Popular Dances and Songs

[Toneseeker]

Hi Guys,

I wonder if someone can give me an idea of what line dances are currently popular and what songs go with them. I am a musician currently rehearsing with a new country band and want to give some consideration to linedancers. It's been a while since I was on the country scene so I'm a bit out of touch. Thanks.

Pete

[Lone Wolf]

Play the music you want and let the dancers choose the dance for themselves. but KEEP IT COUNTRY

[ibyorkie]

Play the music you want and let the dancers choose the dance for themselves. but KEEP IT COUNTRY

Hear, hear

[Toneseeker]

Not quite what I expected to hear but probably sound advice. When I played the scene years ago I recall line dancers being a bit demanding. I just wanted to play country and didn't care who did what dance. Things have hopefully changed. Thanks for the advice.

Pete

[nickyjo]

not on this forum!

The dancers on here can dance to anything trust me!

[wildrose]

and thats the way it should be, any dancer worth their salt and taught correctly will find a dance to your music.

[Macman]

That does seem to make sense, however its not the same throughout the uk.
We work very hard to find dances to the older songs in particular in order to keep a full dance floor in a dance venue...and there begins another problem.

Many of these older songs are a little over 2 minutes and very often it can take some of the dancers longer to work it out ..leaving the dance floor empty for most of (sometimes all) the song, so do you suggest a dance at the beginning?
This creates another problem in that there are too many egos in some clubs and they don't want a mere artist telling them what dance they can do, usually a few that aren't thinking about the mass.
We are very careful always to make it a 'suggestion' and not an order but some people are still offended by it and on two occasions been asked to stop doing it at that gig which resuted in the dance numbers dramatically reducing for all but the popular dance numbers.
There are some options.

1. Only play venues that you know.
2. Play the dance songs that are popular.
3. Play a mix of popular dance songs and make suggestions for the older songs you want to play.
4. Stop worrying about the dancers and concentrate on playing what YOU want to play and let the clubs make up their own mind if they want you back.

Its really up to yourself and there are some artists that have followed option 4 and its worked for them, they only get booked back to the 'right' clubs and go down very well.
Either way its a long road to find our niche full of potholes and mistakes but when you reach the end...its a hell of a great life.

Good luck with whichever road you take.

Mac

[ZoePlusCats]

Please would you consider square dancing, too? There's a severe shortage of musicians willing to work at square dance events (and round dance events). If you're interested, let me know. If you could establish your band on the square dance scene, you could get work all over northern Europe at major conventions.

[Hot Tamales]

What do you see by Doc Walker!

[foot-tapper]

Good choice Doc Walker.
Piccked up a fairly newly released album "Go" when I was in Canada a couple of weeks ago.Excellent album

[LeeKitching]

Cabo San Lucas - Toby Keith

Usually that will fill up the floor.