Last night I led my first choreo skill share at the 6th ave skate rink, for about 20 folks, a line dance called “The Stand Up” that I modified to be a skate routine.
Line dances are not normally my thing. I find choreography often frustrating to learn. And something in me resists doing the same moves with a large group of people, e.g. “the electric slide”, as “not real dancing.”
But over the years I’ve grown the appreciate the value of group choreo and line dances both for myself and for my community. Some of the benefits that I’ve observed:
- Mental : Memorizing choreography is a mental challenge that I don’t always “enjoy” but find satisfying when I finally can perform it.
- Socio-emotional: Doing choreo with a group helps me feel connected to others and not so alone.
- Cultural: Doing a line dance that has come down from my community reinforces a sense of cultural identity. E.g. the “Shim Sham” in the lindy hop community.
- Artistic: Learning set combination of moves has helped me to be a better dancer. While I might be repeating the same steps as other people, I can add my own flavor and variations. Paradoxically, doing the same movements with a group of people has helped me to express my own individuality.
Which is why most cultures across the globe have some form of group dance practices, from Native peoples in the US to African circle dances to the “Cupid Shuffle.” And in our increasingly isolated, tech driven reality, the value of these group practices only increases.
Related Articles:
- Open Encyclopedia of Anthropology entry on “Dance” December 2, 2025
- The Anthropology of Dance, Anya Peterson Royce, 2002