24 Classic Line Dances – The Timeless Ones We Still Love!

newMainClassic

Copperknob.co.uk is the website recognized as the repository for official step sheets for line dancing. At the time of this writing, the Copperknob website has 124,895 line dance step sheets! That means it is closing in on a quarter-million choreographed line dances!

Many line dances are good – they have their moment but then get replaced by the next new wave of dances. They tend to come and go, but some do stick around for longer than others of course.

But then there are some dances that are different! Some are just classic and timeless and are special. They are too stubborn to ever go away–we love them so much!

So, this is the question I’m trying to answer today: What are the line dances that have something special about them, that have some magic dust–some sort of perfect combination of all that we love, to make them unforgettable? These are the classics! The timeless line dances, the dances that withstand the test of time!

Classic means “judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. So anything judged as a classic first has to have been around for a while. For my list, I’m going from oldest to newest! From the most enduring to more recent additions to the classic list. I think many of these are indisputable, but for some…let the debate begin!

24 of the classic, timeless line dances that have endured the test of time and we’re still dancing today! (Click on them to pop down to more information and lessons for each one!)

1. Electric Slide – Ric Silver (1976)

Count: 18Wall: 4Level: BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 49Copperknob

Choreography: Ric Silver (1976)
Music: Electric Boogie by Marcia Griffiths (with scores of alternates, including Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus and Fast As You by Dwight Yoakam)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.

It’s 1976, for us folks in the United States, it was the year of our Bicentennial. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the Apple Computer Company and NASA introduced the first space shuttle, the Enterprise, and Jimmy Carter won the U.S. Presidential race. And, some guy named Ric Silver comes up with some simple choreography that millions would dance into the present day!

While we definitely have to consider the Electric Slide a classic, as it has been around for so long and is still super popular, it is more famously known as an easy line dance and is popular to this day largely due to that. It is easy to pick up and is sure to be danced at any country bar on a weekend or at a wedding when the dance floor opens up.

I covered this dance previously in another article: 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need To Know, check out more information about it there!

Also, check a separate article about alternative songs that can be used to dance the Electric Slide! But know that the list is endless!

Philip Victor’s quick teach of the Electric Slide! (love the bolt!)

back to top


 

2. Slappin’ Leather – Gayle Brandon (1978)

Count: 40Wall: 4Level: BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 5Copperknob

Choreography: Gayle Brandon
Music: Footloose by Kenny Loggins and Blake Shelton (alt: T.R.O.U.B.L.E. by Travis Tritt)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.

For the 2nd classic line dance, I’m going with Slappin’ Leather, since in two places I saw the creation date as being 1978! So, this is one of the first choreographed line dances. A true classic! But what else was happening back then?

Here are a couple of fun ones: The very first “Garfield” comic strip debuts in newspapers and the computer video game Space Invaders was released. How I loved me some Space Invaders; many well wasted hours on that! But we also got Slappin’ Leather folks! And which one is still impacting lives to this day?

Like the Electric Slide I’ve also already covered this line dance in 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need To Know, check out more information about it there!

Because of the longevity and popularity of Slappin’ Leather, it has changed over the years, meaning people have created subtle variations. Following are some notes about that…

Chicago Variation: Dance begins on beat 5, with a foot pattern of RRLL instead of RLRL, and putting beats 1-4 at the end of the dance. Also, replace the steps done on beats 19-24 with just three steps, which happen to be the steps shown above in beats 19, 24, and 23, in that order. To make the dance come out even, the hop on beat 36 is done twice instead of once.
Shorter Versions: In some places, the dance is shortened to 38 counts by leaving out counts 20-21. In some places, the dance is shortened to 36 counts by leaving out counts 19-22.
Other Variations: In fact, this dance has seen more local variations than probably any other dance. Other variations that have taken hold over the years in various places include toe taps instead of heel taps, touches to the front instead of the side, putting the ¼ turn in at a different place, and starting at various places in the dance. If you travel to different places throughout the world, expect to see this dance done in several different ways.*

Great teach and demo of Slappin’ Leather from Candy Sherwin.

back to top


 

3. Tush Push – Jim Ferrazzano (1979)

Count: 40Wall: 4Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 50Copperknob

Choreography: Jim Ferrazzano (1979)
Music: “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 1979 we were all excited to get our own Walkman and we needed it to listen to Michael Jackson’s new song Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough. But the world also quietly got the Tush Push and line dancing would never be the same!

