SoulSteppers: urban soul line dancing
I've been running Soul Line Dancing sessions in Beachmere for several years at various venues. We've even danced weekly on Clayton Park's basket ball court.
As well as:
Soul Line Dancing is different from what folk usually assume is line dancing. The repertoire is taken from soul music, funk, disco, rhythm & blues and zydeco. It is popular among Afro American communities on the east coast of the United States as well as in the states of Louisiana and Texas.
Choreography is shared via video but new routines are developed from all over -- generating fresh moves to particular songs. It's a very creative and generous collective choreography.
As far as we know, our little club, SoulSteppers, in Beachmere is the only one of its kind in Australia.
Not that we're great dancers.Soul Line dance is driven by shuffles and slides on the 4x4 beat...and we usually adapt routines to suit our shared skill level. Soul too is more about moving the hips rather than investing a lot of effort in foot work.
Its 'cool' rather than technical.
And since I run the sessions -- really you can dance how you like, just so long as you don't run anyone over. There are no prizes for getting it (supposedly) right...and no one cares one iota if you get any move very much 'wrong'.
At the moment we have a couple of vacancies in our line up -- so if anyone is interested in a weekly convivial dance session -- Mondays at 3.30pm -- give Dave Riley a ring on 33331805.
Here's a sample. A song we dance to. a little bit of Chris Ardoin Zydeco out of Texas.