Let me start by saying, “where has line dancing been all my life and why didn’t anyone tell me how fun it is!?” I've been line dancing just short of 2 months and let me tell you it’s FUN AS HECK and I'm officially hooked!
From twirls and scuffs to claps and stomps, line dancing is a great hobby where you get a workout, meet new people, and dance to great music. I have been pleasantly surprised at how quick I caught on and how much I enjoy it as an exercise and past time.
There are several places to learn how to line dance in and around Claremont and show off those dazzling moves.
Bonnie’s Country Western Line Dancing in Claremont
Every Monday from 6-8 p.m. at the Alexander Hughes Community Center is Bonnie’s Country Western Line Dancing. This was where I got my start and recommend this especially for any beginners. The price is $10 (plus reg. fee) and you pay at the counter inside the community center. Cash is preferred as they charge you extra to use your debit/credit card.
Bonnie Reed is the instructor and she breaks down all the steps at a slow pace. She does a stellar job at explaining and repeating the moves.
She starts the evening with beginner level dances such as Electric Slide, Rock Me, Watermelon Crawl, Mama Maria, House Party, and others. As the evening progresses, the level of line dance difficulty increases with dances such as Lonely Drum, 10 Step, Double Shot of Crown (Bartender), Wild Wild West, My Maria We Are Tonight, Toes, and more!
It's a whole lot of fun and a great workout!
Weekly Line Dancing at The Canyon in Montclair
Every Tuesday starting at 6:30 p.m., The Canyon in Montclair hosts line dancing for all levels. Admission is $10 cash only.
Depending on the night, an instructor will teach ~2 line dances and the rest of the time you go on the dance floor if you know how to dance to the song.
How it works is DJ Nia has a sign up sheet for the line dance you want to do and can range from all difficulty levels including couple dances.
If you’re new to line dancing I still recommend attending to watch the various dances and see which ones you want to learn on your own for next time! I keep a running list of the dances they feature and then pick ~2 to 4 to learn in the coming week.
If you aren't out on the dance floor, grab a drink at the bar, put in a food order, and chill out at a table/booth.
The energy is electric and what I like most is seeing familiar faces each week and making new friends. I already can’t wait to go this Tuesday!
What I’ve Learned So Far
Over the last few months of line dancing I’ve learned a lot. Here are some things to consider if you’d like to make line dancing a regular activity:
Bring lots of water. When you’re line dancing, you’re constantly moving and you'll get parched fast. Bring a jug of water or multiple water bottles if you have to.
Expect to sweat. You’re getting a workout in so you might sweat a little. You can wear anything that feels comfortable to you whether that's gym clothes, casual attire, a flowy dress, or country western attire. Just wear what feels comfortable to you! Some people come in their work clothes, or jeans and a t-shirt.
Wear the right shoes. Many people wear cowboy boots to line dancing but it’s not required. I go back and forth between my running shoes and boots. I’ve seen others wear sneakers, moccasins, ballet flats, and decorative cowboy boots. Please don't wear any sandals or flip flops as you can either trip or get stepped on and that's no fun.
Practice. Practice. Practice. I can't stress enough that you have to practice in order to memorize the moves. It's the only way you'll get better and it makes room to learn even more songs. I typically take 30 minutes to an hour out of my day to practice dances on YouTube. Songs I’ve learned or want to learn are put on my own custom YouTube and Spotify playlist so I can easily access them to practice.
You'll make new friends. A lot of the same people come back each week to practice their line dancing and socialize so you end up seeing many familiar faces! I’ve already met many fun and down to earth people and they invite me to other places to go line dancing such as Whiskey River in Norco, The Ranch in Anaheim, and Brandin' Iron in San Bernardino.
Caption: Celebrating Bonnie's birthday at Montana's with friends I met line dancing, April 2022.
My favorite line dances. Now I’m excited to share with you my favorite line dances I’ve learned! You best believe I will be running to the dance floor to belt out these top 15 favorites:
Other places to consider going line dancing are Montana’s in San Dimas and The Ranch in Anaheim. Since I am a beginner at this I’m working my way to visit different locations and learn new songs.
See y’all on the dance floor!