One thing really interesting about the Tush Push is that it is known as “the first known choreographed line dance.” I think that is curious, because what about the Electric Slide or Slappin’ Leather (and maybe others too)? This doesn’t seem old enough to make that claim. Maybe this is a myth that was spread around? Let me know if you have any insight about it!

And like the others, I’ve also already covered this line dance in 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need To Know, check out more information about it there!

Great teach of Tush Push by a great instructor, Patti Nivens.

back to top


 

4. Walk the Line – Sandi Larkins (1987)

Count: 26 Wall: 4 Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 5Copperknob

Choreography: Sandi Larkins – 1987
Music: Cold Outside by Bighouse

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Moving into the 80s, 1987 brought us The Simpsons, making their debut on the Tracy Ullman Show. And in the world of line dancing, we got Walk The Line! Here’s a line dance I also already covered in 50 Popular Line Dances that Everyone Loves!

Candy Sherwin’s teaching of the Walk the Line line dance.

back to top


 

5. Boot Scootin’ Boogie – Tom Mattox & Skippy Blair (1990s)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 2Copperknob

Choreographers: Tom Mattox & Skippy Blair (1990s)
Music: Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks & Dunn
Step Sheet: Click here to download.

For the next classic, I really felt this was the place to stick Boot Scootin’ Boogie. Where I live in Southern California, spotting this dance is a little like looking for some rare near-extinct bird! But I’m sure it is still danced often in many places!

I always thought this Brooks & Dunn was an awesome song for how it gives tribute to the great past time of line dancing:


I’ve got a good job, I work hard for my money
When it’s quittin’ time, I hit the door honey
I fire up my pickup truck
And let the horses run

I go flyin’ down that highway
To that hide-a-way
Stuck out in the woods
To do the boot scootin’ boogie

Yeah, heel toe, docie doe, come on, baby, let’s go, boot scootin’
Oh, Cadillac, Black Jack, baby meet me outback we’re gonna boogie
Oh, get down turn around go to town boot scootin’ boogie


What was challenging is finding the exact date on which Tom Mattox & Skippy Blair created the dance. I’m just assuming t was the early ’90s soon after the song was first recorded (1991) or released and shot to the top of the charts (1992). So, about the time the internet came into existence and Bill Clinton won the presidency, and my first son Isaac was born, we also got Boot Scootin’ Boogie!

I have learned the dance and really love it! Especially the hitches! Just wish we danced it more! Below is one of those rare sightings of the dance happening at Cowboy Palace in Chatsworth, California!

back to top


 

6. Midnight Waltz – Jo Thompson Szymanski (1992)

Count: 48 Wall: 4 Level: IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 16Copperknob

Choreographer: Jo Thompson Szymanski (1992)
Music: Children by The Mavericks

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In addition to Bill Clinton becoming president, 1992 also was the year of the L.A. Riots in the aftermath of the Rodney King trial, which is what many remember it for. And there was hurricane Andrew ravaging the east coast that year as well. I mainly remember it for the year my daughter Evangeline was born! And while all this was going on, Jo Thompson Szymanski was cooking up this beautiful line dance called Midnight Waltz.

This line dance is not only a classic line dance but is a Jo Thompson Szymanski classic! Meaning it has that Jo Thomson touch to it. Her line dances generally are just a cut above, showing her talent and craft. With it, Jo created a line dance that is a beautiful waltz, and beginning with this dance, this list has its first more challenging, but also more gratifying dance once mastered.

