Hi, I’m Brian and I love country dancing! I am a single dad to 4 amazing adult kids and live in Fullerton, California. In 2016 I went through a divorce, and like many going through something like that, I was pretty devastated. In my journey toward recovering and moving on, a recurring theme I heard was that there’s hope! People talked about finding silver linings in things like this. Maybe you’ll do things and discover things you never would have before! Well, in 2017 some friends of mine invited me to go to a country bar where there was dancing. But this wasn’t just any country bar, this was the Ranch in Anaheim California! A very nice premier place for live music and country dancing. I joined them and had a really good time. And over time, even without my friends, I kept going just to sit, have a beer, and hang out. (better than being all alone at home). I wasn’t dancing immediately at all–that terrified me! But what I found was that just sitting and watching people dance was nice, even therapeutic. Something about just watching people dance was very cool. But you can’t be at a place like that too long before you try it out yourself. So began my journey into country dance. At first, it was line dancing, but then after a few lessons, I actually tried the two-step as well. There were some rather terrifying moments to that of course! But now, here 6 years later I have enjoyed many many nights of dancing. In that time I learned the basic Two Step, learned several partner dances, and now know close to 50 line dances and tried out hundreds. It has really become a very fun outlet and activity. A place for meeting new friends and enjoying some great nights of live music and dancing. Looking back, I would never have guessed I'd be so caught up with, of all things, dancing! But here I am, and I'm happy to have found it and all the things and people that surround it. And now to write about the discoveries and hopefully put out some interesting and helpful information about it is a bonus!
New Year–New Line Dances & Dance Contests, 2023!
Hello Country Dancers! And Happy New Year!
For this first email of the year I have a very exhaustive recap of my time at the Vegas Dance Explosion last year. Check it out! If you were there you can relive some of the moments, but if not and especially if you've never been to it, or big dance conventions like it, hopefully you'll get a feel for what they are like and come next time!
The main thing is that its a place to be exposed to some great new line dance choreography that has only recently been hitting dance floors!
Vegas Dance Explosion, 2022 – New Line Dances and All-Night Dance Parties!
Partner Dances
Also I wanted to highlight an article that talks about all the partner dances that we love so much at the country bars. Check it out! I've also got a little extra thing now added to this article in the West Coast Swing section for new comers to this dance! I would be interested in knowing what people think about that!
10 Popular Couples Country Dances Everybody Loves!
Upcoming So. Cal. Dance Events!
I don't know about you, but for me this year has seemed to start fast! There's so much happening and so much coming very soon! Here in Southern California, two events in progress or coming up are the Edge Dance Convention in March and the Yearly Stagecoach Dance Contests!
THE EDGE
Yes, The Edge is coming! March 10-12, 2023 will see the 4th Annual Edge Dance Event! I love this event and want to let you know you can get your tickets now! Click here to Register!
Besides all the workshops the Edge also features great dance competitions going on at night in the CRC Barn to challenge and entertain. In preparation for these, there will be some invitational competitions that are already in full swing! Here's the dates & locations!
Dec. 10 Cowboy Country, Long Beach CA (Saturday night)
Dec. 16 The Temecula Stampede, Temecula CA (Friday night)
Jan. 12 The Barn, Ramona CA (Thursday night)
Jan. 21 The Branding Iron, San Bernardino CA (Saturday night)
Jan. 27 Buffalo Club, Boise ID (Friday night)
2/2 Whiskey Row, Gilbert AZ (Monday night)
2/8 InCahoots, Fullerton CA (Sunday night)
2/21 Country Nights with DJ Keahi and Debb in San Diego (Saturday night)
2/24 Mavericks, in Pleasanton CA (Tuesday night)
2/25 Stoneys, Sacramento CA (Wednesday night)
Even if you are not competing, these are great nights to go enjoy seeing some great dancers compete!
Beautiful Temecula Valley & Country Dance Workshops!
To see what this event is like, check out my blog post recap of it from last year:
The Edge Dance Event – A Unique Country Dance Convention Experience!
STAGECOACH DANCE CONTESTS!
With the new year here in So. Cal. Country music fans are very excited about the Stagecoach Country Music Festival and with this comes the great dance contests at the local country bars to win a Stagecoach General Admission 3 day Pass & a chance to be on the Stagecoach Honky Tonk Dance Team! Like last year I will soon have a blog post with all the details: The Bars, The Dates, The Dances! But for now here's the dates/places:
#1 SAT 1/28 Cowboy Country, Long Beach CA
#2 THU 2/2 The Ranch Saloon, Anaheim CA
#3 FRI 2/10 Montanas, San Dimas, CA
#4 FRI 2/17 Brandin Iron Saloon, San Bernardino CA
#5 WED 2/22 InCahoots Fullerton, CA
#6 THU 2/23 Stampede, Temecula, CA
#7 FRI 2/24 BL Saloon, Agoura Hills, CA
#8 TUE 2/28 Moonshine Flats, San Diego CA
#9 THU 3/2 Buckle & Boots, Lancaster CA
#10 SAT 3/4 STONEYS, Sacramento CA
#11 SUN 3/5 Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio CA
So many dance contests! Even if you don't compete, these are super entertaining nights to go dancing and see the best dancers leave it all out on the floor!
