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Nika Convertino
UWP 1
M. Mlekoday
20 March 2017
Line Dancing, The Most Fun Youll Have In Public

THE DAVIS GRADUATE

The Davis Graduate in Davis, California is home to many line dancers in the Yolo county
area. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights are the Grads Country Nights. Music is
blasting as friends gather together at the big wooden tables to hangout and have a good time.
The Wobble comes on and everyone jumps up, packing the dance floor with all different types
and levels of line dancers. One of the more advanced songs comes on, Mamas Broken Heart,
and the advanced line dancers show off their moves while the others play pool, watch in
excitement, or jubilantly try to learn on the side of the dance floor. This paper examines the line
dancing discourse community at the Davis Graduate. The line dances done at the Grad are
danced to different genres of music; pop, Latin, dance/electronic, and most frequently, country.
The question being investigated is: how does line dancing affect a persons taste in country
music? It is has been observed that the people who go to the Davis Graduate come quite
regularly so another aspect to investigate is, what about the line dancing scene makes individuals
keep coming back as regulars?

WHAT IS LINE DANCING ANYWAYS?

Line dancing is a form of dance involving individuals standing in lines and doing
movements together. Each dance has a pattern of foot motion that is performed in counts per
sequence, and then the sequence is repeated (Lane 2). Line dance instructor and author Christy
Lane writes, in her book Christy Lanes Complete Book of Line Dancing, line dances consist of
walls. Walls are directions the dancers are facing at any given time in the dance. There are one,
two, or four wall dances where each time the dancers face a different wall they repeat the
sequence. The dances can be to country songs, pop songs, or latin songs and each dance has a
certain level of difficulty associated with it. There are certain moves that are in most line dances
and are a part of the line dancing vocabulary such as grapevine, kick-ball change, shuffle,
and toe-tap.

John Swales writes as one of his six characteristics of discourse communities, a

discourse community has acquired some specific lexis or vocabulary. The line dancing
community has developed over its history, a long list of vocabulary that is regularly used by the
members. New members can be easily intimidated by the lexis heard at the Davis Graduate or
other line dancing places. Each dance step or sequence has a different name. Learning the lexis
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comes with going regularly or looking it up online. Once one learns the frequently used terms, it
is much easier to pick up the dances and communicate with fellow line dancers.

Line dancings history is slightly difficult to trace. According to Christy Lanes Complete
Book of Line Dancing, Line dancing has strong ties to European folk dancing of the 1800s. Folk
dancing then emerged to have a few of the traditional movements that are in modern line
dancing. The popularity of line dancing emerged in the 1970s where line dances were
performed to disco-style music (Lane 3). In the 1980s, the movie Urban Cowboy induced an
interest in the country culture. As interest increased, country music became more and more
popular and along with its popularity came dancing. The surge of curiosity of everything country
led to the line dancing craze of the 1990s.

METHODS

In order to gather information for this paper, three different methods were used. First,
secondary research on line dancing was gathered. Three articles that could contribute to the paper
were found. Second, primary research was conducted by observations of country nights at the
Grad. The purpose of observations and participation was to really embrace/experience the
country culture and atmosphere of line dancing nights at the Davis Graduate. Third, primary
research was conducted by interviewing four line dancers of a range of experience: two freshman
and two juniors. Interviewees were asked questions regarding their fondness of country music,
their experience line dancing at The Grad, and if line dancing has changed anything in their lives
outside The Grad.

THE DAVIS LINE DANCING DISCOURSE COMMUNITY

The community that goes to the Grad on Mondays, Wednesdays, and/or Fridays is a
group of people who appreciate the country culture and who support each other. Regulars are
always there to help others learn the newest line dances. Each country night, there is a lesson of a
different dance. Those who do not know the particular dance being taught that night or are new
to the Grad, take advantage of the free lesson offered before the night begins. There is a group
message on the app Groupme, of 50 Davis line dancers. They communicate through this to
arrange rides, see whos going that night, and to update the group on whats happening at the
Grad. The Davis Graduate uses its website: davisgrad.com, Facebook, and Instagram to
communicate with the larger population of Yolo county line dancers. They post on what dance is
going to be taught at the lesson that night in addition to information on times, days, and cover
fees for line dancing. The common goal of this discourse community is to improve on dancing
skills by learning new and harder line dances. Members of the Davis line dancing community
usually enter by being brought by a friend and leave the community when they graduate from
UCD or leave Davis in general.
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The different methods of intercommunication demonstrate that the members have access
to technologies such as computers or smart phones. Since many new to The Grad usually enter
by being invited by a friend, one can infer that individuals of the Davis line dancing community
are social and have connections with people at The Grad. The variety of ways of communication
provides an efficient way of contact between line dancers. Upon meeting new people at the Grad,
new members become connected with existing members of the line dancing community through
social media. Being connected to multiple line dancers on social media can influence dancers to
go more often if they know their friends will be there on a certain night.

Line dancing is not just popular in Davis. A study in Cape Town, Africa was done to
figure out why the women of Cape Town continue to go line dancing and take classes. Writer
Krishnavelli Nadasen shared that the results of the study showed, The women in this study
were attracted to line dancing for a variety of reasons. Most of them said they had seen a
demonstration and it seemed like funthe dancers were laughing and enjoying themselves, and
they wanted to be part of that (Nadasen). From observation, the atmosphere of the Davis
Graduate expresses the same energy. Dancers are laughing and having fun on the dance floor,
showing that they are having a good time. While the energy in the room is a great attraction to
line dancing, in the Cape Town study it was found that, Undoubtedly the main attraction was
that no partners were required (Nadasen). Line dancing is a type of dancing done individually
but makes everyone feel connected by doing the moves at the same time. There is no pressure to
have a date to dance with or worrying about being a 3rd wheel. The Grad does however
provide opportunity for couples to do partner dances such as country swing, the cowboy
chacha, and country waltz.