Like the Boot Scootin’ Boogie, where I dance, this seems like a rare or retired dance, but I do see it still pretty current on YouTube, so it is still getting the love it deserves!

Demo and teach of the line dance Midnight Waltz by Joshua Talbot.

back to top


 

7. Watermelon Crawl – Sue Lipscomb (1994)

Count: 40 Wall: 4Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 56Copperknob

Choreographer: Sue Lipscomb (1994)
Music: Watermelon Crawl by Tracy Byrd

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

So, the list of classics brings us to #7, the Watermelon Crawl, and the year 1994. What was happening? We lost Baseball for a year due to a strike. And we were horrified to witness Nancy Kerrigan attacked by an assailant with the goal of giving Tanya Harding an edge in the ’94 Winter Olympics ice skating competition. But on a much higher note, my 3rd kid and 2nd son Josh came into the world!

And…we had country singer Tracy Byrd creating a great country song that also served as a great PSA to everyone to be smart and not drink and drive! “If you drink, don’t drive, do the Watermelon Crawl!”

And then came the line dance for it and the rest is history! I’ve danced this twice in the last two weeks! (And it’s currently 2022)! Because this is such a “staple” line dance in country bars all over I don’t think of it as classic, but I realized it definitely qualifies due to its longevity.

Cindy McMichael’s demo and teach of Watermelon Crawl.

back to top


 

8. Swamp Thang – Max Perry (1996)

Count: 40 Wall: 4 Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 22Copperknob

Choreographer: Max Perry (1996)
Music: Swamp Thing by The Grid

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Classic line dance #8 brings us to 1996, the year Tickle Me Elmo was hot, Princess Diana and Prince Charles get divorced, and Bill Clinton was elected to a 2nd term in office. And my 4th kid and 2nd daughter Abby is born! But also, this was the year a great choreographer, Max Perry gives us Swamp Thang. I actually don’t remember seeing this one, but I think I must have just missed it. It looks fun!

Included below is an interesting video of an interview with Max Perry, and of course, Swamp Thang is mentioned! Also below is a great teaching of Swamp Thang from none other than Maddison Glover!

Check out this interview with Max Perry, choreographer of Swamp Thang. Courtesy of the Linedancer YouTube Channel.
Maddison Glover teaches the classic line dance Swamp Thang.

back to top


9. My Maria – Mike Camara & Dan Albro (1996)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 41Copperknob

Choreographer: Mike Camara & Dan Albro (1996)
Music: My Maria by Brooks and Dunn

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Classic line dance #9 keeps us in the year 1996, and puts the spotlight on another great Brooks and Dunn song: My Maria. I’ve always really enjoyed this dance and I think in large part because of the Cha Cha rhythm. At 123 BPM it’s a little fast for a Cha Cha, but I think that just adds to the fun of it.

I have also already covered this line dance in 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need To Know, check out more information about it there! Or just check out the video below to learn it here!

Great teach of the classic line dance My Maria from Candy Sherwin.

back to top


 

10. Dizzy – Jo Thompson Szymanski (1998)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 45Copperknob

Choreographer: Jo Thompson Szymanski (1998)
Music: Dizzy by Scooter Lee
(Alternate music: Bring Down The House by Dean Brody or Ride with Me by Cody Johnson)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.

It’s 1998 – Google is founded as a company, and speaking of technology, Apple Computers reveals the iMac computer. And in the dancing world, Jo Thompson Szymanski choreographs the line dance Dizzy!

I’ve learned Dizzy and had a moment when I thought “this dance just makes me dizzy! So, if that’s how you feel about it too, stick with it! This dance is really great and another one that is evergreen, so you can’t go wrong by adding it to your list!

And of course, it’s evergreen cause it’s just so good! And it’s so good because it’s another one from a giant in line dance, Jo Thompson Szymanski!

