Have you all been having a lot of line dancin’ fun this Summer? I certainly have, but I’ve also been working on a new project I wanted to share with you.
Do you want to be the person out there line dancing that everyone admires? Do you want to look better than anyone else in those skinny jeans and close-fitting shirts, or in those cute, little short skirts the gals like to wear?
We all do, don’t we. But time, poor eating habits, gravity, and a million other things cause us to pile on the pounds we don’t want and sometimes we just don’t know what to do about it. Our self-consciousness could even keep us from going out line dancing – Heaven Forbid!!
So, you go to the internet and search “fat loss” or “fitness” or “how to lose weight quick” and you get overwhelmed with tons of different programs, all saying that their program is the newest, best, and sure-fire program to solve all your problems.
Don’t believe it. A lot of it is just marketing hype meant to make your wallet or purse leaner, but not your body.
With this in mind, I started a new blog called Losing Body Fat in which I REVIEW several of the top weight loss and/or exercise programs online today. Some talk about how to lose abdominal fat because recent studies are showing that it can be harmful in many ways. Other programs teach you how to exercise to burn body fat.
I was VERY picky about which programs I included. They had to be backed up by research I could check out and actually written by a person I could contact with questions. I met some really nice, honest people along the way!
So you won’t find some of the most popular “how to lose weight quick” programs on my list because I have no confidence in programs written “by committee” or those that don’t have any way for you to contact someone if you have a question. If they just leave you hanging out to dry after they take your money, they WON’T be on my list!
If you click over to my new blog, Losing Body Fat, you will find a mini-review on the front page and a list with the links to the complete reviews for each program in the right sidebar, as well as a list of some articles you might find interesting. In fact, I am going to include a list of the reviews in the sidebar of this blog also to make it easier for you to see what’s included and to click over to any you want to check out.
The new blog is a work-in-progress so check back often if you don’t find something you like or, better yet, tell me which program you are interested in and I will take a good look at it and give you my honest opinion.
I had a question (Thank You, Kylie!) on how to do a “chug” like they do in Copperhead Road. I decided the best way to explain was to show a video of the dance and this is the clearest one I found. Sorry, it’s in French, but if you print out my step sheet you can follow along!
One definition I found for “chug” is as follows:
Chug is similar to hop.
Chug with right foot means that the right leg is in the air bent at knee and a hop is done on your left leg.
Below is the video for Rita’s Waltz as taught by Jo Thompson who choreographed it for her Mom, Rita Thompson. The music is Rock and Roll Waltz performed by singer/songwriter Scooter Lee:
Awhile back I wrote an article for Ezine Articles entitled What Clothes Do Line Dancers Wear and, the last time I checked, that article had been read by 1,573 people. I received a lot of comments on that article and people kept asking me what was a good place to buy line dancing or country western clothing online. I didn’t have an answer, so I set out to see if I could find a good place, that was well respected and sincerely interested in their customers, that I could recommend to my readers.
It took a while because there’s a lot of tacky (pun not intended) online “stores” out there and I didn’t find any place I felt comfortable recommending right away.
They carry the brand names I’m familiar with and trust, like Levis, Wranglers, Durango Boots, Tony Lama, Ariat, Old Gringo, Stetson, Dickies, and the list goes on;
They have a great selection of Men’s, Women’s and Kid’s clothing;
They carry everything from hats to belts to skirts for the ladies, to leather jackets;
They have accessories, like purses and watches, and the even have a home decor section with bedding, shower curtains, even toys and many other things;
I like their prices.
Their “Handshake Guarantee” says:
“If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return it for a refund or exchange. It’s as easy as that. You have our handshake on it!” I like that!
It took me a while to find a company I really felt comfortable with, but this is it!
If you agree, or even if you don’t agree, let me know your thoughts! Check out their website by clicking on the picture below. (Yes, this is an affiliate link) They have some great sales!
I ran across the website for Step In The Name of Life™ when I was looking for YouTube videos to put on my Squidoo Lens about My Favorite Line Dance Songs.
Jamie Gant was not only interested in the fun of line dancing, but also the health aspects, and the story of how and why he started Step In the Name of Life™ caught my interest.
