5 Line Dances You Should Know for Your Wedding Day
Don’t Let the Party Start Without Knowing These Dances!
No wedding is truly complete without a line dance or two to get the party started. QC Dance Studio covers all the most popular dances you should know for your wedding day in this blog, including:
Every great wedding DJ knows that no reception can come to an end without playing a few line dances. These group dances aren’t just wildly popular, they’re incredibly fun and help create magical moments that you’ll cherish for years to come.
Whether you’re a line dance connoisseur or have never boot-scooted in your life, it’s a good idea to brush up on some of the popular line dances that your DJ may have in queue for your reception playlist. Read on to find out how to master the five most popular dances you should know for your wedding day in time for your big day!
The 5 Dances You Should Know for Your Wedding
#1 – Cupid Shuffle
If you somehow left a wedding in the past decade without hearing this popular line dance, the DJ must have fallen asleep on the job. Cupid Shuffle by Cupid is a wedding day classic that’s sure to make its appearance at your reception. Comprised of a series of short steps, gentle kicks, and step-twists, this line dance is as easy to master as it is endlessly entertaining. Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1: Most importantly, you’ll want to listen for the cues that come from the music. As with most line dances, the Cupid Shuffle’s lyrics serve almost as a set of directions to keep all dancers moving at the same time. In this case, when the lyrics say “to the right” or “to the left,” all dancers will take four steps in that direction.
- Step 2: After moving to the right and left, come back to center and kick your right foot out, tapping your heel to the floor in front of you and keeping your toes pointed at the ceiling. Then, bring your right foot back to center and kick out your left heel. Continue alternating kicks like this until you’ve kicked a total of four times.
- Step 3: Now it’s time for the group to rotate together to face the next direction in line. Once you’re all finished kicking, you’ll move to the next direction by keeping your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Then, swivel from right to left, turning on the balls of your feet until you’ve rotated about a quarter. This move is called “walking it out.”
Repeat steps 1 – 3 in time with your fellow line dancers. Make sure to keep it loose and find ways to make the dance your own by sticking with the rhythm and adding a slight bounce to your step.
#2 – Electric Slide
Marcia Griffiths’ “Electric Boogie” has been a long-held line dance tradition at wedding receptions for decades. While it can be a little intimidating at first, once you get the hang of this dance, you’ll be adding in your own creative nuances in no time. Hand claps, finger snaps, silly poses — your wedding day photos will be filled with fun when this timeless classic plays. Follow the steps below to learn how to do one of the most iconic dances you should know for your wedding day:
- Step 1: Begin by stepping to the right with your right foot, continuing to cross to the right with your left foot by bringing it behind your right. This weaving motion is what’s known as a “grapevine.” Complete the motion by stepping right one last time with your right foot in front of your left to uncross your feet. After stepping right, bring your feet together while tapping your left foot by your right foot.
- Step 2: Repeat the first step, moving to the left this time rather than the right. Make sure that when moving your right foot to the left, you are crossing behind your left foot rather than in front of it. After you’ve completed the grapevine to the left, bring your feet together while tapping your right foot by your left foot this time.
- Step 3: Take one step back with your right foot, then one step back with your left foot, repeating until you’ve taken a total of three steps. Then, tap your left foot next to your right foot.
- Step 4: Now, step forward with your left foot, bringing your right foot behind the left and tapping your right big toe to your left heel. Then, step back with your right foot, almost like rocking back and forth twice, and tap your left foot in front of your right foot.
- Step 5: Take a hop step onto your left foot, swinging your right foot over to the left 90 degrees. This is called a quarter turn, and is how you and the rest of the group will change directions during the song.
Repeat steps 1 – 5 until the music fades and your next wedding day line dance starts playing.
#3 – The Wobble
Listed at number 13 on Billboard’s Top Line Dances of All Time, The Wobble had a slow rise to mainstream popularity. After its initial release in 2008, it didn’t become a wedding day staple until 2011 or 2012. Be advised: While this hip-hop classic might be full of upbeat energy, its explicit lyrics are probably better-suited for adults-only weddings. If you’re planning on playing this line dance at your wedding reception, be sure to brush up on the steps below:
- Step 1: When the chorus starts, jump forward with both feet, landing about one step ahead of your original position. Your feet hitting the ground counts as the first in a four-count step. Use the remaining three beats to bounce, wobble, or shake your booty!
- Step 2: Jump back one step, landing back to your original position. Again, count your landing as the first in a four-count step, using the remaining time to groove and shake to the beat.
- Step 3: Twist to the right by stepping backward with your right leg so that your foot points straight to your original left while keeping your left leg in its original position. Then, repeat this step but on the left side, stepping backward with your left leg and keeping your right leg in its original position.
- Step 4: Next, you’ll need to do a four step. Begin by stepping forward one pace with your right foot on beat one. Then, step forward one pace with your left leg on beat two to bring your left and right feet together. On the third beat, step back one pace with your right leg, returning it to its original position. Finish up the fourth beat by stepping back one pace with your left leg, returning it to its original place beside your right foot.
- Step 5: Now it’s time for the quarter turn with your group. Over the next eight beats, gradually slide your feet until they face approximately 90 degrees left of your original position.
Repeat steps 1 – 5, continuing to wobble until you make a full rotation or until the song fades into the next on your wedding day playlist.
#4 – Chicken Dance
If you’re looking for a family-friendly line dance classic, it doesn’t get more universally loved than the Chicken Dance. This dance is easy to do and sure to put a smile on everyone’s face, so conjure your inner chicken and take to the dance floor using the steps below:
- Step 1: First, form your “chicken beaks” by holding your arms out in front of you and pressing your fingers and thumb together, opening and closing your hand like a chicken beak. Repeat this motion four times, keeping in rhythm with the song.
- Step 2: Next, flap your wings by placing your thumbs in your armpits and bending your elbows generously, raising them up and down as though they were wings. Repeat this motion four times in sync with the music as well.
- Step 3: After flapping, bend your knees and wiggle your butt with the music, shaking your hips side to side in time with the beat.
- Step 4: Finally, stand up straight and clap four times to the music to complete the routine.
Continue doing the Chicken Dance by repeating steps 1 – 4 until the song is complete. The best part about this wedding line dance is that it can be done while seated, so it’s an excellent, all-inclusive addition to have for those guests who might not be able to enjoy some of the more complex dances.
#5 – The Bus Stop
Yet another classic wedding line dance you should know for your wedding day, The Bus Stop has been a DJ go-to since “The Hustle’s” debut in 1975. Watch our dance instructor, Tony Prado, take you through this classic line dance step by step in the video below:
Learn to Dance for Your Wedding Day!
Whether you’re the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. or are a guest of honor at their wedding day, QC Dance Studio offers the private dance lessons you need to become a showstopper on the dance floor. Never dread another dance party again when you have our expert instructors to guide you on a personalized journey to mastering the art of dance. Request your first complimentary dance lesson by emailing info@queencity.dance or contacting us online today!