The dance is danced to the song of the same name by Scooter Lee. I mention this because you’ll see that in the first video below Patrick of learntocountrydance.com feels strongly about only dancing Dizzy to the original song Dizzy that Jo Thompson choreographed it for! Of course, this is just his personal feeling about it. Many use other songs and I’m not here to say that’s wrong. Have fun go crazy!

Great demo & teach of the line dance Dizzy sticking with the original song “Dizzy” by Scooter Lee.
Fun demo & teach of the classic line dance Dizzy from the very funny Philip Victor – catch the bloopers at the end!

back to top


 

11. Rose Garden – Jo Thompson Szymanski (1999)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 24Copperknob

Choreographer: Jo Thompson Szymanski (1999)
Music: Rose Garden by Scooter Lee

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

1999! Yes, remember Y2K? I admit I got a bunch of extra water! We also saw Clinton’s impeachment trial and acquittal, the birth of Pokémon, and debut albums from both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera! And it seems Jo Thompson was on a roll turning out yet another to be classic line dance, Rose Garden!

I’ve only been country dancing since 2017, and while I haven’t danced Rose Garden much, I have learned it and danced it some. So, I feel certain, while over 20 years old this dance is still out there and beloved.

In fact, last year I had a big thrill actually dancing Rose Garden with Jo Thompson at last year’s Vegas Dance Explosion! Yes, I was a little star-struck! Check my article about VDE to see a picture!

Also check out this vintage and amazing video of Jo, herself teaching and demonstrating the dance!

Jo Thompson Syzmanski’s teaching of her classic line dance Rose Garden.

back to top


 

12. Chill Factor – Daniel Whittaker & Hayley Westhead (2001)

Count: 48 Wall: 4 Level: IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 24Copperknob

Choreographer: Daniel Whittaker (UK) & Hayley Westhead
Music: Last Night, feat. DJ Robbie by Chris Anderson

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Moving on into the current millennium! In 2001, we saw George W. Bush assume the presidency. Cost of living-wise, a gallon of gas was only 1.26! And Eternal Flame from Atomic Kitten and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was what we were singing along to and watching.

But 2001 obviously is the year our lives were forever changed. The world would never be the same when, on September 11, the United States was a victim of terrorism within the borders of its own country on a scale that was so surreal and trauma-inducing to so many to this day.

I know that in the face of such a tumultuous and pivotal moment in our history, this is just a little tiny footnote, but this is the year line dancing got the still popular and fairly challenging dance: Chill Factor!

To learn the dance, check out Maddison Glover’s teaching of it below where she refers to it as a “Golden Oldie.”

Check out this very clear teach of Chill Factor from Maddison Glover.

back to top


 

13. Come Dance With Me – Jo Thompson Szymanski (2002)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: Beginner – FoxtrotVideos on Copperknob: 116Copperknob

Choreographer: Jo Thompson Szymanski
Music: Come Dance With Me by Nancy Hays

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 2002, Tom Brady was saying “Come celebrate with me!” as he won the first Superbowl championship of his career. But Jo Thompson was saying “Come Dance With Me” as she crafted yet another very cool classic line dance.

One thing that caught my eye was how many videos people have uploaded to Copperknob for this dance. 116! These days I think people are adding videos primarily for the newer dances, so to see that amount for this classic, speaks volumes! This truly is a Golden Oldie and special dance.

And also, for this one a special treat! I can’t believe I found the video below where the singer of Come Dance With Me is at Vegas Dance Explosion to join Jo Thompson as she dances her classic! Check it out!

back to top


14. Wave On Wave – Alan Birchall (2003)

Count: 32 Wall: 2 Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 48Copperknob

Choreographer: Alan Birchall (UK) (2003)
Music: Wave On Wave by Pat Green

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

It’s crazy to think that Pat Green’s hit Wave On Wave is almost 20 years old! While I am still fairly new to country dancing, I have been a country music fan for far longer and I became a Pat Green fan instantly when Wave On Wave hit the radio. So, it stands to reason I was very stunned and excited the first time I heard “Wave On Wave” called out by the DJ for the next line dance! What I didn’t know was that it was already a long-time classic line dance.

