I don't know if it's because I'm a line dancer now and I notice it more, but seriously...
Is line dancing suddenly everywhere?
Turn on the television and there it is. Watch a movie and suddenly someone's line dancing. Go to a pub or club and there's a line dancing night coming up. Country music festivals and community events are putting line dancing on their programs. Open social media and somebody's teaching a dance, showing off a new one or posting a room full of people all trying to stay on the same wall.
And chances are, if you look around your own local area, you'll find a line dancing class somewhere several times a week.
It really does feel like everywhere I turn, there it is. And I love it.
Even My Six-Year-Old Granddaughter Wants to Learn
This one really made me smile.
My six-year-old granddaughter recently announced that she wants to learn line dancing. What made it even funnier was that she'd only just discovered that Nana line dances.
I don't even know where she saw it or what made her decide she wanted to learn. But somehow line dancing has reached a six-year-old who didn't even know her own Nana did it. How good is that?
It also made me realise just how much things are changing. We're not talking about an activity that belongs to one particular generation anymore. We're seeing children interested in it, teenagers and younger adults trying it, right through to people in their 60s, 70s and beyond who have been dancing for years.
Everybody can be on the same dance floor. And I think that's pretty special.
Then I Turned on Today Extra...
And there was Maddison Glover teaching them Strummingbird.
Of course there was.
It put a smile on my face because I thought, there it is again!
I'd already been noticing how often line dancing was popping up, and then I turn on morning television and there's a dance I actually know being taught on Today Extra.
Maddison has also been involved with the Strummingbird country music festival, bringing line dancing into an even bigger music and festival environment. It's another sign of just how visible line dancing has become.
It's not hiding in the local hall anymore.
It's Not Just Line Dancing Classes Either
This is probably the biggest difference I'm noticing.
Of course there are dedicated line dancing classes everywhere. But now we're seeing line dancing at clubs, pubs, festivals, community events and country music venues.
Some venues are running beginner lessons before the music starts. Others are having dedicated line dancing nights. And sometimes it's simply part of the entertainment.
That's exciting because people who might never think, I'm going to join a line dancing class, get to see it. They watch for a while. They see everyone laughing. They realise nobody on the floor looks particularly worried about being perfect.
And eventually someone thinks... That actually looks like fun.
That's how it starts.
Shop the Dance
Easy pieces made for moving, warmer days and plenty of time on the dance floor.
And Then There's Social Media
You can't ignore the effect social media is having either.
There are line dances everywhere. You don't have to know the name of the choreographer or even the name of the dance. You can be scrolling and suddenly there's a group of people dancing to a song you know. Then another. And another.
Some of those videos are polished and perfect. Others are just ordinary people having an absolute ball.
Personally, I think those are often the best ones. Because that's much closer to what line dancing really feels like.
Maybe That's Why It's Reaching So Many Different Ages
For years, I think plenty of people had a picture in their heads of what a “line dancer” looked like.
I'm not sure that picture works anymore.
There's no one type of line dancer. You don't have to be young. You don't have to be older. You don't have to wear cowboy boots. You don't even have to particularly like country music anymore, because there's an enormous variety of music being used.
Most importantly, you don't need to know how to dance before you start.
That's what the class is for. And believe me, nobody expects you to get it right immediately.
If you're wondering what your first class might be like, have a read of What to Wear to Your First Line Dancing Class and 10 Mistakes Every New Line Dancer Makes. They'll hopefully take a little of the mystery out of walking through that door for the first time.
So What's Stopping You?
This is really what I wanted to say with this blog.
If you've been watching line dancing and thinking, I'd like to try that...
Try it.
Honestly, what have you got to lose?
Find a beginner class near you. Go to one. Stand at the back if that makes you feel more comfortable. Tell the instructor you've never done it before.
And don't worry when everyone turns and you don't. Don't worry when your feet seem to have absolutely no interest in doing what your brain is telling them. And definitely don't worry if you stuff it up.
We all do.
I've been doing this for a couple of years now and I still get it wrong. That's part of it.
What You Might Actually Find
You might go along expecting to learn a few steps. But you could end up finding a lot more than that.
You might find some exercise you actually enjoy. You might find music you didn't know you liked. You might find yourself going out more. You might find a reason to get off the couch when you really couldn't be bothered.
And you might find a whole group of new friends.
That's certainly been one of the biggest surprises for me. I started because I wanted to learn to line dance. I didn't realise how much of a social life came with it.
There's a reason I keep saying line dancing is more than just steps.
Maybe Everyone Else Is Just Catching On
So is line dancing having a resurgence? Probably. Is it becoming more mainstream? It certainly feels that way from where I'm standing.
But I also know there'll be plenty of long-time line dancers reading this thinking: We've been here all along!
And they're right. Maybe the rest of the world is simply catching on.
Because when a six-year-old is asking Nana to teach her, Maddison Glover is teaching Strummingbird on Today Extra, line dancing is appearing in entertainment and across social media, and pubs, clubs and events are putting it on...
Something is definitely happening.
And I think it's wonderful.
So if you've been standing on the sidelines watching everyone else and wondering whether line dancing might be for you: go and give it a go.
What have you got to lose?
Well... maybe a bit of dignity when you turn the wrong way.
But you'll probably gain a whole lot of laughs.
And you might just find something you absolutely love.
Have you noticed line dancing popping up everywhere too? Or are you thinking about trying your first class? I'd love to hear about it.
Shop the Dance
A few places to keep browsing when you're ready for your next dance-floor favourite.