Jamie’s grandmother was tired visiting a gym, walking, or doing other forms of exercise to stay healthy. When she was at a Miami party, she saw a group of people line dancing and decided that she wished to attend a class to take some line dance instructions for the exercise. She asked Jamie to accompany her.
So they went to the classes and learned to dance, but wanted a class nearer to their Carol City/Miami Gardens neighborhood. Since there wasn’t one, Jamie decided to start one and bring the residents of the area an interesting way keep active, have fun, and get exercise.
But, he didn’t stop there. He made it his mission to provide this style of dancing to as many cities and people as possible. He wanted people to live longer, have fun, and be healthier, so Step In The Name of Life™ was born. Their goal: Stepping Away Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure & More™.
When I last looked at their website, there were more than 32 cities listed. Jamie Gant is no doubt doing his part to bring line dancin’ fun and good health to many people.
Below you will find the step sheet of the first line dance that Jamie’s grandmother saw at that party in Miami called “Homey Twist.” It’s easy to learn and very addicting. I do it all the time around my home. It’s so much fun!!
I’ve also included a video with the music and a group from Step In The Name of Life™ performing the dance. Enjoy!!
The building in Hawaii where we had our line dance instructions was a warehouse that was open to the elements on one side, as are many buildings in Hawaii. It was old and had a parking lot downhill from the building, but the exercise was good. We were warmed up by the time we got to the dance room.
Wooden Floors and Mirrors
The main attraction to the site was that the floors were wooden and the instructor had installed a whole wall of mirrors so we could see ourselves (not always a good thing!) and she could watch us even when she was facing the front. This made it easier for us to follow her since she would be moving in the same direction we were.
People would start drifting in a little before the class was ready to start and the instructor would be adjusting the sound. Most people would limber up a little, visit with each other, and practice a step they were having trouble with. There was a room off to the side where people could go for personal instruction, and there was always a lot of that going on. The experienced people were always eager to help the newcomers.
The Class Begins
When the class began, the instructor would play some slower line dances to get everyone warmed up, and then progress to faster ones. These were usually dances that we had learned recently and needed a “refresher” course on. Then she would begin to teach the weeks new dance. This was done without music, and by teaching one pattern of the steps at a time. She would go over and over each group of steps until she could see that we understood the pattern.
When she had finished teaching all the patterns, she would walk us through the whole dance, counting out the steps, until we were comfortable with the steps. Then she would put it to music, a section at a time, but the song she chose for this part of the teaching was not usually the main song for the dance. She would use one that fit the dance but had a slower beat per minute (bpm) than the actual song. Finally, we would get to dance the whole dance to the original music. We would do this several times until it was natural. She would remind us that there were line dance step sheets by the door and to be sure to take one home so we could practice for the next week.
Line Dancin’ FUN!
Then would come the fun! We would have about an hour or so of “open dancing.” She would play our favorite line dance songs, both for the beginners and the more advanced dancers, so we could just dance. When she played an intermediate dance that the beginners didn’t know, it gave them a chance to watch the experienced dancers and get pointers on how to do certain steps.
Out and About After Class
Sometimes, if enough people were available, and in the mood, we would go to one of the night spots where the band knew a few good line dance songs and we would do our dances. This always amazed the tourists who were surprised that the band knew Country and Western music and that there were actually people in Hawaii who didn’t Hula!
Our classes were only $5.00 and that was a bargain for all the fun and camaraderie we had!
Click here: “I love LINE DANCING!”to buy great line dance DVDs or Videos for YOURSELF or your friends!
There are Many Places to Take Line Dance Instructions
There are several ways to learn how to line dance. You can learn by yourself at home or in a group. I’ve seen classes taught on the grass in a park, on a sandy beach (not easy) and in someone’s garage (the cement is hard on the feet!).
Kahala Mall, Honolulu
I remember going to a Mall in Hawaii with my daughter, Nicolette and, as we passed a store playing one of the songs we line danced to, she started doing the dance right there in the Mall! I was embarrassed, but she wouldn’t stop.
Several people began to watch her and clapped along with the music. After the music finished, three women came up to her and asked her if she could come to their house and teach them how to do the line dance steps.
She thanked them kindly and gave them the information on the location of where we received our line dance instructions – the address, phone number, and days of the classes. We were really pleased to see them at the next class.
