Country Swing? Isn't that for Cowboys?

Peak Nights Country Swing

When it comes to dancing, many people feel as though it is something that only professionals can do. What you may not realize, is that Country Swing Dancing is an output, a way to express yourself, a way to experience the freedom that comes with dance.

There are a few different parts of Country Swing: the moves, the technique and line dancing. Each part is important and builds on the last. Dancing is something that is supposed to be fun, so if you are so focused on getting it right, that you are not having a good time, take a step back and try something else. The number one thing is to enjoy yourself, not be perfect.

Moves

Learning Moves while Dancing

Swing Dancing often gets a bad reputation because it can seem difficult to do. The reality is that there are so many moves that one can learn while dancing. As many experienced dancers have realized, there is always a new move to learn when it comes to swing.

Whether it be a lift, dip or another trick, country swing has so many variations and combinations, that it can look as though each move is brand new.

What I love most about country swing is the possibility for new moves. Each time I go dancing, there is something new I see, whether it is a variation on a move I know already or something completely brand new.

Technique

Swing Dancing uses Technique

Dancing in general, heavily focuses on technique. If you watch people dancing, the ones who tend to stick out are those who have a defined or professional technique. These dancers have found a balance between fun, casual dancing and professional, choreographed dancing.

If you learn technique, right at the start of your dance career, you will find that in the long run, your dancing will be better in the future. I personally feel like this is what I struggled with the most. I have been dancing for three years and I still struggle with technique, but on the bright side, no one is judging you. We are all just trying our best and hoping that no one is watching when we mess up.

Technique is all about shifting your weight, and making sure you step and turn in a way that flows. There are many different ways to do moves, but if you have proper technique, your partner will be able to understand what moves you are doing without you having to tell them.

Line Dancing

Line Dancing at Peak Nights

Line Dancing is a less mainstream dance style. When it comes to line dancing, there are many different forms including: country, pop, barn dances and even 10 steps. These styles are all included in the line dancing category because of what you do.

Line dancing is defined as any dance that is done in a line, generally done with a group of people where moves are repeated. It is one of the most open times in dancing because most of the steps are pretty basic which allows a dancer to add in their own flair.

Overall, country swing is not something that you should be afraid of. Ever person who you think is an expert, was once a beginner who was terrified and overwhelmed by what they saw. The truth is that they made sure to take the time to learn the moves, practice the technique and learn the line dances. The best advice I can give to anyone is to keep working on it, keep practicing and keep learning. There will always be something that you don't know. Just make sure that you put in the effort to learn something new, but also practice what you already know. That is the best way to improve....and I would know.

If you are interested, I would invite you to look up some swing tutorials. Some of my favorite places to find moves and tutorials include https://www.instagram.com/peak_nights/ and https://www.instagram.com/rrwesternswing/ . These are some really good accounts for swing dancing content and they are run by some really good dancers.