2003 also gave us Finding Nemo, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. On a sad note, we also witnessed the tragedy of the Columbia Shuttle disaster that year. I still remember where I was when that unfolded.

The line dance Wave On Wave has an interesting story, the kind I’m always looking for as I put these pages together. Check out the choreographer, Alan Birchall’s story of how his line dance came about and also a very cool meeting he had with the man himself Pat Green!

Check out this demo of Alan Birchell himself dancing Wave on Wave and then looks like at the end receiving an award for it!

back to top


15. Reggae Cowboy – Gene Schrivener (2005)

Count: 40 Wall: 4 Level: BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 19Copperknob

Choreographer: Gene Schrivener (2005)
Music: Get Into Reggae Cowboy by The Bellamy Brothers

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 2005, we had the terrible tragedy of the Katrina hurricane, and 80% of the city of New Orleans flooded. The beginning of YouTube and we were all totally engrossed in the 2nd season of the TV show Lost, (I know I was).

But also, Reggae Cowboy by the Bellamy Brothers got a cool line dance that endures to this day. I really love the diamond shuffles in this dance. One way I’ve heard this explained when taught is to think of them like shuffling to first base, backward to second, then forward again to third, and then that final 1/8th turn has you shuffling to the pitcher’s mound!

This is a really clear demo of the steps for Reggae Cowboy!

Extra! Another interesting thing about this dance is that Gene Schrivener has just this dance on Copperknob! I guess this truly qualifies as a “one-hit wonder!”

back to top


16. Turn Me Loose – Nadia Friel (2008)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 19Copperknob

Choreographer: Nadia Friel (2008)
Music: Turn Me Loose – Young Divas

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 2008, we had the housing crisis and the great recession as a result. I remember seeing how far my 401K plummeted! But then it all came back and recovered! Well, that was the year we got the Turn Me Loose line dance!

I only recently learned this one, and I’m still working on it! It’s on my list! Speaking of lists, do you have a line dance list? I’ve only recently got my spreadsheet going to try to keep track of what I know and what I want to learn.

Check out one of Philip Victor’s classic 60-second teaches to learn the classic line dance Turn Me Loose!

back to top


17. Good Time – Jenny Cain (2008)

Count: 48 Wall: 4 Level: ImproverVideos on Copperknob: 19Copperknob

Choreographer: Jenny Cain (2008)
Music: Good Time – Alan Jackson

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Classic line dance #17 brings us to Good Time! a second dance for 2008. I feel like this is a solid candidate for the list even though it’s a staple dance that we do every weekend. It has been around for 14 years and is still going strong!

One thing I found interesting was how many other versions there were done at the time of this Alan Jackson hit. Even the accomplished and world-renowned Rachael McEnaney-White has a version of it. But it was Jenny Cain that was asked to choreograph a line dance for the fun Alan Jackson music video, that famously and fictitiously depicts the longest line dance in history.

It’s so cool, no wonder the dance took off! But I’m glad it did as dance is a lot of fun and even after many years, I still enjoy the grapevine with a spin and then the full turn back to its original position, this has always felt so brilliant to me.

And, if you’ve never seen the video I mentioned above, time to crawl out from under your line dance rock and check it out!

back to top


18. Askin’ Questions – Larry Bass (2009)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: Beginner / IntermediateVideos on Copperknob: 22Copperknob

Choreographer: Larry Bass – July 2009
Music: Askin’ Questions – Brady Seals

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 2009, we saw the tragic death of Michael Jackson! This was another one of those kinds of things that you remember where you were when you heard the news, it was so jarring. But on a positive note, this was the year Sully Sullenberger landed the US Airways Flight 1549 successfully in the Hudson!

