The origins of line dancing are not clear, but it definitely wasn’t in Miami. Line dancing has grown in popularity over the past couple of years, and it has transformed Miami into a country paradise.
More and more people are choosing to go line dancing instead of clubbing, making it a new Saturday night activity. Line dancing offers a nice shift from stuffy clubs to feeling free to let loose and dance. With that comes a challenge: whether you’re equipped to stay on the dance floor while tirelessly learning difficult choreographed dances that can include jumps and a lot of spinning.
Line dancing may not be exactly what you picture. People still wear their boots and cowboy hats and dance to country music. But now they’ve incorporated a mix of Latin music, such as Pitbull’s song Fuego, showing how diverse it has become.
The rise in popularity has people going every weekend to dance at places like Schnebly’s Redland Brewery, or more popularly called “the winery.” Berry Farms, a strawberry farm by day, is a perfect line dancing spot by night. If you’re willing to make the journey, another popular spot is the Roundup Night Club in Davie, a staple line dancing hotspot for over 20 years. This place offers line dancing classes early in the evening and often has a mechanical bull for visitors to try to ride. On Tuesdays, students at the University of Miami dance at Pub 52 Bar and Kitchen, 10 minutes away from campus.
Due to this up-and-coming spread of western culture, Nataly Leiva and Tyler Corzo decided to start a line dancing student organization, Two Step Canes, to practice the line dancing choreographies with their fellow ‘Canes.
Corzo, an avid and practically professional line dancer, a sophomore at the University of Miami, started dancing about two years ago over the summer and is now addicted to the thrill of line dancing.
He shares, “I got into line dancing through my friends who invited me to try it out. I was hesitant at first, but I was immediately hooked on it, and it has become my favorite hobby.”
Even though line dancing is clearly an enjoyable experience, the downsides are that it may be challenging for beginners.
Rocio Pelaez, a sophomore and the events coordinator of Two Step Canes, expressed how line dancing has “recently changed to super complex contemporary dances that regular people struggle to keep up with.” She adds, “I wish we had better intermediate and accessible dance options.”
So if you’re not willing to practice a few dances, you might not be on the dance floor for long. The regulars know all the dances that involve quick spins and various footsteps that will leave you dizzy if you’re trying to follow. You may want to try to give it a whirl in your dorm room before venturing off to your first dance, or even try out a lesson with Two Step Canes.
Instead of going to the same nightclubs or parties, try on some cowboy boots and start learning how to line dance. It is enjoyable and a refreshing change from jumping up and down at a club.