CROSSING THE LINE

In this MTV age, the form of line dancing has evolved into a fusion of western-style feet movement and body motions.

Every Saturday, crowds gather at Far East Square to watch a group of teenagers perform line dancing.

They call themselves The Young Guns, and they are out to change the way people think about line dancing.

"We are doing things that no one has done before. We want to change the way that people think about line dancing," said Mr Philip Sobrielo Gene, a dance instructor, music facilitator, and also founder of the Young Guns.

While it is true that line dancing started with a bunch of elderly people 'stepping' in a line, and most of the dancers you see around you still belong to that statistic, line dancing is getting a face-lift courtesy of the Young Guns.

"The style that we dance is different as well. We are more hip, and the beats that we dance to are faster and more complicated than those in traditional line dancing," said Mr Laight Thomas Shawn Christopher, a member of the Young Guns.

Tapping up

Line dancing originated in Western-style movements. That means plenty of toe and heel taps, shuffling and crossing of the feet.

It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

Beginners will be struck by how hard it actually is to have your feet move the way you want them to, but it only takes a few tries for you to step up, get going, and start moving to the beat.

The art of line dancing shines through in its simplicity.

A dance is made out of 'walls', and is performed by varying the number of 'counts'. When you are done with one wall, you turn and face another direction to perform the next wall. So basically, it's performing the same dance steps in different directions.

But that does not mean it is boring!

Because of the simple structure, dancers often innovate and come up with their own steps to add their own signature and style to the individual dances. From body movements to hand gestures, it is no holds barred for modern line dancing.

And it is this sort of flexibility and freedom that gives the Young Guns' style of line dancing its special appeal.

Mr Gene puts it well when he says that modern line dancing is a sort of amalgamation of many forms of dance.

"Modern line dancing is almost the same as free style or hip-hop dancing, but easier to learn. I don't want people to think that I'm going to change line dancing. What I do is integrate different forms of dance into line dancing," he added.

Redrawing the lines

Formed in October 2001, the members of the Line Dance Society of Singapore are a new breed of dancers who decided to discard the old notion of line dancing.

They believe that the feet should not be the sole 'instruments' in line dancing, and that line dancing should include movement of the entire body.

Run by a few enthusiastic volunteers with a common passion for line dancing, the Society's regular practise sessions and jams at Far East Square are open to anyone keen to try out. Just ask the facilitators onsite for lesson times and contact details.

Step closer

There is more to line dancing than just moving to the music. At Far East Square, it is one big happy family members of the Young Guns mix freely with the adults from the Line Dance Society, and no one is a stranger as they share stories and give friendly hugs to one another.

"There are all kinds of people in the Young Guns, and they are friends that I can trust and I know will be there for me. The Young Guns are something like a family to me," said Ms Tiara Ann Surendra (left), another member of the Young Guns.

Indeed, bonds are forged, and family ties strengthened, through line dancing.

"Line dancing has improved them (Young Guns) a lot; they are more open about themselves the way they dress, talk and walk. I've also had families who've grown closer and learnt
to communicate better after they picked up dancing," said Mr Gene.

Everyone, from adults to teens, feels that they have benefited from picking up line dancing.

"I learnt to be more responsible and to put others before self. It also built up my confidence and helped me in my studies because we have to remember a lot of steps, so it's like a study aid," said Mr Christopher.

Besides going for their regular jams at Far East Square, the Young Guns have also been invited to perform at the Singapore Streets Festival and Singapore Youth Festival, and they have helped schools raise funds through various events as well.

The Young Guns also take part in line dancing competitions; the last of which was held in Hong Kong.

Experience modern line dancing Young Guns style.

Visit the Line Dance Society Singapore at www.linedancesociety.com