1. A Western Revival in the Making
Put on your cowboy hats and lace up your best boots, because the girls have started line dancing.
“My friends are literally skipping the gym to learn new dance moves,” my Gen Z sister in Arizona told me. For many across the country, line dancing isn’t exactly a groundbreaking activity, but the concept of people swapping the treadmill for the two-step immediately piqued my interest. Could the latest cardio trend really be hiding inside a local country bar?
The “cool girl” reinvention of line dancing isn’t just anecdotal: according to a recent trend report from Eventbrite, this affinity may indeed be part of a larger Western revival. Data shows that line dancing events have surged by 165%—driven partly by aesthetic appeal, but also by a shift toward a phone-free lifestyle. People are craving authentic connections, analog-era activities, and the pure joy of movement.
Curious to see what all the hype was about (and whether line dancing could truly serve as my daily dose of cardio), I decided to try it out for myself. Here is what I learned, what I loved, and what my Oura Ring data ultimately revealed.
2. My First Line Dancing Class: Expectations vs. Reality
To be honest, I approached my first line dancing class with a sense of dread. I booked a beginner session at Stud Country, a queer-friendly line dancing studio in Los Angeles. Despite having lived in Arizona for nearly a decade, I struggled to separate the fun of line dancing from the less-than-inclusive undertones of the “Old West.”
Fortunately, the studio at Stud Country immediately put my fears to rest. We danced to tracks like Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes’s “Señorita,” as well as David Nail’s “Champagne Promise.” Although the learning curve was steep, the atmosphere was relaxed and upbeat.
Before each session, our instructor would spend about twenty minutes walking us through the (relatively simple) choreography while facing the front of the room. The twist? Most of the steps are designed to change direction—forward, side, back, side—which I found to be confusing at best, and completely disorienting at worst. At first, these directional shifts completely wiped my mental choreography slate clean, leaving me feeling tense, sweaty, and in a total panic over a simple two-step. But by the second round, I finally found my footing and added a touch of modest flair to my movements—until I was genuinely enjoying the repetition… even if I didn’t nail every single step. By the end, I had made a few friends, worked up a good sweat, and learned two dances—skills that might just come in handy should I ever muster the courage to attend a real line-dancing party.
3. What the Data Says
I can officially confirm that line dancing is a legitimate form of cardio. It may not replace an arduous session on the StairMaster, but I was definitely sweating by the time class ended (partly because the studio lacked air conditioning).
All in all, my Oura Ring recorded 327 active calories, 3,500 steps, and an average heart rate of 102 BPM—though, truth be told, in the moment I barely felt like I was working out. Instead of worrying about “completing a workout,” I was more focused on remembering the steps, avoiding collisions with others, and simply living in the moment.
Line dancing also has a very sweet social side. Before class, I struck up a conversation with a friendly couple who didn’t seem to mind that I bumped into them every now and then. By the time the 90-minute session wrapped up, at least three people asked if I’d be coming back next week. Even my existing friends messaged me privately to ask if they could join me next time (though they were just a little annoyed that I hadn’t invited them in the first place).
4. The Final Verdict
If you’re tired of the same old “12-3-30” routine, line dancing might be just the thing to help you dance your way out of that rut. Who knows? If your experience is anything like mine, you just might surprise yourself.
Chandler Plante is a social media producer and writer for the POPSUGAR Health & Fitness team. She has over five years of experience in the media industry, having previously served as an editorial assistant at People magazine, a social media manager at Millie magazine, and a writer for Bustle Digital Group. She holds a degree in Magazine Journalism from Syracuse University and is currently based in Los Angeles.
