To the left now! Your complete guide to line dancing in Atlanta

If you think line dancing went out of style after its big moment in movies and TV in the 1980s and ’90s, think again. From soul line and zydeco-backed dances to the classic Electric Slide, line dancing is alive and kicking in Atlanta.

::

Whether at cookouts or clubs, churches or community centers, line dancing, which grew into mainstream popularity with its presence in film and TV in the 1980s and 1990s, remains a party starter and a crowd pleaser in Atlanta.

Historical accounts of line dancing origins span African and African American communal dances, European folk dances and, later, country-western bar culture, but the art has exploded into ubiquity, largely due to the digital world, especially TikTok, where it’s getting millions of views. The introduction of regional and multicultural line dances to people outside of a given region is a bright side of social media. 

“As a human race, when we hear music, we want to move. But specifically for Black people, with our connection to our bodies, it’s ancestral,” says Krystal Odom, the National Black Arts Festival’s (NBAF) director of youth programs and move/dance youth development. “There’s something in us.”

When Black folks get together socially, dancing is almost a given. The NBAF will celebrate that with its upcoming Black History Month event.

“It’s really nice that, in this uncertain moment, we can lean back into community and family to release, have fun and find joy with each other,” Odom says. The NBAF is hosting an event on February 22: Legacy in Motion: Lines, Steps & Strolls. “The joy is more important than anything. When we talk about legacy, we’re talking about keeping these traditions of movement alive across generations — together.”

Line dancing knows no cultural boundaries, however. From the classic Electric Slide to the Bootin’ Scootin’ Boogie to the often unconquerable footwork of the “Tamia Dance,” Atlantans have many styles to learn and many places to do so. Here are a few:

Legacy in Motion
Reminiscing on the shared bond of line dancing at family functions — cookouts, parties, family reunions — the NBAF team will recreate that vibe with Legacy in Motion: Lines, Steps & Strolls, a free program that invites individuals and families to a daylong gathering of communal dancing, playing spades and breaking bread. It will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. February 22 at Pittsburgh Yards.

The day includes “The Trail Ride,” a class on the smooth yet spirited steps and turns of the bluesy zydeco-backed line dances that are especially popular in the rural deep South. Trail rides are a decades-old tradition of horseback parades that honor Creole and Black cowboy culture, as well as formerly enslaved Americans’ keen knowledge of caring for livestock. “The Recipe” class invites kids to teach other kids viral TikTok dances. “The Cousins” class journeys through line dances within the African diaspora. And the “The Family Reunion” class highlights line dances of the decades.

Out and about
With a robust monthly schedule of classes and a commitment to centering and celebrating the LGBTQIA dance community, DanceOut Atlanta has a long history of gathering at local clubs. The group now hosts Country Night at the Atlanta Eagle, a leather and queer bar, alternating between line dancing and two-step dancing on Tuesdays and every third Sunday; and 3-Legged Cowboy Night at The Heretic, a gay club with themed nights, on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Also a welcoming group for allies and first-timers, DanceOut Atlanta reserves certain times for lessons and others for putting the moves to practice on the main floor.

Steppin’ in the SWATS
A staple of Southwest Atlanta, Club Ellery’s on Campbellton Road has housed nearly 30 years of live entertainment, a distinctively old-school flair, and a packed dance floor that flows like the tide. Ditch the tennis shoes, jeans and athletic wear, get snazzy to meet the dress code, and find a way to Chicago Style Steppers Night on Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. While it’s more of a night to strut your skills than learn the technique of the sensual follow-the-leader dance, newbies can try to get in where they fit in.

Beyond the books
Fulton County Public Libraries offer a broad slate of free classes; line dancing falls under its fitness programming, giving attendees a high-energy atmosphere to learn dances right in their neighborhoods. The Northeast/Spruill Oaks branch kicks off the week with line dancing every Monday morning, while the Wolf Creek and Gladys S. Dennard at South Fulton branches offer line dancing every Tuesday evening. Visit the Fulton County Library System events calendar for more information.

Howdy do, folks?
Country music fans can grab a partner and do-si-do to PBR Atlanta. It’s inside of Live! at the Battery Atlanta, an entertainment and dining hub bordering Truist Park. Throwdown Thursdays are at 8 p.m. weekly, with line dances led by the bar’s “Buckle Bunnies,” and a challenge to ride the mechanical bull. Beginners can also check out Alpharetta’s Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Country line and swing dance fans may also enjoy Red Boots on the Dance Floor, through which accredited line dancing instructor Celina Meador takes her expertise to The Well in Cumming, Governors Gun Club ($10) in Kennesaw, Wild Wing Cafe in Alpharetta, the Atlanta Motor Speedway and other locations.

BE! Creative Arts Center
For those who prefer to learn in the privacy of their own dwelling, BE! Creative Arts in Fairburn offers a free virtual option via Zoom and YouTube Live at 8:05 p.m. every Tuesday. The virtual classes began during the pandemic shutdown, and, in 2024, BE! Creative Arts added the in-person option, Thursday Soul Line Dancing, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekly at Comfort Inn in Fairburn ($10). Patrons can also book private dance parties to learn soul line dancing or Atlanta’s legendary yeek dance, among others.

::

Angela Oliver is a proud native of old Atlanta who grew up in the West End. A Western Kentucky University journalism and Black studies grad, daily news survivor and member of Delta Sigma Theta, she works in the grassroots nonprofit world while daydreaming about seeing her scripts come alive on the big screen.