Additionally, Tracy Johnsons LA Times article Line Dancing for Good Clean Fun,
says that The clumsy need not worry about fitting in. While there are many skilled dancers on
the floor wearing fringe jackets and country and western garb, there are many others casually
dressed in jeans who prefer to survey the slick dance moves from a pool table(Johnson).
Demonstrating that another attraction to line dancing is that it is for all levels of line dancers and
has something for everyone. As line dancers get more advanced, they invite their younger friends
to come join and teach them. As the advanced dancers leave the group due to graduating or
leaving Davis, those to whom they taught line dancing will have become more advanced
themselves and teach others, creating a cycle.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT LINE DANCING

The first interview was with a freshman here at UC Davis named Sabrina. She went line
dancing for the first time the second week of classes in fall quarter when a friend invited her.
Once she learned the first few dances she wanted to keep learning more. Now she goes one to
two times per week to the Grad and says, Its addicting. Describing the atmosphere of the Grad
and why she keeps going back she says, its not the same every-time, the energy changes
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depending on whos there and the order of songs played. She considers line dancing an
amazing social experience, creating new friendships, and a great stress reliever from
coursework. When thinking about her taste in country music, Sabrina realized that before line
dancing she didnt really have much of a tolerance for it, however now, she would rate her
taste of country music at a 5 or 6 out of 10 (10 being country music is the only genre I listen
too) and says that I have a new appreciation for country music and the country culture. Before
line dancing she never had gone to a country music artists concert however, since line dancing,
shes gone to two country music concerts and says I definitely would not have gone to those
concerts if it wasnt for line dancing. Additionally, Sabrina says because of line dancing, she is
considering minoring in dance at UCD and has started taking classes of other dance styles.

The Second interview was with another freshman named Emma. She also went line dancing for
the first time in the beginning of fall quarter when her friend invited her. Currently, Emma goes
to the Grad at least once per week and for two weeks in a row this quarter, she went three days
(so six times in a span of two weeks). Before line dancing, she grew up not really having an
opinion of country music. Her parents listened to it but her brother hated it and none of her
friends listened to it, so it wasnt something she listened to. Now she would rate her opinion of
country music at a 7/10.

The third and fourth interviews were with two Juniors named Mackenzie and Grant. They go
usually two times per week to the Davis Graduate. Mackenzie started line dancing in freshman
year and started going more often the end of sophomore year. Before line dancing, she disliked
country music but currently views it as a 7/10 and says its usually what I turn on for driving
and walking places. She keeps going line dancing regularly as its therapeutic because you
dont have to think about anything like school or work, you just dance it out. Grant has been
line dancing since August of 2016. Before line dancing, he never listened to country music but
now he would rate it at 6 or 7 and considers it one of the genres of music he listens to. One of the
major reasons he keeps going back are his friends that go dancing but he still would go even if
his friends decided not to go one night. Line dancing has gotten him more comfortable with
dancing in general.

WHAT THE INTERVIEWEES HAD IN COMMON

Based on information collected, conclusions can be made on different things that line
dancing influences. It appears that country music, although not the only genre used in line
dancing, gains appreciation by those who participate. Majority of those interviewed expressed
that before line dancing, country music was not a significant part of their lives and in some cases
nonexistent. Interestingly, after a participant becomes a regular line dancer, the majority of them
adopt country music into the genres they listen to day to day. Some people even start going to
country artist concerts. For those who line dance regularly or semi-regularly, by dancing to
country music and having fun while doing it, they begin to associate the good feeling of being
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free-of-stress and being joyful with country music. One can infer that if they associate happy
feelings with country music, they most likely will want to listen to it more often.

What makes line dancing so addicting? It has become evident that line dancing at the
Davis Graduate keeps people coming back for a variety of reasons. From Emmas interview, she
says there is always a new dance to learn. The addicting nature of line dancing can be
facilitated by the constant opportunity to learn new dances, influencing the desire to keep
learning more and more. The more line dances one knows, the more songs they can dance to
when they go to the Grad. Knowing more dances makes the experience of going to the Grad
more fun. Another thing that keeps people coming back is the community of friends. It is
consistent throughout the interviews that friends are a big influence in a person going line
dancing. Having peers that go line dancing creates a fun, supportive energy that makes a person
more comfortable going to the Grad. Additionally, not feeling pressured to have a dance partner
or feel like a third wheel makes it more of a relaxed environment.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO LINE DANCING AT THE GRAD

The Line dancing discourse community at the Davis Graduate can influence a variety of
things in a persons life depending on the consistency of a members participation. In this study,
it has shown that line dancing influences ones fondness of country music. Members gain
appreciation for the genre and culture of country, as they become regulars at The Grad. Line
dancing at The Grad can potentially make an individual more confident in their dancing skills or
more confortable with dancing in general. Country nights at The Grad are nights in which one
has the most fun they will have in public.

Works Cited
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Johnson, Tracy. Line Dancing for Good, Clean Fun. Los Angeles Times. N.p., 26 Apr. 1996.
Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Lane, Christy. Chapter 1: Would You Like to Dance? Christy Lanes Complete Book of Line
Dancing. N.P.: Human Kinetics, 2000. 1-12. Print.

Nadasen, Krishnavelli. Life Without Line Dancing and the Other Activities Would Be Too
Dreadful to Imagine:An Increase in Social Activity for Older Women. Journal of Women and
Aging 20. 3-4 (2008): 329-42. UC Davis Libraries. Web. 25 Feb. 2017.

Swales, John. The Concept of Discourse Community. Cambridge UP: Genre Analysis: English in
Academic and Research Settings., 1990. 470-73. Print.