Across the country, under the parking lot lights of various music halls and venues, people are bringing back a once thought-to-be-dying form of art: line dancing. Line dancing is a variety of choreographed dances where, as the name implies, people dance in lines and rows. The modern form of the activity was popularized in the 1950s and 60s in the Midwest and is associated with country music.
After a drop in popularity over the last few decades, the hobby has made a comeback. Stories of venues hosting line dancing events to massive crowds have risen in popularity, and line dancing, in general, has seen a resurgence with Generation Z.
The reasons for this resurgence vary, but some theorize the pandemic has something to do with it. After lockdown and not being allowed to see people in person, many have found an exciting and social way to get together with friends through line dancing.
“I really like the people there, and it was a really fun activity to do with my friends. They teach us dances and we hang out, dance and talk,” junior Lucas Varela said.
Varela and his friend group, like many across the U.S., discovered line dancing, tried it out, and then continued to go back. With the loss of many third places — social locations where people can hang out outside of school or home — line dancing venues provide that space for people of all ages.
Regarding the dance style, older generations have passed the torch to Gen Z and are now teaching the younger generation different dances to various songs allowing them to stay alive and thrive.
Part of the appeal for line dancing is its relation to country music. At most line dancing venues, country music is the music playing, and as the genre’s popularity has increased for Gen Z, it has only added to the resurgence of line dancing.
“ … Parties usually play house or rap, and as a fan of country music, it’s really nice that the type of music they play when I go line dancing,” junior Ignacio Perales said.
The wider popularity of country music could also explain why line dancing is attracting more fans in urban areas. Line dancing is typically associated with more rural areas, so its growth in big cities like Miami shows the potential effect of social media in spreading the word and sparking interest in line dancing.
However, the current form of line dancing with country music is not the only one that exists. Dances like the “Macarena” and the “Cha Cha Slide” also fall under the catch-all term of line dancing.
Overall, the phenomenon of modern line dancing is born out of a post-pandemic urge to go out and have fun, combined with a growth of country music amongst Gen Z. It seems that line dancing is truly an addictive hobby, with teenagers becoming hooked on the joy and sense of community they find, even after their first try at this trending activity.
