Soul line dancing on Long Island and where to take classes

“Five, six, seven, eight; step right, left, right, tap.”

When Sardia Lewis took the mic on a recent Tuesday evening in the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public Library auditorium to lead class, you would have never known it was her first time as an instructor. Ninety minutes and nine dances later, both she and the 20-strong group of newbies and veteran dancers looked like pros, confidently stepping, tapping and quarter-turning their way to fun, fitness and friendship through soul line dancing.

The Electric Slide, Cupid Shuffle and Wobble are party staples that get everyone on their feet dancing in synchronous steps to specific songs. These line dances spring from the same African and African American traditions that gave us the Twist and the Tootsie Roll the Mashed Potato and the Charleston. They have roots in jigs, and also in “shout,” a music and movement tradition with a devotional purpose that came with enslaved Africans during the colonial period.

Over the last decade or so, soul line dancing, featuring choreographies set to R&B, hip-hop and soul, has swept the nation, starting at parties, then becoming more formalized. Long Island Soul Sliders, the Rockville Centre umbrella organization for Lewis’ new class, is pulling more and more Long Islanders onto the dance floor. They offer free classes that teach popular choreographies and attend regional and national events with as many as 800 attendees dancing together.

“Long Island Soul Sliders established line-dancing in Nassau County and I would travel out there on a weekly basis,” says Lewis, 64, an Army veteran and Bay Shore resident. “There was nothing out here in Suffolk, so I decided to branch off from the mothership, so to speak.”

She is not the first to expand L.I.S.S.’s reach. Michelle “Chellie” Jenkins, 61, of Freeport, started a weekly outdoor class during the pandemic in 2020. Called “L.I.S.S. Featuring Sunday Therapy,” it is still going strong, with 20 or more dancers in attendance, indoors and outdoors at the Village of Hempstead’s Kennedy Memorial Park. “A lot of it is word of mouth,” Jenkins says. “It doesn’t matter where you are from; we have all nationalities, age groups, religions and creeds. It is really well-rounded.”

Lewis wastes no time getting the 20 or so women who showed up for the library class moving. She welcomes them, saying, "Soul line dancing is great cardio, helps memory retention, keeps you moving and is very social. So let’s go.” She demonstrates the beginning of the choreography for “Stay” by the Temptations, calling the moves for the dancers to follow. “Step out with right. Turn left,” and “Rock it up and back. How you feel?” and “Put your flavor in it!” After a few tries, it is time to add the music and suddenly, everyone is dancing like they have been doing it for years.

Soul sisters: Bonding through dance 

In between dances such as Boney James’ “Coastin',” participants chatter away like old friends, even though most of them have just met.

No one is left on their own in these classes. Chellie Jenkins and other L.I.S.S. members demonstrate the supportive environment the group has created by showing up for each other. While Lewis was calling the steps in the front, Jenkins and other L.I.S.S. regulars were out on the floor, shifting next to the new dancers and guiding them through the new steps.

Soul line dancing has a slow-your-roll pace, subtly sexy and not as hurried or jumpy as dances like the Wobble, accessible to all ages and fitness levels, with a lot of space for personal expression. No fancy equipment is required; bike shorts, T-shirts and sneakers will do. It is also pretty easy to get started.

“I worked up a sweat, got my steps in,” says first-timer Ruth Hite, 63, of Bay Shore. “This is my first time, other than at a party. It’s fun. I love the music, you get exercise, stay healthy, meet people. I’m coming back. It motivates you to come back if you are having a good time.”

Her new friend and fellow first-timer Sandra Townsend, 72, of Central Islip, agrees. “I love line dancing,” she says. “I’ve been looking for a class, because I have been learning by myself off YouTube. So being here with a bunch of women and learning from someone who knows is wonderful. I have now canceled all my other Tuesday activities to come here.”

As for Lewis, her first class gave her all the feels. “My feelings are a mixture of relief, pride, excitement and a great sense of accomplishment for bringing a heart-healthy and fun activity to my community,” she says.