A Sad Announcement
If you look at the blog much or saw last months email, you'll remember the fun "Dancer Spotlight" article we did on a guy named Gregg Tomchick. Sadly we lost Gregg shortly after that to cancer. All of us who had got to know him are so broken hearted. We are still in shock really. The thing that really sort of started that whole article was how he had gone dancing 13 nights in a row! That was so crazy that I just had to tell that story! We're still processing how we lost him so soon.
In tribute and memorial to him, some of us who knew him thought it would be cool to "beat the streak" in his honor. So.... we're doing it! This coming Monday 1/23 we'll go dancing and we won't stop till 2/5! Below is a plan for all the places we will go for the 14 straight nights or days.
So, if you knew him or just want to come dancing with us, you know where we'll be!
Line Dance Instructor Spotlight!If you come join us in our 14 nights straight of dancing we will go twice to Cindi Massengale's class. She is a Long Beach line dance instructor at Cowboy Country & The Gaslamp. Check out more information on her classes here |
Note: I know I have subscribers form all around and I'm reporting often on the So. California Country Dance Scene. So, please if you want me to mention or announce your event or classes any where in the world I would be glad to do so!
Just reply to the email and let me know!
Also, when it comes to cool dance halls and dance clubs in other places, please know that I’m on the lookout! Where are the best places to go dancing? Or what great country dancing events are coming up?
And, as a subscriber to my blog please let me know where YOU go dancing! I’d love to know! This might help me create the next giant exhaustive blog post for BEST PLACES TO COUNTRY DANCE in a city near YOU!
Brian
Note: If you didn’t subscribe and are getting this its cause you already connected with me and I took the liberty to add you to my list! BUT let me know if you don’t want to be bugged. I get that! There’s always an unsubscribe option.
Country Dancing Tonight
I love country dancing and all things around it - line dancing two step, county music and a great honky tonk bar or dance hall.
Hi, I’m Brian and I love country dancing! I am a single dad to 4 amazing adult kids and live in Fullerton, California. In 2016 I went through a divorce, and like many going through something like that, I was pretty devastated. In my journey toward recovering and moving on, a recurring theme I heard was that there’s hope! People talked about finding silver linings in things like this. Maybe you’ll do things and discover things you never would have before! Well, in 2017 some friends of mine invited me to go to a country bar where there was dancing. But this wasn’t just any country bar, this was the Ranch in Anaheim California! A very nice premier place for live music and country dancing. I joined them and had a really good time. And over time, even without my friends, I kept going just to sit, have a beer, and hang out. (better than being all alone at home). I wasn’t dancing immediately at all–that terrified me! But what I found was that just sitting and watching people dance was nice, even therapeutic. Something about just watching people dance was very cool. But you can’t be at a place like that too long before you try it out yourself. So began my journey into country dance. At first, it was line dancing, but then after a few lessons, I actually tried the two-step as well. There were some rather terrifying moments to that of course! But now, here 6 years later I have enjoyed many many nights of dancing. In that time I learned the basic Two Step, learned several partner dances, and now know close to 50 line dances and tried out hundreds. It has really become a very fun outlet and activity. A place for meeting new friends and enjoying some great nights of live music and dancing. Looking back, I would never have guessed I'd be so caught up with, of all things, dancing! But here I am, and I'm happy to have found it and all the things and people that surround it. And now to write about the discoveries and hopefully put out some interesting and helpful information about it is a bonus!
Hello Country Dancers! Happy 2024! For the first email of 2024, I have a couple of things for you to check out on the blog! Two new articles on the blog! But also scroll down for some extras! February's Topics: 2024 Talent Search Dance Contest, Full California Round-Up! & Best Country Bars for Dancing in the United States. Dance Contests: Living in Southern California and being a country dancer, the beginning of the year always treats us to the awesome Word In Motion Talent Search Dance...
FALL 2023 Country Dancing NEWS! Howdy Y'all! For this month's email, I have four new articles on the blog and five dance instructor highlights! This email is packed full of great information! It's all about Footwear, Fear & Shivers! But also some news about Vegas Line Dancing as well! Also, and very importantly, a big thanks to all my subscribers, especially to all the new subscribers–all 142 of you! Fuego Dance Shoes: A Line Dance Game Changer? I have been super obsessed with the fairly new...
Summer 2023 Country Dancing in California, Arizona & Texas! I hope everyone is having a great summer! And especially a great summer of country dancing! For this month’s email, I am highlighting FOUR new articles on the blog! This is a long overdue email, but hopefully worth the wait, as I was collecting some new material to write & report about. The main thing I did this summer was a road trip through Texas. I had a great time checking out some of the best places to dance! If you live in...