Here’s Where to Look:
Here are some easy ways and places to get line dance instructions, in case you don’t run into my daughter at the Mall giving a free dance:
Check in Google or your local phone book for a list of classes in your area;
Check the bulletin boards at the Malls, your Church, or the Supermarket, to see if someone has put up a poster about a line dance class;
Go to a book or music store and buy a line dance video and DVDs to use at home;
Do a Google search for line dance step sheets, books, and line dance videos online, such as on YouTube;
Do you have a friend who loves to line dance? They would probably be happy to teach you and drag you to a class with them;
If you go to a class, always check to see if they have line dance step sheets that you can take home to practice;
If you see someone who is line dancing at a club, ask them where they learned. Line dancers seem to always want to share their passion for line dancing.
Check the bulletin boards for performances, usually at a park or shopping mall. In Hawaii, the line dance team my instructor had put together (the dancers who didn’t run into each other) would give performances at the big resorts on the Big Island. I’ve even seen line dancers perform at Native American PowWows. Now that was fun!!
Whatever way you decided to learn how to line dance, just relax and have a good time. It’s really a lot of fun!
We already know that line dancing, as a physical exercise, is good for our bodies. It’s also good for our brains because it raises the level of serotonin, which makes us feel good. People who run or jog call this a “runner’s high.”
And that’s great, but it doesn’t halt the loss of sharpness of our minds or increase our intelligence.
Some Studies. . .
A study done a few years ago, funded by the National Institute on Aging, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, set out to determine if there were specific activities, physical and/or mental, that would halt the loss of our “mental acuity” – mental sharpness – and/or possibly improve it.
They studied a variety of physical and mental activities and, of all the physical activities they included in their study, they found that the only one that helped reduce the risk of losing our mental sharpness was frequent dancing. Playing golf, riding a bicycle, running, jogging – none of these made the cut. But frequent dancing reduced the risk of deteriorating mental sharpness by a whopping 76%. It does this, in part, by rewiring the neural pathways in our brains that we have lost over time.
But what’s important to us, and addresses the question above, is that studies since then have shown that, not only does dancing reverse the loss of these neural pathways, it actually creates new pathways. So, even if you’re young and haven’t begin to have “brain fade”, you will benefit by getting more connections in your brain, which will not only give you reserves for later, but make you smarter now.
But There’s More. . .
But there’s more to improving your mental sharpness by line dancing than just getting out on the dance floor and mindlessly repeating the same old steps over and over. Further studies indicated that we must THINK. Thinking, problem solving, and split-second decision-making are some of the brain activities you need to do to improve, and/or repair, your brain.
When you are line dancing, you can do this the following ways:
Dance with “style.” Add new steps, be creative, be spontaneous!
Constantly learn new line dances and line dance steps. Challenge yourself.
Teach line dance instructions to others. Pay attention to what your students are doing. Observe what’s easy for them and what’s hard. Change things to fit the moment. Stay flexible so you can make quick decisions based upon what’s going on.
Try These Ways to Increase YOUR Intelligence:
Here are some other ways to increase your intelligence, both temporary and permanent:
Someone told me when I was very young that the best way to keep your brain from getting old was to always be learning something new. This has been proven over and over since then by many different studies. Take classes in subjects that interest you and challenge you. Never stop learning.
Meditate, either the traditional way or with one of the new
CD meditation programs. Either way, your neural pathways will begin to rewire themselves. This not only makes your brain sharper, you’ll find that you handle stressful situations much better.
Listen to good classical music, such as Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven. This can temporarily improve your IQ.
Exercise, as mentioned before. This increases the oxygen supply to your brain enabling you to think more clearly. Deep breathing does the same thing.
Read more. Learn to speed read. Work crossword puzzles or other word games several times a week. Do anything that makes you think!
So, to answer the question, “Can Line Dancing Make YOU Smarter?” The answer is definitely “YES” as long as you engage your mind in your line dancing as well as your body!
Learn how Scooter Lee and Jo Thompson are helping Seniors become healthier with their non-profit organization, Dancing for the Dream here: Scooter Lee Loves Senior Citizens!
A lot of people contacted me when I put the step sheet for Country Walkin’ in a post, along with a video of the music from Riverdance, “Lord of the Dance”, that we used for this particular line dance. They said, “Give us more like that!” (see the Post here: RIVERDANCE!)
