Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents my thoughts about the differences in 2026* between African American urban soul line dancing and African American trail ride (country) line dancing.
This post also showcases several video examples of these two different types of soul line dancing.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and educational purposes
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these showcase videos. Thanks also to all those whose are quoted in this post.
* I emphasize the year that I'm publishing this post because since the 2020 mega hit of the trail ride song/dance "Boots On The Ground" there has been and continues to be a lot of overlapping between trail ride soul line dancing and urban soul dancing. Therefore, the differences between these two types of African American line dancing that I believe exist now may not be exist a few years later.
****
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN SOUL LINE DANCING AND AFRICAN AMERICAN TRAIL RIDE (COUNTRY) LINE DANCING
These points are given in no particular order.
Additions and corrections are welcome.
Population
Trail ride dancers are usually younger than urban line dancers.
****
Music
Trail ride soul line dancing is usually performed to Southern Soul music.
Trail ride soul line dancing was performed to Zydeco music. However, that type of trail ride dancing appears to rarely be performed in 2026 outside of Louisiana and Texas
Trail ride dancing may also be performed to R&B/Hip Hop music (except for slow R&B music such as Tamia's "Can't Get Enough" line dance which is a soul line dance staple).
Urban soul line dance may also be performed to African American Gospel music. Trail ride soul line dancing isn't performed to that music genre.
****
Dance styles
Trail ride line dancing is bouncier (more high energy) than urban soul line dancing.
Urban soul line dancing is smoother and consists of more choreography and four wall turns than trail ride line dancing.
Trail ride line dancing includes more stomping than urban soul line dancing.
Trail ride line dancing includes much more female (and male) butt shaking than urban soul line dancing.
Trail ride line dancing may include some movements that were considered and still are considered "nasty" dance moves (such as the raised leg "walking the dog" movement).
Most trail ride soul line dances and urban soul line dances are performed by people standing in horizontal lines. However, one type of trail ride line dancing is performed in a single line formation that moves counter-clockwise in a circle.
****
Attire (clothing)
Trail rider line dancers dress much more casually (informally) than African American urban line dancers.
In 2026, the usual attire for female trail ride line dancers is cut off (short) blue jean shorts with a t-shirt, shirts with the Stepper group name, sweat shirts, but not blouses, with cowboy boots or hard sole shoes (not tennis shoes). Alternatively, some female trail ride line dancers wear green or brown (or green and brown) camouflage patterned shorts, tops and/or pants.
Male trail ride dancers may wear blue jean pants with a t-shirt, sweat shirts, or other types of shirt (but not formal shirts). Male trail ride dancers may wear camouflage patterned pants or tops or some other informal attire (but not shorts).
In keeping with the popular contemporary styles for young females in the United States, the outfits that female trail ride line dancers wear often have holes, jagged lines, and/or hanging lines. Female trail ride line dancers also may wear [fake] cowgirl/ Indian fringes on their clothing. Female and male trail ride line dancers may wear cowgirl/cowgirls boots and cowgirl/cowboy hats.
Female trail ride line dancers rarely wear dresses or skirts with blouses.
Male trail ride line dancers never wear suits or sports jackets/dress pants.
Trail ride line dancers don't all wear the same color outfit as is the custom at urban soul line dancing "white parties".
("White parties" are dressy events where dancers are supposed to only wear clothing that is the color white. This custom was lifted from other White party social events that weren't [aren't] associated with line dancing. )
Accessories
Folding/popping fans can be an accessory for female and males in trail ride soul line dancing or in urban soul line dancing. However, in 2026 in appears that these fans are more often found in trail ride soul line dancing than in urban soul line dancing.
Handkerchiefs or other dance cloths used to be held by some male and (much less often) some female urban line dancers. However, it appears that holding and otherwise manipulating a handkerchief while soul line dancing is being replaced or has already been replaced by dancers holding/popping folding fans. That handkerchief custom doesn't appear to have been a feature of urban soul dancing (particularly in the Northern region of the United States).
****
SOME VIDEO EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN DANCING
SHOWCASE VIDEO #1 - THE BIKERS SHUFFLE (MILWAUKEE VERSION)
Park Hill Films, Dec 15, 2011
BIG MUCCI COMES TO MILWAUKEE TO PERFORM HIS SMASH HIT AND DANCE THE BIKER SHUFFLE MADE ESPECIALLY FOR MILWAUKEE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwJ66XxGBFk&t=17s
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Flex Line Dance .💕😍❣️
Lady Snapshot, May 30, 2023 TAMPA
BAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9Wuh1gH7Ng
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Tamia Line Dance Can't Get Enough
IcedPink, Oct 28, 2022
BEST TAMIA LINE DANCE VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9HRyzdlQCk
****
SOME VIDEO EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TRAIL RIDE DANCING
SHOWCASE VIDEO #1- 803Fresh - Boots On The Ground (Official Music Video) "Where Them Fans At?"
803Fresh, May 15, 2025 #803Fresh #BootsOnTheGround #WhenThemFansAt
803Fresh - Boots On The Ground (Official Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQxQZV66Bl8
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Country Girl (Trail Ride) Line Dance
Line Dancing With Terressa
Jan 24, 2025
Choreographers: Essence Bone & Jai Knight
Song: Country Girl
Artist: Toni Armani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZihkSYPBNKE&t=16s
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - FOLLOW ME
Yaya Rodriguz, Nov 18, 2024
Steppas dancing to the song “Follow Me” by Aly-us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABwedTa3D7g&t=65s
-snip-
"Steppas" used to be a general referent that African American urban line dancers used for African American trail ride line dancing.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
For the historical record, here's a comment exchange that was posted on Facebook in 2025 and in 2026 about the subject of the differences between African American urban line dancing and African American trail ride (country) line dancing:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/164844910212525/posts/9708047532558834/
[I added numbers added for referencing purposes only.]
1. UniverSOUL Line Dancing ·
Regina Thomas, January 11, 2025
"I have a question.
Why make a big deal between trailride dances and line dances?
Doesn't it all bring us together to have a good time? If you can't do one dance..slide over to the other one. Just dance"
**
Reply
2. Hope It'sLisa Buckner, 2025
"I don't think it's a big deal, as far as the dancing goes. Where I have seen the division is when a linedance that has been created years prior, is reintroduced as a trailride dance giving no credit to the original dance and choreographer. I do and teach both in my urban class; however, I let my students know the difference. Trailride dances have always been around, but they have become super popular recently.
I love dancing period, so I'm good with all of it! I say: do what pleases you!
I'm not up to debating with anyone; just speaking my truth.
# let's all dance"
**
Reply
3. Hester Mitchell, 2025
"Like I have said before, there is a difference. With trailriders in their moves they mostly all do the same move. They move back and forth with the rock of the upper body, they stomp their feet a little harder, and when they do a turn instead of a 123, or a cha cha cha they pick up their foot and just swing it around. I just don't believe they count as we do in line dancing. Out here in Texas as I said the trailriders use to hate to see us coming, because we line danced to everything to whereas they only had a couple dances they could dance to. So in saying all of that I have taught some of the real trailriders dance that they have come up with."
**
Reply
4. Regina Thomas, 2025
Hester Mitchell they've evolved. Just like line dance has over the years. Which is a good thing. That's why they're joining us on the cruise.
**
Reply
5. Hester Mitchel, 2026
"Regina Thomas yes, they have added on some more steps to their dances and yes as a Soul line dance instructor we have started doing some of the Steppaz dances as they do some of ours
**
Reply
6. Regina Thomas, 2026
"Hester Mitchell just like anything...you have to give it time to settle in. Them young kids have made a platform for themselves. I, myself am proud of them."
For the historical record, here's part of a comment exchange that was posted on Facebook in 2026 about the subject of the differences between African American urban line dancing and African American trail ride (country) line dancing:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/TheTwoSteppers/posts/tell-us-the-difference-between-urban-soul-southern-soul-country-line-dancing-/1668398071191501/ "Tell us the difference between urban soul, southern soul, and country line dancing"
[Note that "country line dancing" in that comment exchange referred to line dancing that a commenter wrote was performed to "Caucasian country music".
The comments that I'm sharing focused on what the questioner referred to as "urban soul" and "southern soul" line dancing.
The date for these comments were "39 weeks" [ago] from the date that I'm quoting them, meaning around early August 2026.
I added numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only.]
1. TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
… "I’m guess I’m wondering the best way for people to determine the difference between the three. ‘Country’ line dancing might be more of an obvious distinction. But, when it comes down to the music alone it isn’t as easy to distinguish. For example, there are country line dances that are taught to some hip hop songs. There are southern soul line dances that are done to R&B music. So the music alone is no longer away to distinguish either. Rhonda says the way the moves are being done is a way to tell. I agree there. I just want an answer for all the commenters that think “urban soul” and “southern soul” are new because they aren’t being done to “country” songs lol. They’re calling it a “Beyoncé Movement” 🤣"
**
Reply
2. Line Dancing with Rhonda, 2026
"Styling. We move differently"
**
Reply
3. TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
"Line Dancing with Rhonda do you feel they’ve started to overlap in some way?"
**
Reply
4. Line Dancing with Rhonda, 2026
"TwoSteppers LLC Yes. We are embracing each other's music and dancing each other's dances, now more than ever. But I think each will remain its own distinct dance style. My duck walk has improved 😂 but I am and always will be a traditional soul line dancer."
**
Reply
5. TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
"Line Dancing with Rhonda 🤣 duck walk is addicting lol you should check out our new one the D-Train hustle. But I was thinking about how it might be hard to distinguish if the dance is considered a soul line because that’s what we do or southern soul simply because that’s what a lot of dances are leaning towards due to the trend."
****
[These quotes continue in my next post to this comment section.]
https://www.facebook.com/TheTwoSteppers/posts/tell-us-the-difference-between-urban-soul-southern-soul-country-line-dancing-/1668398071191501/ "Tell us the difference between urban soul, southern soul, and country line dancing"
DeleteQuotes continue from my last post:
Reply
6. Line Dancing with Rhonda, 2026
"I don't think it's hard to distinguish. This dance clearly looks like trailride/steppas dance to me."
**
Reply
7. TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
"Madaline Maddy B Haywood same girl same 🤣 but as an instructor we want to be able to explain the difference."
**
Reply
8. Madaline Maddy B Haywood
"TwoSteppers LLC I’m an instructor but I just teach em. 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️"
🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
**
Reply
9. TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
"Madaline Maddy B Haywood do your students ever ask you the difference between them?"
**
Reply
10. LaShanique Lala Nicole, 2026
"The music"
**
Reply
TwoSteppers LLC, 2026
"LaShanique Nicole that’s what I was thinking but a lot of the songs are over lapping now."
-snip-
This is the end of that discussion as of September 16, 2026 at 3:26 PM ET