Well, my line dancing teacher is finally back!
She’s been away for about a month, and while we’ve certainly been keeping ourselves busy and practising while she’s been gone, she came back on Thursday and apparently decided we needed to be put straight back to work.
And she worked our asses off.
Not only were we dancing, she started pulling out dances we haven’t done for a while to see just how much we could remember.
You know those dances you know you know?
The music starts. You recognise it immediately. You’re feeling quite confident.
Then suddenly your brain goes completely blank.
What comes after this bit?
You look to the person beside you. Unfortunately, they’re looking at you.
Then everyone starts looking at everyone else.
Welcome back, teacher!
It’s Amazing What Your Brain Remembers
Actually, I was pleasantly surprised.
There were dances we hadn’t done for quite a while, and once the music started, somehow the feet remembered more than I thought they would.
Not everything, mind you.
There were definitely a few moments of “Oh yes! NOW I remember!”
But that’s part of what I love about line dancing. I’m constantly amazed at how many dances we eventually manage to store away somewhere in our heads.
A few years ago I would never have believed I could remember this many combinations of steps, walls, tags and restarts.
Now apparently I can.
Most of the time.
Queensland Is Warming Up Again
There was something else I noticed at class this week.
It’s getting hot.
Here in Queensland, we’re heading back into the warmer weather, and suddenly the clothes I’ve happily been dancing in through winter are starting to feel a little less appealing.
When you’re dancing for a couple of hours, you want something cool, comfortable and easy to move in.
So I’ve been doing some hunting.
I’ve found some really lovely sleeveless styles and dresses for Step Culture that I think are going to be fantastic for the warmer months.
I still want them to look like us. A little Western, a little fun and definitely line dancing — but they also need to be something I’d actually want to dance in.
Because if I’m hot, uncomfortable or constantly pulling at my clothes, I’m not going to enjoy wearing them no matter how good they look.
Shop the Dance
Cooler clothes for warmer dance nights
 Rock Me Sleeveless Tank Cool and easy to move in for warmer dance nights. |
 Line Dancing Dresses Sleeveless styles made for dancing through the warmer months. |
 Free Shipping Favourites A growing selection with the bonus of free shipping. |
And that last one is something I’m particularly happy about.
I’m always looking for new products and new designs for Step Culture, but I’m also constantly looking at the cost.
There’s no point finding something fabulous and then discovering the postage makes it ridiculous.
So I’ve now managed to put together a growing selection of products with free shipping.
You’ll see more appearing in there as I find them.
It’s something I’ve really been working on because I want to keep bringing you different products without shipping becoming the nasty surprise at checkout.
Anyway, enough shop talk.
Back to the dancing.
Then the Line Dancers Took Over Karaoke
Last night we had a karaoke night.
Now before anybody gets too excited...
No, I wasn’t singing.
Well, not into a microphone anyway.
Instead, us line dancers did what line dancers apparently do when presented with music and an empty floor.
We took it over.
Someone would get up to sing and somewhere among our group somebody would realise:
Hang on... we can dance to this!
And up we’d get.
We danced Pour Me a Drink.
We danced Choosin’ Texas.
We danced Twenty Two.
Then there was Sweet Caroline, Rock Me Mama/Wagon Wheel and whatever else we could make work.
The poor karaoke singers probably thought the entertainment had suddenly come with its own backing dancers.
And it was so much fun.
Nobody had gone there for a line dancing night. We weren’t at a class. There was no teacher standing at the front calling anything out.
There was simply music playing and a group of us who knew enough dances to get up and use the floor.
And I think that’s when it really hit me how much line dancing has become part of my social life.
It Doesn’t Finish When Class Finishes
When I started line dancing, I thought I was learning to dance.
That’s what you do, isn’t it?
You go to a class. You learn the steps. You come home.
Except somewhere along the way it becomes much more than that.
You make friends.
You practise together when the teacher goes away.
You start recognising songs because you know a dance that goes with them.
You go somewhere completely unrelated to line dancing and suddenly somebody says:
“We can dance to this!”
And before you know it, half the group is on the floor.
That’s probably why I’ve always loved the idea behind Step Culture being more than just steps.
Because it really is.
And Then I Checked My Step Counter...
When I finally got home, I looked at my step counter.
15,000 steps.
In one night.
Between dancing, walking around, socialising and apparently deciding we were the unofficial karaoke dance troupe, I’d clocked up fifteen thousand steps.
Well...
That took care of dinner.
Today is consequently looking considerably quieter.
I think I’ve earned it.
Where Do You Dance When You’re Not at Class?
This is what I’d really love to know.
Where does your line dancing take you once you leave the studio?
Do a group of you go to pubs or clubs together? Country music nights? Social dances? Festivals? Karaoke?
Do you find yourselves taking over the floor at parties and family events?
Or are you one of those people who hears a song in the supermarket and has to resist the urge to start doing the dance in aisle seven?
Because I’m starting to suspect line dancing doesn’t really stay in the classroom once you get hooked.
It follows you everywhere.
Shop the Dance – What I’m Loving for the Warmer Weather
 Pour Me a Drink, Let’s Dance After dancing it at karaoke, I couldn’t leave this one out. |
 I Love Line Dancing Racerback A lighter sleeveless option for hot dance days. |
 Gifts & Little Extras Hats, keyrings and gift ideas for line dancers. |
Free Shipping Favourites The range is growing, so keep checking back. |
So that’s been my line dancing week.
Teacher’s back.
Memory tested.
Summer clothes coming out.
Karaoke floor taken over.
15,000 steps clocked up.
And today?
I think I’ll sit down.
At least until somebody puts some music on.
Now tell me — where’s your favourite place to line dance when you’re not at your regular class?