Although line dancing is primarily associated with tropes of the Wild West, the origins of the line dancing style are highly debated- there is no one answer. Early forms can be traced to 1650s European folk dances, where partners moved in coordinated lines, and these traditions later crossed the Atlantic with immigrants, evolving into contra and square dances in the 1800s. Similar rhythmic movements also appeared independently around the world, such as the Zulu Ndlamu in South Africa and the Maasai Adumu in Kenya, where rhythmic group formations were central. Enslaved Africans in the Americas carried these traditions with them, using the formations as a subtle language of resistance and community. Line dancing did not begin in any single place; instead, it migrated and transformed across cultures. The modern line dancing style emerged from 1970s American disco, through to 1980s and 90s country-Western bars with dances like the “Cotton Eyed Joe” and has recently been revived through TikTok and social-media trends.

Building on these extensive, cross-cultural origins of this genre of dance, film representations of line dancing can trace back as far as the early 1900s. There are silent Kinora films capturing traditional European folk dances performed in lines or rows in 1912 and even British Pathé newsreel footage from 1932 showcasing Bavarian people taking part in habitual line dancing, echoing the same communal formations that shaped early line-dance precursors. However, the majority of these depictions remained largely within the documentary genre and ethnographic format. When Line dancing began to evolve alongside and adapt to the social changes of the 20th century, such as the rise of American Disco in the 1970s as previously stated, was when it started to infiltrate fictional films and storytelling. Films such as Saturday Night Fever (1977) showcased synchronized group movement on the dance floor, while Urban Cowboy (1980) and Footloose (1984) helped cement modern line dancing in popular culture. Through these films, the dance’s centuries-long migration across cultures found new expression on screen.

In order to experience line dancing firsthand, we decided to try it ourselves and attend a line dancing lesson in London. The event was called Daisy Dukes, and it took place in Big Chill Bar in King’s Cross. The venue was cosy, with ambient lighting, but the neon signs and lively music created a fun, vibrant atmosphere. Without much introduction we were thrown into the boot-scooting action, the instructors demonstrating a set of classic well-known routines. We decided to dress up to fully immerse ourselves in the experience, and we were pleased to find that everyone followed suit, with denim skirts, boots and bandanas. We learnt three sequences, from beginner to intermediate, including classic line dancing steps such as the grape vine, K-step, pivot turns and heel digs. We feel the event would have benefitted from more structure and a sign-up system, since the space felt overcrowded, which sometimes made it difficult to follow along. Overall, it was a really fun (and free of charge) way to deeper explore a style of dance that is a significant part of the culture of Not Her First Rodeo, and we enjoyed learning a new skill.