Basic Country Western Dance Moves You Need to Master

Debbie Cook has been a talented dancer and dance teacher for most of her life with a particular love and passion for Country Western Dancing. 

Country dancing is fun, energetic and a great way to try out something different. It’s also a simple dance to master the basics of and whether you’re going to your first dance class ever or you just want to reinvigorate your passion for Western, you’ll need to master these basic dance moves. Debbie Cook provides basic instruction to help you get a feel for these moves and feel comfortable once you step out onto the dance floor!

The Two Step

The two step is probably the key move to learn if you want to master country western dancing. As with most country western moves, the male is the lead in this move. The partners face each other and it is 4 forward walks for the man and 4 backward walks for the female with a count of quick, quick, slow, slow. It might not sound complicated but make sure you master this properly before moving on to the next, it will make the entire process much easier.

The Sweetheart

The sweetheart is a move that can be followed up by a series of more complicated moves. This basic setup can launch into a spin, a dip and a whole host of different moves and is very easy to learn. The two partners stand facing each other and take a step back so that they have their arms stretched out. The female then twists round while still holding hands (one pair of hands going over her head as she twists) and ends up with her back to the man in a spooning embrace.

The Basic Dip

This move looks a lot more complicated than it actually is but this means that it’s an impressive one to pull out of the bag. To do the basic dip the male spins the female counterclockwise and places her hand on his waist. He then moves into a squat position while dipping the female over his knee. It might be one that takes a bit of practice but if you go slow to begin with you should build up confidence to make it look fast and smooth.

Cowboy Boogie

This is one that you can practice on your own and makes for a great line dancing move. To do this move you stand, moving three steps to the right crossing your legs behind one another on the way. When you are back in your original body position (just further to the right) hop right to the side and lift your left leg. Do the same in the opposite direction using opposing legs for each move. If you’re feeling bold you can also do the same moves forwards and backwards instead of side to side.

Debbie Cook has always found Country western dancing to be a great way to get out and about and socialize. Whether you’re hoping to dance professionally or are just doing it for fun, learning the basics will give you an excellent understanding of how country western dancing works and what are the biggest things to focus on.