This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Valerie Dawn. Find them on Instagram at @valeriejardine15. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
With the growing rise of Western and Southern popularity, from pop artists releasing country albums to home goods overflowing with cow print decor, comes a new trend that has been around for several centuries: line dancing. Currently, all over social media, line dancing has slowly increased in popularity, especially due to the TikTok line dance song “Austin” by Dasha. Dasha created the dance for her song, and the catchiness of it combined with the easy-to-follow tutorial has led line dancing in general to gain more traction.
I spend my free time at a line dancing bar in my hometown, and though my previous dance experience has helped me pick up the songs we tend to do, most of the dances I know today were due to TikTok and YouTube tutorials. All you need to learn these dances is a little floor space and a good understanding of directions. It would also help to have a few common steps down before learning full dances.
Steps to learn
Before getting into the swing of things, it would be best to learn a couple of common steps used in several dances. @DancingWithPatti has a great tutorial video with a few easy steps, including a shuffle, grapevine, jazz box, and more. Once you are familiar with a handful of these, it’ll be easier to learn any TikTok line dance song that may come across your For You page.
Another thing to note is the difference between a demo and a tutorial. A demo is just a video showing how to dance to the song, and it will usually not include any special flair or improv. A tutorial is a step-by-step explanation of the steps, usually with counts provided.
Austin
As mentioned earlier, one of the big reasons line dancing is so popular online is due to the song “Austin” by Dasha. In her tutorial, she breaks it down by showing the whole dance, and then again by giving the counts. With little side-to-side movement, it’s a perfect dance to learn in the comfort of your living room or bedroom. Just remember that when they are facing the camera, you are doing the opposite of them!
Check out her tutorial and demo!
Mr. Weatherall
Arguably one of the more fun, energetic dances on the list, this dance is to the song “Mr. Weatherall” by Young Hub City and Big Zoe. The song has been all over TikTok and has even invaded the country bars. The simplicity of it makes it easy to catch on to, and the energy makes you want to learn it as fast as possible to join in. Aside from a small amount of running up in the second 8 count, this one also has minimal movement. @BizzyBoom on TikTok posts a lot of great tutorials for different dances, and Mr. Weatherall is no exception. As for demos, another great creator to check out @trevrondald on TikTok!
Muddy Muddy
This dance is a country-hip-hop hybrid to the song “Muddy Muddy” by Demun Jones. One of my friends Kevin (@Kickin_It_With_Kevin on TikTok) is a great line dancing instructor who spends a ton of time making easy tutorials to many line dances, from country and western to hip hop and R&B. As someone who has learned most of the dances I know from him, I can guarantee the tutorial for this dance will be easy to follow and leaving you wanting to learn more. As for the demo, check out another video by @trevrondald.
Had Some Help
Another good dance to try, if you’re up for a little more of a challenge, is to the song “Had Some Help” by Morgan Wallen and Post Malone. This one was choreographed by Kicking It With Kevin. It may be a bit more complex than others on this list but it is still incredibly fun. This dance has been one of my favorites lately, and who better to teach it than the man who created it? You can view a demo of the dance here as well.
Pieces to the Puzzle
This dance is newer in terms of trending, and it’s to the song “Damn I Love Miami” by Pitbull and Lil Jon. If you are not new to line dancing, you’ll notice this dance combines several established dances. The second 8 count is the beginning of the dance “Take It Off” to the song by Ke$ha, and the third 8 count is the beginning of the dance Off The Chain, to the song “Can’t Believe It” by Flo Rida and Pitbull. Learning Pieces to the Puzzle first will help you with these more advanced line dances. There’s a great tutorial by @thepipeline.mi, as well as a demo of the dance.
Flex
This one is so fun. It’s to the song “Flex” by Cupid (yes, the same one who made the “Cupid Shuffle”). This hip-hop line dance is not only popular on TikTok but is also trending in the bar scene. I’ve heard this line dance played at clubs and country bars alike. The great part about this dance is that the lyrics tell you what to do. As long as you know the words, in theory, you already know the dance. It’s just a matter of getting the steps right. Not sure you trust the lyrics enough? @dancingsoulss on TikTok has you covered. Be sure to check out @electriccowboylewisville for a great demo!
Fake ID
The last dance to learn would have to be the classic “Fake ID” to the song by Big and Rich. Most people know this song from the movie Footloose starring Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough. The line dance most people do at line-dancing bars is the same as in the movie. The big screen makes the dance look way harder than it is, but since it is still advanced, it’s easier to try a YouTube tutorial for this one. Dirt Road Dancing’s channel has so many tutorials and demos that are easy to follow, and are even sectioned off in the video so you can loop the same steps if needed! Their tutorial for Fake ID is the one I used to learn the dance, and you can check their channel out here!
Have you found a good TikTok line dance song to try? Let me know in the comments below!
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