Line dance – grooved to move the body and mind

A new form of dancing has 'invaded' the lifestyles of Malaysians. It's popularity is so contagious that it's attracting the interest of anyone from 12 upwards.

According to Sherine Lim, chairperson of Penang United Line Dancers, line dancing only took off in Penang in 2000. Interested started in Kuala Lumpur before spreading elsewhere.
Since then, enthusiasm has grown by leaps and bounds. At the moment, there are 17 groups in Penang, 15 on the island and two on the mainland that are registered with the Penang United Line Dancers. There are also independent line dancing groups, and these are believed to number about 800, Sherine said.

Some local VIPs have also gotten in the act, a good example being the wife of Dr. Teng Hock Nan (State Exco Member for Local Government) Datin Lily Teng and her Twinkle Toes line dance group.

Because line dancing is a fairly recent phenomenon here, not many people know that the origins of this dance form goes a long way back. The modern line dance that we are familiar with can be traced back to a 17th century Scottish folk dance known as the Virginia Reel, a lively dance which involved two lines of dancing partners standing about 5 ft apart. Fans of cowboy westerns and the soap opera Dallas would have fond memories of an episode or two featuring guests line dancing to a fiddle and banjo country band.

Line dancing is not limited to country and folk tunes however, and its moves have been incorporated into many modern popular dance styles like swing, rock and roll, and disco. As a matter of fact, the current fad for line dancing grew out of the disco period, when the country-western dance and music communities continued to explore and develop this form of dancing.

According to Sherine, music used for local line dancing includes country & western, cha cha, modern music, rumba and hip hop. No costume is needed, but some participants wear matching t-shirts and jeans during public performances.

Another Penang-based line dance exponent, Jolene Pearly Vun of Mutiara Line Dancers took the bold and innovative step of infusing local flavours with line dancing. Between herself and choreographer Edwin Cheow, they added Malay, Chinese and Indian favourites like "Making Of India", "Demi Cinta", "Puteri Mutiara" into their routines.

Workshops on line dance have also been organized several times. Like the dance event themselves, the workshops also attract plenty of attention from enthusiasts. For example, a workshop held in July 2005 was attended by a capacity crowd of 450 people.

Workshop instructors come from overseas, and they include a 19 year-old Australian called Chris Watson who has been dancing since he was six. Then there was a 63 year-old instructor his group of 19 dancers, also from Australia, who came to Penang at their own expense. British and American instructors have conducted workshops here too.

Besides Penang, line dance workshops are also held in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.

Sherine said the idea and inspiration for line dancing came from tourists who were customers at her restaurant in Batu Ferringhi called Happy Garden. Sherine has been running the joint for more than 20 years. Slowly but surely, her interest in this dance form increased to the point where she wanted to make it a local phenomenon.

Her perseverance has paid off, and line dancing has become very popular in Penang and the rest of the country. One might even daresay that line dancing may takes its place next to more traditional dance forms like ronggeng and joget, two local dances that are popular with people of both sexes and all ages.

Response to a line dancing event in 2003 at the E&O was so good that the event had to be extended over two nights to fit in the crowd. The event was officiated by Toh Puan Hajah Majimor Shariff, wife of the Penang Governor, and who is herself patron of the Penang United Line Dancers.

Recently, Sherine organized a line dancing performance at the closing ceremony of the Dragon Boat Race 2005 at Bayview Beach.

In April 2005, a National Linedance Carnival was held at Penang Indoor Sports Arena (PISA). Running from 8am to 1.30pm, participants danced to over 40 old and new tunes like Fraulein, Dancing on Saturday Night and Uptown Girl.

It was bound to happen. A healthy and energetic dance form suitable for all ages would naturally be a suitable candidate for working out the mind and body. Another plus point is that line dancing is definitely more fun than jogging, and just as vigorous.

Sherine claims that regular line dancing may even help prevent Alzheimer's, a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by premature senile mental deterioration. This is because line dancing requires the dancers to mentally count the steps specially choreographed for each song while coordinating your foot and body movements in time to the music.

Line dancing also helps housewives and retirees add generous dashes of zest and vitality to their daily routines. It lifts the spirits, boosts confidence and tones the body.
An added advantage about line dancing is the absence of body contact between dance partners. Dancers also do not require partners in order to "get into the groove", so to speak.

Of course, getting together for a line dance session is a great opportunity for socialising and meeting friends old and new.

Line dancing practice sessions take place at several spots in Penang, and to name a few:
The Botanic Gardens on Mondays to Fridays, 8 to 9am. The groups involved may be large – 300 people – but the more the merrier. The cost is only RM2 per person.

For those living in the south of the island, the Mutiara Line Dancers conduct sessions at Taman Gelugor under the guidance of team leader Jolene Pearly Vun. Practice time is on Sundays from 7.30am to 8.30am. Fees are RM2 per month.

Youth Park, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. People of all sexes, all races, and all ages are welcomed to join in.

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