Lining up to step it out
Dancers enjoy getting active
“There is no right time, only time and what you choose to do with it."
The group of dancers in Claregalway’s SMA hall might have thought the same when they chose to go dancing on a Wednesday morning.
There are no disco lights, no spotlights and no alcohol, just rows of people following their teacher’s instructions, moving in a line, trying to sync their steps.
Line dancing, which has its roots in the US, was a big craze in Ireland in the 1990s that lasted for a few years before fizzling out. However, a newer version - without the cowboy hats and boots - has gained new followers who enjoy dancing to pop and contemporary songs while meeting friends and getting some exercise.
Twenty years or so ago, the dance's global success was attributed to songs like ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ by Billy Ray Cyrus or Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks.
“Garth Brooks was massive in Ireland back in the early 90s. People were enjoying his music and were singing along in his concerts,” said Niall Doorhy, a social dance teacher who leads the classes in Claregalway.
“I think Brooks was the driving force behind the revival of country music and line dancing in Ireland.”
However, line dancing is no longer associated with just country music, it now includes pop, rock and even Celtic music in some instances.
Read the full feature in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops or buy our digital edition here