How to Country Dance

Think about those films of yesteryears with a folk orientation and sensibilities and the first thing you can realize is the beautiful country dance they had. Country dance is an umbrella term for a number of dances inspired from folk dance and even modern ballroom dancing. That is why you might also observe the steps in both overlapping. Of course this is obviously not to say that contemporary films have put a curtain on country dance! That dancing style is still very much there. Are you a dance enthusiast too, like me? Then learn how to country dance in the following article.

Country Dance Steps

Single Left
To do this, step with the left foot then follow it by bringing the right foot together to finish with your feet closed. This step takes 2 beats.

Single Right
This has to be done in a similar manner as single left, except the fact that you start with the right foot.

Double Left
Start stepping with the left foot, right foot, and left foot and ultimately with the right foot for closing the step with feet closed. This step needs 4 beats.

Double Right
Again, do as exactly as double left, but start with the right foot.

Chasse
This refers to a common ballet term meaning chase, referring to the stepping where the lead moves to a side, the follower does exactly the same, followed by fleeing movement of the lead as the move gets repeated.

Weave
It combines the grapevine with a cross in front as well as a cross behind, this move allows the dancer travel in zigzag on the floor.

Triple Step
As the name suggests it refers to 3 steps in a musical triplet during 2 beats of music traveling in any direction.

Shuffle Step
This is a sliding triple step counted as 1 & 2, 3 & 4, widely used in the popular "Two-Step" dance.

Lock Step
It is done with a backward or forward triple step, with the second foot "locked" in front of or behind the first one before it is moved in the same direction.

Now these are the basic country dance steps and all other steps are built around it. These are the traditional English country dance steps. Let's see how is it done when it involves line dancing as well, which is very common in the pubs, bars and clubs all over the USA.

Dancing Away- Country Style

• Get the feel by putting on the right attire - so outcome your country boots and tassel clothing!
• To add to the feel, have some country dance music, or rather country dance songs playing.
• Be ready to repeat the steps, as it involves line dancing too, which is full of repetitive movements.
• In many cases you would be turning to right and start a new round.
• To get an idea of the dance, start with a grapevine.
• Make a move to the right and cross a foot over the next.
• Keep on doing that while you move to the right.
• To attain that quintessential country style, place your thumbs in your pockets or along your belt.
• Heel taps are an imperative part of country dance, so practice doing that.
• Start with left leg and then right and repeat.
• Tap in the front direction, then to the side, then back and again to the side. This is called a cross move sometimes. This is a very important aspect if you want to know how to country dance.
• Perform a quarter turn, going back to start with the grape-wine move again.
• Then flaunt your right and left heel taps, continuing with the cross move in 4 separate spots.
• Do these moves again to the right.

If this seems tough, well, not a problem you can learn these steps with a little bit of slogging by taking those umpteen country dance classes conducting country dance lessons!

Dance, after all is a tool of expression and even if you goof up some steps, it is fine! The process of learning how to country dance, is what matters! It is definitely more fun too! So when are you taking steps towards learning these steps?!