“Hard times require furious dancing.” – Alice Walker
Welcome to the season of line dancing where Black Music Month meets Juneteenth meets every backyard cookout from DC to Decatur. Whether you’re in it for the cardio, the community, or just trying not to be the one sitting down during the Wobble (again), line dancing is the joyful movement we always need. And this summer, we’ve got another addition to the playlist: Boots on the Ground – a fierce, fan-filled routine that’s got the aunties and Gen Z out here getting in formation.
But first, a little context.
We Been Doing This: Line Dancing Has African Roots
Synchronized group dancing didn’t start with TikTok or YouTube. Across the African continent, dance has long been a tool of unity, communication, and celebration. Many traditional dances were performed in lines or circles with communal rhythm and repetition designed for connection, not competition. That spirit survived the Middle Passage and was reborn in ring shouts, juke joints, and soul train line-ups. Our bodies remember. Every “left foot stomp” is ancestral.
Boots on the Ground: The Summer 2025 Hit
Boots on the Ground, the song by artist 803Freash and the choreography by Tre Little , is sweeping through reunions and line dance classes nationwide. With colorful fans and bold moves, this line dance brings flair, fun, and a little drama to the dance floor. Need a tutorial? Look for line dancing extraordinaire Terressa on YouTube here for a step-by-step tutorial. There’s still time to practice before your cousin’s wedding or the neighborhood Juneteenth block party.
The Line Dance Timeline:
Here’s a quick tour of some of the most beloved line dances and when they hit:
- Electric Slide – 1976: Created by Ric Silver, this classic went viral before we had the internet.
- Cha Cha Slide – 2001: DJ Casper had us sliding left and criss-crossing from college campuses to clubs to church basements.
- Cupid Shuffle – 2007: Cupid gave us instructions and we followed. A wedding reception staple.
- Wobble – 2011: No matter how small the crowd, if this comes on, it becomes a dance floor.
- Tamia Line Dance (Can’t Get Enough) – 2012 (dance popularized): It’s got spins. It’s got soul. And it snuck up on folks who didn’t know it was a full workout.
- Jerusalema – 2019: This South African gospel influenced house track inspired a dance challenge that brought the world to its feet during the global pandemic.
- Texas Hold ’Em – 2024: Beyoncé said “This Ain’t Texas” and her line dance brought all the folks to the yard.”
- Boots on the Ground – 2025: It’s a sensation! “Where them fans at?”
Why Line Dancing Heals Us
Line dancing is cardio with the community. It’s acceptance without judgment. You don’t need a partner. You don’t even need rhythm (but we believe in you!). It’s about moving from the corner to the center, from stress into sisterhood, from not knowing to “I got it; now let me add some razzle dazzle to it. Every synchronized step is a small act of liberation and an enormous display of joy.
“Dancing is just soothing to my soul.” —Tre Little, Boots on the Ground choreographer
Get to the Dance Floor
So go on, send a message in the group chat. Set up that living room practice session. Show up at the cookout ready. Whether you’re first in line or learning in the back, we’re all in this together. Because the only thing better than dancing through the hard times… is doing it alongside the people you want to feel loved, lifted, and overjoyed.
Tracy Chiles McGhee is a multi-genre writer and the Constituency Engagement Manager for Unerased | Black Women Speak.