And in line dancing, we got “Askin’ Questions.” This also is a line dance I’ve previously covered, so check out the link 50 Popular Line Dances that Everyone Loves! to learn more about it! But also check out the video below to learn the dance.

back to top


19. Toes – Rachael McEnaney (2009)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: ImproverVideos on Copperknob: 44Copperknob

Choreographer: Rachael McEnaney (USA) – February 2009
Music: Toes by Zac Brown Band

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Racheal McEnaney has had a long and illustrious career in dance including many forms of dance as well as line dancing. Besides multiple USWDC World championship achievements, her line dance choreography success has included 24 Crystal Boot awards and her induction into the Line Dance Hall of Fame! With so much success and someone who is basically a “household name” in the line dance community, I was happy to see a dance of hers (one of 312 on Copperknob!) on this list of Classics!

Gail Eaton teaches the classic line dance Toes.

back to top


20. Country Girl Shake – Michele Adlam & Maria Hennings Hunt (2011)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: ImproverVideos on Copperknob: 27Copperknob

Choreographer: Michele Adlam & Maria Hennings Hunt (UK) – April 2011
Music: Country Girl (Shake It for Me) by Luke Bryan

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

In 2011, Japan was in the news as it suffered the Tsumami that resulted from the 9.0 Earthquake off the coast. And this was the year also that Osama Bin Laden was finally found and subsequently killed by US Navy Seals in Pakistan, another one of those “I remember where I was when I heard the news” moments!

And we also got a great classic line dance to go with Luke Bryan’s song Country Girl (Shake It for Me).

Walkthrough of the classic line dance Country Girl Shake from Dancin IntheKitchen.

back to top


21. Rock Me – Donna Manning & LeAnne Lesmeister (2013)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 19Copperknob

Choreographer: Donna Manning (USA) & LeAnne Lesmeister – March 2013
Music: Get Into Reggae Cowboy by The Bellamy Brothers

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Moving on to 2013, Edward Snowden, the Boston Marathon bombings, and the swearing-in of Barak Obama to his second term in office. And Darius Rucker, formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish released his biggest hit ever as an emerging country star, Wagon Wheel.

I love the history behind the birth of this song and also that the line dance for it “Rock Me” exists to go with it! This line dance continues to be one of my favorites to this day!

Donna Manning’s demo and breakdown of her line dance Rock Me.

back to top


22. Rocket to the Sun – Maddison Glover (2013)

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: Absolute BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 104Copperknob

Choreographer: Maddison Glover (AUS) – January 2013
Music: What You’ve Done To Me by Samantha Jade

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

After featuring 3 of Jo Thompson Symanski’s line dances and one from Rachael McEnany, I was happy to see one on here from another current giant in line dance choreography, Maddison Glover! And, not being familiar with this now-classic dance from her Rocket To The Sun, I was really happy to discover it and check it out.

I love the transition in it–the 3/4 walk around at the end of the dance that creates such a simple transition to the next wall. I think that is nothing sort of genius. Also, that it’s an absolute beginner dance that is accessible to all level dancers is a bonus!

One other note about it is that of this list of 24 classic dances this one has the most uploaded videos to Copperknob at 104! For the video here, I’ve included one from Maddison herself that she recently made! How cool that she’s revisiting her dance from 2013 for beginners today.

Maddison Glover’s quick walk-through and demo of her classic line dance Rocket To The Sun.

back to top


23. American Kids – Randy Pelletier (2014)

Count: 32 Wall: 4Restarts: 1 Level: High BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 78Copperknob

Choreographer: Randy Pelletier (USA) – June 2014
Music: American Kids – Kenny Chesney
Step Sheet: Click here to download.

2014, to me, was a little forgettable, but we did get Groot & Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy. And who remembers that the European Space Agency landed a probe on a comet? But we also got the American Kids line dance! Randy Pelletier is a choreographer from western Massachusetts and is the owner and operator of the One Eyed Parrot Dance Club. Check out the site!

