Soul line dancing has been part of the culture for generations. From the Electric Slide to the ‘Shim Sham,’ it's all a beautiful part of who we are.
Before DJ Casper created 2000’s ‘Cha-Cha slide,’ our people glided across dance floors together during tough times. Thomas F. DeFrantz, an African and African American studies professor specializing in Black dance customs, says that our tradition of group dance using instruction songs goes back to a time during enslavement when spirituals were used to help find the Underground Railroad.
During the Harlem Renaissance era, line dancing was sacred too. The “shim sham” was a popular tap dance routine for decades. This dance style has always been a gathering place of celebration, expression, and safe space for multiple generations.
Recently, in 2023, Tamia’s hit song ‘Can’t Get Enough’ was turned into a line dance, and folks have been cutting up at family functions and other cultural events with it ever since.
Line dancing reminds us that our bodies and spirits can be vessels of ease and joy, no matter where we are, what we’re going through, or what’s happening in the world. Joy can always be ours, and we deserve it.