Someone then asked me to do the same thing with the dance I choregraphed back in December of 1998, “Under the Hood,” to the Billy Ray Cyrus song of the same name. So, here it is!
I hope you give it a try and enjoy it. I’ll post more combinations like this in the future. If you could look over the step sheet page and tell me which dances you would like this way, I’ll put them in a post also.
Keep having that line dancin’ fun!
Click here: “I love LINE DANCING!”to buy great line dance DVDs and videos for YOURSELF or your friends!
Some good “excuses” to give someone you care about a gift:
Christmas is over and the gift buying season is gone. Whew! But, gift giving doesn’t stop with Christmas. All year long we have wonderful opportunities to give gifts to our family and friends. Here are some reasons to give someone a gift from your heart: Valentine’s Day, Easter, graduation, weddings,baby showers, new baby in the family, Bar Mitzahs and Bat Mitzahs, birthdays, anniversaries, getting engaged, house warming gifts, going away gifts, and before you know it, the holidays will be here again! I’m sure I’ve forgotten many occasions, but you get the idea.
Surely there are line dancers among your family and friends who you could buy a gift for one of these occasions. Don’t scratch your head trying to think of a unique gift to buy him or her. Never fear! It is really very simple and there are numerous things you can buy to brighten their special occasion. Here are some great suggestions:
* Shiny new belt buckle – the guys love those big belt buckles!
* Boot bracelet made from shiny beads
* Earrings or other jewelry
* Gift Certificate for a boot shop that sells boots and clothing for line dancers
* Country line dance videos or DVDs for the beginner to practice with at home
* Tote bag to carry their special line dancing boots back and forth from class or a night out dancin’
* Gift certificate towards the purchase of nice Stetson hat
* One of those cute little black string ties for the guys
* Go to a custom T-shirt store and get a t-shirt made that says “I LOVE LINE DANCIN’” or something like that
* One of those flat, letter sized document portfolios to keep their Country line dance step sheets organized
* Mini tape recorder to tape line dancing instructions during a class
We used to wear the cutest earrings to our line dancing class. They were miniature cowboy hats. One of the girls made them and gave everyone a pair. You could make something similar – it’s not hard to make earrings – just by visiting a crafts store and getting the necessary findings. But be careful! You might get hooked on making your own jewelry.
Boot Bracelets are very nice
Boot bracelets are another thing you can make using the supplies from a craft store. Just string bright, sparkly multi-colored beads together on a wire and attach a secure clasp (like the ones used for ankle bracelets) on the ends and, voila, you have a nice, personal gift for someone. I have also seen beautiful Southwestern beaded boot bracelets online. And remember, you only need to give one because you only wear the boot bracelet on one of your boots. Of course, you could give your favorite line dancer several to match their different line dance clothes.
Make it easy for them to tote their boots
An inexpensive tote bag is nice in lieu of lugging boots around in a plastic grocery store bag. Remember, line dancing boots are lighter and the sole is smoother for dancing, so don’t wear them outdoors.
. . . and keep their step sheets nice and neat
A lot of classes, like the ones we took in Hawaii, pass out step sheets when new dances are taught. One of those document portfolios, the kind that maybe has a pad on one side with a pen at the top, and on the other side has a pocket for loose documents, would be nice for someone to keep their step sheets in and also make notes about various things. It would fit nicely inside the tote bag!
This is the perfect time for line dancing – keep them healthy!
This is the perfect time of the year for line dancing. The weather is cooler, and normal outdoor activities like gardening and jogging are basically on hold until Spring. But, it is still necessary to keep up some kind of physical exercise and line dancing fills the bill admirably. Just attend a class two or three times a week, or practice at home, and you will experience many health benefits.
So, delight the line dancers in your life with a nice gift for their special occasion. They will thank you every time they go having that line dancin’ fun!
Click here: “I love LINE DANCING!”to buy great line dance videos for YOURSELF or your friends!
IMPORTANT!
Check the Step Sheets Page above for new step sheets. I'm beginning to add more as I complete my over 100 Page eBook on Line Dancin' Fun which will have information about line dancing, step sheets, terms, etiquette, and more. When it is finished (soon, I hope!) I will offer it to YOU here FREE!