American Kids is one of a few dances he is known for, but this is his signature dance that was voted #1 for 2014 by the Marco Club Connection. American Kids also holds the record for the 2nd longest number of weeks at #1 on Copperknob. I really want to know what the first one was now!

All in all, I think American Kids will endure and continue to be danced in clubs around the nation. It resonates with Kenny Chesney’s great lyrics about small-town American life and the dance’s level of difficulty as well. As a high beginner, it delivers a level of satisfaction once mastered, that makes you want to dance it for years to come. You’ll always see the floor fill up pretty quick when it’s called!

Great demo of the American Kids line dance with Randy Pelletier himself and dancers at his dance club, the One Eyed Parrot!

back to top

24. House Party

Count: 32 Wall: 4 Level: High BeginnerVideos on Copperknob: 6Copperknob

Choreographer: Jessica Short & Kerry Kick – October 2014
Music: House Party – Sam Hunt

Step Sheet: Click here to download.

Finally, for the last classic line dance, I wanted to give a little love to a Southern California favorite staple line dance: House Party! If you think about it, these last two dances really aren’t that old at about 8 years. But I think they will be going strong for a long time to come!

There’s still time to learn House Party Y’all! Check out this great teach from Anais Cordebard!

back to top


 

Extra! Extra! More Line Dance Lists…

I really enjoy doing these roundups of line dances, trying to group them in new ways. So, there you have it! Now I’ve got a list of the classics! And speaking more about line dance lists…

Recently someone posted a list of line dances on Facebook that we may be dancing at Stagecoach this year. I thought it was great to get that ahead of time. I also liked how thorough it was. It’s a great list of what is going on at the moment at least in the Southern California line dance scene. Check it out here!

You’ll notice there are 24 called “Classic” Some I’ve included in my list, some not. I think there are really so many that could qualify. Some of mine don’t appear anywhere on this list!

Extra! If you want, just make a copy of the spreadsheet, and then it’s yours to modify however you want to keep track of what you know! Add others and delete ones you don’t care about! Have fun!


In Classic Conclusion….

Hopefully, as you checked these old school, and some not-so old school classics out, you agreed with me that these are some of the line dances that have that Midas touch, the right combination of everything that people love and what makes them timeless and more likely than not to be the line dances we still dance for years to come!

But I know there will be some dispute about it or maybe about specifics I relayed about particular dances. I welcome any and all insight and corrections!

And now I’m having some serious doubts! How could I not include Copperhead Road, Linda Lu, and Black Velvet? Oh well! I just had to decide!

Also, some of these classics need some love over on Copperknob, if you have videos of them, please add them to the site on their respective pages.

graphic
I also made an infographic summarizing all the dances etc. Click to download a high-resolution pdf!

By the way, if you enjoyed how this article took us through a little bit of line dancing history, also check out my deeper dive into that topic here!

And if you can’t get enough of line dance lists check out these other posts on the site:

20 Beginner Line Dances You Need to Know!
50 Popular Line Dances that Everyone Loves!
2021 HOT Line Dances We Can’t Get Enough Of!
10 Rap Songs You Can Line Dance To

25 Christmas Beginner Line Dances! Easy to Learn & Teach!
14 Best Wedding Line Dances – All Time Fun Favorites!
Julia Wetzel, Line Dance Choreographer Shares Her Favorite Line Dances!


*Sources:
Scooter Lee has two lists including 31 “Classic Line Dances” I used this to influence my choices.
Check out the great site The People History that I used to find out the cool “What Happened When” stuff for this article!
kerriclogs.com (Slappin’ Leather information)
Country Thang Daily (CTD) More about Boot Scootin’ Boogie here!

back to top



Brian Sheridan

I'm the owner of CDT. I live in Fullerton, California, and enjoy country dancing with my friends at least once a week.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts