Queer line dancing is having a moment — I grapevined to find out why

Going line dancing in such an inclusive, diverse space, was an extremely formative experience for me (Picture: Elise Shauna) Tuesday nights are typically reserved for old episodes of Vanderpump Rules and pesto pasta. But the other week I found myself in a small room in Hackney, learning how to line dance in a room full of queers. Despite being a die-hard Footloose fan — and dragging my dad to a three-day country music festival at the O2 in 2016 — I’d never actually tried it before. But, it wasn’t just the chance to learn a new skill that dragged me off the sofa and into a bar in East London. I came out as bisexual when I was in my early 20s, but this is the first year I’ve actually had a girlfriend. And while she’s a seasoned lesbian, I’ve only just started discovering sapphic spaces for myself. Now, I didn’t quite predict that my first queer night would involve walking into what I can only describe as a fruity town hall, and giddying up. But line dancing is having a moment — especially in queer spaces. There are only a few queer line dancing nights in London, but they all tend to sell out pretty quickly (Picture: Anna Marguerite) Why is queer line dancing so popular right now? Peter Flockhart is the co-founder and longtime main instructor of The Cactus Club, an institution set up in 1993 to bring line dancing to the LGBTQIA+ community. Join Metro's LGBTQ+ community on WhatsApp With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! He still hosts regular nights at iconic gay pub, Two Brewers, in Clapham. Since 2022, The Cactus Club has seen roughly a 50% growth year on year. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Peter attributes a lot of this to music icons such as Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, and Lil Nas X, all of whom have a big queer following, embracing country music in recent years. Cowboy Carter, for example, had a massive cultural impact in the US – with tracks such as ‘Texas Hold Em’ inspiring clubs, teachers, and novices to create their own line dancing choreography. During a number of her areas shows, Beyoncé even incorporated viral line dance ‘Boots on the Ground’, created by choreographer Tre Little, in her performance. But it’s much more than the music attracting people to the dance floor. Peter tells Metro that in the 90s, he saw line dancing clubs crop up, as communities found ways to gather — and make contact with each other — after the HIV/Aids crisis of the 80s. ‘I think now, what we’re seeing is a repeat of that, post-Covid. People are desperate to go out and socialise, to find people and be close again,’ he shares. With queer people often pushed to the fringe of society, these spaces become sacred. In many ways, it’s less about the activity itself and more about the act of being physically present in a room where you immediately feel safe and supported. The instructors can teach beginner, intermediate, and advanced routines (Picture: Elise Shauna) Much like Peter, Dr Yen Nee Wong, a queer feminist researcher and sociology lecturer at the University of Leeds, thinks that line dancing speaks to the LGBTQIA+ community’s desire for connection. Yen describes how, in the 90s, as queer visibility began to grow, line dancing offered a way to bring people together in a space beyond the usual drinking and clubbing scene. ‘It’s about community-making beyond the dance floor,’ they share. A few hours before I tried line dancing out myself, I spoke with Laurie K-A, founder of STRUT and all-round line dancing icon. Over the past year, they’ve been running regular queer line dancing nights in London – having first discovered their love for the social dance during a trip to LA at the end of 2023. Since their first official STRUT night in June 2025, they’ve hosted a lesson at Reading festival, held multiple sold out themed nights, and been invited onstage at a CMAT gig to dance with the crowd. Laurie first fell in love with dance during the pandemic when they discovered BTS (Picture: Anna Marguerite) In Laurie’s opinion, people are craving, now more than ever, this primal communal energy that is created by things like dance, music, singing, and just being in a space together. ‘I think what we’re seeing across all forms of culture is a yearning to return to that stuff – whether it’s gardening, crafts, knitting, or line dancing’. So, what’s a night queer line dancing actually like? Line dancing sparks joy in so many people. So, if you fancy trying it out for yourself, here’s what to expect. There are around three regular queer-specific line dancing nights held in London, with tickets typically costing between £9 and £12. And this is no stereotypical rodeo, you can find events that’ll teach you routines set to everyone from Charli XCX and Britney Spears to Olivia Dean and Kesha. The particular night my girlfriend and I went to was hosted by Queer Line Dance Club at MOTH Club in Hackney Central. We arrived early to scout out the venue, which consisted of the bar, dance floor, and small stage where our teacher would be stationed. I’d seen dozens of clips on TikTok of queer line dancing classes and they’d always appealed to me. But, it wasn’t until I stepped into that room myself that I realised standing at the bar sipping a half-pint of Inches simply wasn’t an option. This was me before I turned into a sweaty mess dancing to Fireball by Pitbull (Picture: Charlie Sawyer) It quickly filled up and although we later found out that almost 80% of the attendees were newbies like us, everyone was eager to mingle, share booths, and chat. There was no one sexuality, race, or gender expression. No-one had the same outfit on or the same kind of shoes. Everyone was just themselves. I’ve been lucky enough to have had few negative experiences being affectionate with my girlfriend in public, but as I’m sure so many other queer people can attest, nowhere feels safer than in a room full of your own community. After we’d dropped our bags and tested our boots on the floor, it was time for the line dancing to begin. Our instructor Sinead was incredibly patient and led us through the dances bit by bit. We started with a couple of beginner level routines. Our instructor Sinead helped make the entire experience so enjoyable (Picture: Elise Shauna) And I will just say, line dancing is not as easy as it looks. I walked in there thinking I would be overcome with the spirit of Kevin Bacon himself, but it took me a while to get the hang of it. Some of the most important first moves you learn are: the grapevine (where you weave sideways), the shuffle (a triple step forward), a jazz box (a four-count cross and back pattern), a pivot turn (a half-turn on the balls of your feet), and a rock step (shifting your weight back and forth). It’s hard, don’t get me wrong, and it definitely takes practice. But even nailing the most basic moves will have you walking out of there feeling amazing. My less-than-impressive dance moves aside, it was the energy in the room that I enjoyed the most. And I’m not the only one. If you look at the comment section on videos of queer line dancing on TikTok, there’s an overwhelming outpouring of love. Eccstatic users write things such as ‘I’m obsessed’, ‘this is my dream activity’, and ‘there’s so much love in this room’. Queer line dancing helped heal a small part of me I didn’t know what broken (Picture: Florence Bass) Being in these spaces together, Laurie explains, feels truly healing.There’s a ‘magic energy’ to them that’s hard to put into words. And now I’ve been to a class myself, I totally understand what they mean. Is there something objectively camp about line dancing? Yes. Is the dance itself the reason why so many queer Londoners keep Google alerts on for the next STRUT night? No. Feeling alone in a city is something we can all relate to, and nights like these remind you that you don’t have to be. These inclusive spaces are so important for the LGBTQIA+ community. But really, who couldn’t benefit from a Tuesday night in a village hall, surrounded by people who just want to have a good time? 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