Line Dancing

People have been line dancing from centuries back. But our line dancing is most directly descended from the 1970s disco era, when America saw a variety of new dances and country-and-western line dancing emerged as one of them. Some claim that line dancing finds its roots in historical folk dances; other say it stemmed from contemporary disco. Whatever its source, popularity and growth of line dancing has been inextricably tied to country-and-western music where it began. However, line dancing began incorporating many musical styles besides country and country music began to appear on the pop charts. Line dancing began to cross boundaries of income, race, age, and gender. Now in Hawaii, line dancing can be considered an art form of its own, with its own terminology and standardized steps.

“Social dancers believe that hope may be just a verb with its shirtsleeves rolled up.”

 

Unfortunately on Oahu the women to men ratio has not been good, though improving. Everyone can enjoy moving to the music and they can get their exercise too. If we can dance as we wish without too many regulations, the whole business of social dancing will continue to roll. On the mainland, with masks and respect for social distance, line dancing is going back to malls, parking lots and parks. They are taking their music and moves outside for weekly meet-ups. Many are Seniors that have refused to let the Trump pandemic ruin their weekly dance groove. Before the Trump Pandemic put a halt to their weekly meet-ups, these groups would dance everywhere. It was physical, as well as mental and with this shutdown, the worst thing you can do to Seniors is isolate them.

"Tiny Bubbles" by Don Ho

Especially when many are widowed and don’t have anyone at the house, unless they have a dog or a cat. The groups have decided to take a boombox and line dance in a social-distance-friendly manner in a Park or parking lot and have had nothing short of a reunion. What has made these events even more important to everyone is that they had been shut down and there was nowhere else to go really. At the following meet-ups, the groups have found other places such as mall or gyms. Not so many people anymore and a lot of people think line dancing is hokey, They dance to everything, it’s not only country (music). You name it, they dance it 

“Social dancers believe that hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances

that we may think are somewhat desperate.”