Line dancing: A shortcut to happiness

Chong’s students moving to the music during one of Chong’s sessions.

HAVE you ever noticed how most babies, especially those at the toddlers’ age, would move almost automatically whenever they hear music?

Even many adults would do the same, indicating that dancing is a built-in impulse in humans.

Many of us, with those with two left feet, would feel rather exhilarated when we dance.

The swaying and the rocking of the body in tandem with a musical tempo seem to be able to lull a person’s emotion into a euphoric state – making some to regard dancing as ‘a shortcut to happiness’.

Fun, healthy activity

To the members of a community in Kuching who call themselves the Juz Danz (JD) Line Dancers, such activity is really their ‘shortcut to happiness’.

For them, line dancing is already a routine and they really look forward to going to every session. Whenever they meet at the dancing place, it means that they would have a time of camaraderie with like-minded individuals, having fun and filling the atmosphere with laughter.

Moreover, it is a value-added activity for them in that they also get to exercise – benefitting them physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially.

“Line dancing is one of the best forms of dancing as one doesn’t require a partner,” Stephanie Chong, the founder of JD Line Dancers, told thesundaypost in Kuching.

Chong, flanked by fellow instructors Siaw Kian (left) and Kim Siok.

The 54-year-old school teacher, who started the group about eight years ago, has been line dancing for 13 years – a skill that she learned from a friend.

Attending a recent session conducted by Chong at a rented studio in Hui Sing Garden, exemplified how dancing could be seen as a ‘shortcut to happiness’ – it was an ambience of excitement that had built up even before the lesson commenced.

According to Chong, her dancers come from all walks of life and their ages range from in the 30s up to the 80s.

“Many are retirees, and quite a few are grandmothers,” she pointed out.

Chong would organise her classes into different levels, with the sessions jointly run by fellow instructors Bong Siaw Kian and Ho Kim Siok.

“The levels are ‘Absolute Beginner, ‘Beginner’, ‘Improver’, ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Advanced’.

“At every level, the dancers get to learn the steps and techniques at their own speed and capability,” said Chong.

She said it was her students’ excitement that had kept her love for line dancing going strong.

“My enthusiasm is fuelled by them and they have been very supportive.”

Chong and her dancers.

When asked about what made line dancing so alluring and addictive, Chong attributed it to the simple steps and that it does not require any partner.

“It’s easy to learn – the dancers just stand in rows and move in unison, following the beat of the music.

“Why is it so addictive? Well, the whole choreography is kind of like a journey to be conquered and won over. When a student manages to perform all the steps in sync with the music, that’s where the feel-good factor comes from – in other words, a sense of achievement after mastering the complete routine, which I think can also help build self-confidence.

Roots in cultural folk dances

Line dancing is described as a choreographed dance in which a group of people, arranged in one or more lines or rows, dance along to a repeating sequence of steps. These lines usually face all in the same direction, but there have been less-common circumstances where the dancers face one another.

The focus is on the movements of the feet – the more advanced steps would also include the arms and the hands. The movements in line dancing are marked as ‘counts’, as one count generally equals one musical beat. A particular movement or step takes place at each beat.

(From left) Kim Siok and Siaw Kian with their charges and also friends: Kho Moi Hua, Monica Ng and Sim Yen Hoon.

There are several different theories as to how and when line dancing began, many of them overlapping with the history of many other dances that stemmed from various cultures, as a result of settlement movements and trending cultures of the time.

According to theorists, line dancing has its roots in cultural folk dances, but it primarily developed into its modern form in the US in the 1970s. It became incredibly popular and widespread in many parts of the world in the 1990s.

Line dancing, as many know it, is primarily danced to country music, but now it embraces many other genres.

According to Chong, this form of dancing appeals to elderly people because to them, it is a fun way to exercise and moreover, it can also help them improve their body coordination and mobility.

“Not everyone likes to go to the gym to exercise, least of all, the elderly folks. So, since dancing is also a form of exercise, then it makes sense to dance for health.

“Furthermore for the old folks, line dancing can help enhance their memory power because they need to memorise the steps and the sequence, and to keep repeating them – all these involve memorising. Line dancing, thus, trains the brain to stay fit and active as well.”

Chong also regarded line dancing as an opportunity to meet more people and make new friends.

“Being able to socialise with others enables us to stay happy always and keep our sanity.

“Thus, a line dancing class does not serve only as a venue for people to learn dancing, but it also functions as a tool to help people fraternise with one another.

“After any session, it’s a happy sight to see dancers disperse into smaller groups and drop by at coffee shops to eat and drink, chit chat and perhaps, indulge in some good natured gossip.

“That, in itself, is an excellent way to bond with each other,” she said.

Not difficult

Chong said line dancing was not really difficult to learn, on condition that one should enter the appropriate level to begin with. She would advise those who never line-danced before to start with the ‘Absolute Beginner’ class.

That way, she added, these newbies could learn and memorise all the basic steps first.

“After a while, after they get a hang of it, they would enjoy the dance more. As the dancers progress, they can move on to the next level, and the next, and so on.”

Chong (standing, left) and the dancers take one for the album.

Chong said the line dancing taught by her ‘ran the gamut of impact’.

“The low impact ones are for the beginners, or for warming up; the high impact ones are for those in the advanced levels where the choreography and the accompanying music are also faster and more challenging.

“As I have said before, line dancing can be choreographed to many types of music. The most common is, of course, Country & Western, but disco, rock, pop and rock ’n roll are popular too.”

Chong said she would often advise her dancers to wear suitable shoes – for both comfort and avoiding injuries. Adding to this, she also highlighted the importance of having the most suitable flooring conditions.

“Dancing involves some twisting and turning. So of course, looking for proper floor texture and level can help reduce the chances of hurting one’s knees or ankles.”

In her parting note, Chong encouraged everyone, young and old, to have at least a hobby to make life more pleasant and meaningful.

“Especially for the elderly folks,” she said. “Being old does not mean that you should just languish quietly at home.

“Come on! Get up and about, and join a line dance class!” she enthused.

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