
spurs or pistols." This dance style was not so much original as it was a
spontaneous adaptation of traditional moves brought west by various
immigrant cultures.

Puritanical thought, religious prohibitions and traditional customs firmly

established the in East began to move West with the pioneers. Worldly
pleasures such as dancing were often frowned upon, and when not
altogether banned, were designed to keep contact and spontaneity at a
minimum. Consequently, it was the minuet, cotillion, pattern dances,
courtly processions, and "safe" folk dances that were favored by the early
settlers.

The open unexplored spaces of the West both shaped the character and
determined the interaction of its settlers. People organized barn dances,
husking and quilting bees, cowboy balls and get-togethers. Invitation was
by word of mouth and those who heard usually came to dance. To prevent
chaos from dominating the dance floor (few people knew the same steps),
a figure who soon became legendary emerged. This hero was the caller
and it was his job to orchestrate the heterogeneous crowd into
harmonious movement.

Working with the steps of formal quadrilles and folk dances, he added a
"cowboy waltz" position and helped promote the square dance. This new
hybrid was considerably more casual that the traditions from which it
derived, but it still inhibited the young who were ready for a dance that
would add a more intimate hold on their partner.

A new dance called the Polka started moving West. Having "the intimacy
of the Waltz and the vivacity of the Irish jig", the Polka was embraced with
enthusiasm.

The western population included such groups as Poles, Germans, French,

Irish, Jews, Scandinavians, Czechs and Russians and each still enjoyed
their own folk dances, but many found common refuge in the polka. New
hybrids were also developed, creating offspring such as the Varsouvianna
and the Two Step. German settlers in El Paso, Texas developed the
Schottische and line dances which were important precursors of modern
western dances such as the Cotton-Eyed Joe.

Folks gathered just about anywhere to dance -- on ranches, in barns, in

the wide open spaces under the stars. Slowly a dance that was specifically
"western" began to evolve. Novelty moves and styles popular in
Appalachia and the South came west and were absorbed by the new
settlers. The freed Black Americans in particular exerted a stylistic
influence that can still be seen in today's country swing dance. However,
the most important influence came from the cowboy!

The cowboy paid little attention to traditional dance forms. One observer
commented in 1873, that "some punchers danced like a bear 'round a
beehive that was afraid of getting stung. Others didn't seem to know how
to handle a calico, and got as rough as they do handlin' cattle in brandin'
pens."

The swing of the leg when dismounting from a horse became a mighty
Polka gallop. Women were handled as if the cowboy were throwing a
beating calf to the ground to be branded. Heavy army issue boots
contributed to crude footwork. The habit of wearing spurs even on the
dance floor forced the cowboy to keep his feet apart and shuffle as he
moved to the music. Several of these cowboy mannerisms, although
tamed, survive in today's modern western dance. The "double arms over"
move is reminiscent of the final "tying off" of a calf's legs prior to
branding. The basic "push pull" position recaptures the rhythm of grasping
the reins.

The beginning of the twentieth century brought new music and dance. In
the middle of this explosion was the Black American. Their principal source
of relaxation and entertainment had been their music and dance. In the
old South, contests were frequently held on the plantation to see "who
owned the fastest dancer." Fascinated and envious of the rhythmic
freedom of Blacks, Whites later "corked up" in black face and toured the
country.

By the turn of the century carnivals, minstrel shows, medicine shows and
eventually vaudeville routines frequently showcased Black dancers or
White imitators. The Black dance style was referred to as "jazz" or
"eccentric dancing". These fast, gyrating, acrobatic and tap dances had
names like the Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear, Kangaroo Dip and Chicken
Scratch. Black dance was viewed as a novelty, sometimes ridiculed, but
the intricate footwork and fluid motions of Black performers were slowly
seeping into America's dance repertoire.

By 1916, two years after the War began, New Orleans jazz was in full
bloom. Just one year later historian Bernard Grun proclaimed Chicago the
"world's jazz center". Inspired by the improvisational elements in jazz,
couples began to experiment on the dance floor: They separated, broke
apart, twirled, and jigged.
Throughout the 1920's, radio brought music to the whole nation. Chicago
radio station WLS began broadcasting the "National Barn Dance" in 1924.
A year later the now famous "Grand Ole Opry" from Nashville was
initiated.

In the late 1920's, George "Shorty" Snowden brought the entire Savoy
Ballroom audience to its feet with his rapid, break-away solo steps.
Charles Lindbergh had crossed the Atlantic in 1927 in one dramatic "hop",
and when Snowden was asked what his dance was called, he replied, the
"Lindy Hop".

In 1938 Benny Goodman ushered in a new jazz style. His big band swing
sound was listened to around the world and soon the Lindy Hop gave birth
to the Jitterbug, a fast moving combination of fancy footwork and
elaborate spins, twirls and turns, many of which can still be seen in
contemporary country swing moves.

One of the many fascinated listeners out West was Bob Wills. When jazz
hit, Bob was struck. Eventually he formed his own western big band and
helped create a genre of music known as western swing. Today's modern
country swing dance derives directly from the music Wills played and the
way people danced to it.

A new musical tempo could be heard after the Second Word War. Be-bop,
a kind of wild and dizzying swing offshoot popular in big cities quickly gave
birth to "pop" music. Rockabilly arrived in the '50's and by the middle of
the decade had become known as rock 'n roll.

Rock 'n roll was music of the '50's, but the dance that accompanied it was
very similar to Jitterbug and Swing. The style of dance changed
dramatically in the early 1960's where partners were couples only in name
and where each allowed his body to dance directly to the sounds, lights
and strobes.

Couple dancing regained popularity in the mid 1970's with the emergence
of Disco. In the late 1970's as Disco died and country music continued to
rise in rapid popularity, a resurgence of interest in western dance
emerged. Older dancers suddenly became models for a new generation.

Now that swing is back, people are dancing into the 90's with a smile, a
hat and a friendly attitude!

http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/western.htm
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