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If there’s one thing that brings people of all backgrounds together, it’s dance. In the South, it’s also a cultural convergence, where music genres meld and create something new. Whether it’s a fiddle and a washboard or a big band, moving to these tunes is one of the best ways to experience a new place. But don’t worry if you’re a first timer. You’re sure to find a local happy to show you the ropes.
Bust a move with these storied Southern dance traditions.
Cajun Dancing | Southwest Louisiana
In the Cajun communities around Lafayette, Louisiana, weekends meant frequenting the dancehalls for the traditional “fais do do,” a public dance with a live band, usually with fiddles and stringed instruments. Today, these halls are great for enjoying zydeco music, with its accordions and washboard.
You’ll still find it throughout the region, with several locales on the official Dancehall Trail. The crowds are welcoming at Randol’s, open for 50 years, with a large dance floor. Best of all, you can find a local to show you the ropes in between crawfish shucks. Live music is offered every Friday and Saturday. The Mamou Cajun Festival is another opportunity to see Cajun music and dancing, which has been running for over thirty years.
Carolina Shag | The Grand Strand
The state dance of South Carolina, called the “shag,” is native to the Grand Strand area of North Myrtle Beach. The partner dance is said to trace its origin from the African American community in the 1930s and has similarities to swing dancing. It gained popularity elsewhere, including in North Carolina, and was even featured in the Bridget Fonda film Shag in 1989.
The annual National Shag Dance Championships in March is the best time to learn about the dance style, but on any given night, you can learn from the professionals at North Myrtle Beach’s dance clubs. Fat Harold’s Beach Club is the most well-known, open since 1996, offering free shag lessons on Tuesday nights. The OD Pavilion is one of the last remaining open-air places to shag dance.
Flatfoot Dancing | Western North Carolina
Similar to clogging, flatfoot dancing is found throughout Appalachia, including from Western North Carolina to West Virginia. The style originated in the British Isles, where many early settlers of the region hailed from.
The dance is known for its shuffled steps and is typically individualized to the dancer. It’s usually paired with “old time” music, a fiddle and ballad-based genre, and one of the precursors to country music. The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, preserves this folk dancing with concerts and public dances throughout the year.
Hand Dancing, Washington, DC
The official dance of the District of Columbia is called the “hand dance” and is similar to swing, with smooth footwork and the partners’ hands always together. It gained popularity in the 1950s in the lead-up to popular shows like American Bandstand. While it fell out of favor in the disco years, people like former DC mayor Vincent C. Gray kept the style alive.
The clubs where hand dancing was popularized are mostly gone, but the D.C. Hand Dance Club continues to meet for monthly gatherings around the DMV. The Bowie Elks Lodge #2309 in Gambrill, Maryland, hosts monthly lessons from club members.
Line Dancing | Tennessee
On any given night, you’re likely to see line dancing at the honky tonks of Nashville, but the line dance’s origins go further back. These organized dances are found throughout the region, including Texas, but gained popularity in the Music City during the 1970s and 80s with the release of films like Urban Cowboy.
The neon-lit dance floor at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has seen thousands of visitors over the years, both famous and not yet discovered. Robert’s Western World is another downtown staple, where you’re guaranteed to see a live band to dance along to. If you’d rather dance in daylight, the Nashville Downtown Partnership also offers free classes on Saturdays in Church Street Park.
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