This has been another great year for Country music, and therefore Country dancing. Yeeehaaaw! Who doesn’t love to rock out to Blake Shelton or Luke Bryan? I know I do! As 2015 comes to a close, there are a few Country dances that are more popular now than ever before. Dances like the Country Two Step, Country Swing and West Coast Swing have been hot! hot! hot! for a few years and are here to stay, so now is the time to get a few Country dance lessons under your belt before we get too far into 2016.

If you happen to live in Arizona with me, Country Thunder, THE premiere Country event of the year, is just a few short months away. Now’s the time to begin taking Country dance classes, people. Don’t wait you’re out dancing to wish you could do it.

You may be wondering how you know what dance is what, right? Of course it’s hard to know without learning first, but that’s when you contact people like me, your local dance instructor, so you can get the training you need to succeed on any dance floor. 🙂 For now, let’s keep it simple.

To start, I strongly recommend beginning with Country Two Step dance lessons. There are several styles and “looks” of the Two Step, but when you strip everything down to the basics, the rhythm of the dance is the same throughout every style. A basic Two Step will be based on walking steps, which makes it easy to pick up as a first dance. As a beginner dancer, do yourself the best favor ever and make the investment in Private Country Dance Lessons, rather than Group Dance Classes. With Private Dance Instruction, you should get lots of great tips on how to lead or follow, which will make you a much more prepared and competent dancer. Your “cool moves” are always secondary to being aware of your dance partner and understanding your role on the dance floor, so take the time to learn these concepts-you won’t be disappointed that you did.

Back to the Country Two Step, keep in mind that this dance has many, many fun arm variations, but it’s not so fast that you will feel overwhelmed. Enjoy this dance as a single, or with a steady partner and you’ll be out on the dance floor 60% of the time when you attend a Country bar.

Next, the Country Swing is extremely “in” right now. It has been for a few years, but it seems to be getting more wild as time goes on. While this dance, done correctly, is not the easiest of the Country dance styles, it is a must-have, if you want to go out and have fun with the faster songs. Country Swing done wrong looks much like what you’ll see at the trendy Country bars around Phoenix-lots of arm swinging, flips and dips. Yes, it seems and looks like fun, but this type of untrained dancer can be a liability to other social dancers, so again, make the investment in Country Swing dance lessons for a result that will leave envious of your skills.

Lastly, give the West Coast Swing dance a shot if you really enjoy a challenge. I don’t usually suggest that beginners start with West Coast Swing dance lessons over other dance styles, but a seasoned dancer will benefit tremendously from knowing this dance. The W.C.S. is danced to mid-tempo songs that have a relaxed vibe. You’ll see the guy bring his partner in towards him, and then push her away, as if they are moving back and forward on a set of tracks. Unlike the Two Step, this dance does not travel, but instead has many intricate and very impressive variations that will keep you learning for years. After you feel confident with the Country Two Step and Country Swing, give the West Coast Swing a try and see how your world as a dancer can expand.

The year 2016 promises to bring many exciting adventures ahead. If you have always wanted to learn to Country dance, don’t put it off this coming year. Once you know how to dance, your social circles will open, your confidence will soar and you may even add a little more romance than you had in 2015. Now that’s something to look forward to!