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Article #1: The history of line dancing

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Think of the Wild West and the Step, Waltz, Swing and about three or
imagination runs away with itself. Myth, four line dances. If you had taken the
mystery and a healthy supply of romantic floor back then, most likely you would
fiction conjure up a satisfying picture have found yourself learning the Tush
of gun toting Clint Eastwoods, head Push, Four Corners, the Stomp, and
hunting Apaches, and stressed out something very like Elvira or Texas
sheriffs trying to enforce the rule of Freeze.
law. The very fact that the genre of Originally line dances were choreographed
spaghetti westerns was inspired by an to all kinds of music. The Tush Push,
Italian should set alarm bells ringing. written by Jim Ferrazzano in 1980, was
It's understandable that line dancers first intended for big band music at a
would like to see their own history speed of 140 bpm! A lot of dances were
within the same frontier fairy tale but done as folk dances or party mixers that
the reality, if a little boring, is were adapted to country music and given
somewhat different. As Cathy Hellier, "cutesy" country titles by ex-ballroom
dance historian at the Williamsberg teachers. The Cowboy Charleston was by no
Research Foundation in Virginia points means a country dance, and neither was
out, rather puzzled by our phone call, the Alley Cat. The Barn Dance Mixer
"line dance is a modern form of dancing, (Wild, Wild, West) was a Merengue or Paso
isn't it?" Doble party mixer
Conditions on the western frontier in the Line dance climbed into bed with country
18th and 19th centuries were severe. music when Billy Ray Cyrus wrote Achy
True, the early settlers were Breaky Heart in 1992. A clever marketing
predominantly men but line dance didn't trick, Melanie Greenwood's dance was
evolve just because they weren't too keen written to promote the song. Five years
on dancing cheek to cheek. Survival was later and Achy Breaky Heart has
the main priority, and any "free" time snowballed into the biggest dance craze
would most likely have been spent lying ever, line dancing choreographed to
very still with their eyes closed. It's country music. Not the legacy of bold
not possible to plot line dance on a frontier settlers with the American Dream
continuous graph. But what the settlers in their hearts, but an ingenious ploy to
did bring with them were their own sell records.
national traditions of dancing that form Bang goes the fairy tale. Enjoyable,
the basis of what we all enjoy today. straightforward to learn and not
The original Schottische arrived from requiring a partner, line dance was bound
Poland. German settlers introduced to spread.
"clogging", while Cajun influences not In many countries, particularly across
surprisingly can be laid squarely at the continental Europe, the US military laid
doorstep of the French. None of these the first foundations, sharing line and
guys did the Tush Push, Cajun Mambo Walk country dance with the locals.
or Roll Back The Rug. In the first place, A long standing affection for country
they wouldn't have known what a "tush" music in the UK was a powerful
was. You have to take a leap into this springboard, and line dance rapidly
century to discover the first sightings became a part of the holiday camp country
of line dance, which in its recognisable music scene.
form swung in on the coat tails of rock And so we've gone an international full
and roll. There emerged what can be circle, with different nations of dancers
described as "fad" dances like the Stroll now adding their own ideas and
and later the Madison, and as disco music interpretations, just like they've always
took hold in the 70s the Hustle craze done.
started followed by a distinct line dance That's the best way to see line dance and
called the Bus Stop, which closely its history, as a family of dance styles,
resembled the Electric Slide. pieced together from a jigsaw puzzle of
The film industry was an important boost, nations. The spaghetti western theory may
classically Grease (remember the Hand make a better story line but that's
Jive?) and the movie Urban Cowboy in the Hollywood for you. You don't have to
early 80s, which sparked a trend in believe us if you don't want to.
country clubs doing Cotton Eyed Joe, Two






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