One of my current favorites, this song has more than one line dance. The one above is the one which I have learned. When I attended my first line dance convention in 2017, I found that there is a solution for songs with different line dances. The floor is split into however many different versions will be danced. I don’t remember the name of the line dance but the one I remember in particular had SIX variations, so the room was split into six sections.

Whenever this song starts at line dance class, I feel like such a goofball because my hands fly to my mouth, my eyes light up and my face cracks into a huge smile. It made me wonder if listening to music can cause a person’s body to release endorphins and yes, that happens! Our body releases dopamine, the “feel good” hormone. No wonder I feel so happy when I listen to line dance music, and especially when I’m able to dance with my line dance family. I am so grateful to be blessed with a great group of dancers that are passionate about line dancing.

Just a snippet from article I read about how music can make us happy – note that it doesn’t work if you don’t like the music or if you only slightly like the music:

Subsequently we found that listening to what might be called “peak emotional moments” in music — that moment when you feel a “chill” of pleasure to a musical passage — causes the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, an essential signaling molecule in the brain. ~New York Times “Why Music Makes Our Brain Sing“

YouTube video performance: And 5,6,7,8 Line Dance Class – Macon, Georgia
Choreographer: Lady D – NOLA
Song: Leave It Smokin’
Artist: Tamia

This line dance travels quite a bit so you may need more room than normal. Our class seems to always have a dance floor which is wider than it is long. Currently we dance facing the north, so we move to the west wall for Odyssey since our dance floor is longer that way.

I love watching Kenny J’s dancers. This is a smooth dance, the song goes on a long time. Good workout!

YouTube video performance: Kenny J Dancers
Choreographer: Odyssey Evans
Song: Last Night
Artist: Too Cold
Album: Cityscapes 2010

Also danced to Beyoncé – Deja Vu

Here is an instructional video:

Hangin’ on a String (released in 1985) has been a favorite song for over three decades. Most of the time when I look for a line dance to an old school song, I find one. And I’m happy because now I can dance to another favorite song.

But this time the search was fruitless. If there was a line dance created, it was not immortalized online. I realize there may have been a line dance created at some point, but I couldn’t find it.

I realized this was the perfect opportunity to choreograph a line dance!

My instructor, a prolific choreographer, says one of the things he does when I wants to create a line dance is he listens to the music and freestyle dances. Most of his line dances are among my favorites!

When I began creating Contemplating I knew there would be rocking back and forth, and hip sways. And I wanted it to be a beginner line dance. It took me a few weeks to create it! First I charted the song, (see my post How to Choreograph a Line Dance), then I started figuring out steps. Last but not least, I created the step sheet! Special thanks to Peter Blaskowski for finalizing my step sheet so that it follows “Kickish” guidelines.

YouTube video performance: Dance Without Drama
Choreographer: Starlene D. Stewart
Date Created: 9/25/17
Song: Hangin’ on a String (Contemplating)
Artist: Loose Ends

Description: 64 count, 4 wall, beginner soul line dance

Intro: 64 (Start on Lyrics)

ROCK-RECOVER TO RIGHT, TRIPLE IN PLACE, ROCK-RECOVER TO LEFT, TRIPLE IN PLACE
1-2 Rock right forward, recover to left
3&4 Triple in place right-left-right
5-6 Rock left forward, recover to right
7&8 Triple in place left-right-left

CHASSÉ FORWARD RIGHT, CHASSÉ FORWARD LEFT, ROCK
1&2 Step right diagonally forward, step left together, small step right diagonally forward
3&4 Step left diagonally forward, step right together, small step left diagonally forward
5-8 Rock right side, rock left side, rock right side, rock left side

CHASSÉ BACK RIGHT, CHASSÉ BACK LEFT, ROCK
1&2 Step right diagonally back, step left together, small step right diagonally back
3&4 Step left diagonally back, step right together, small step left diagonally back
5-8 Rock right side, rock left side, rock right side, rock left side

TURN 1⁄2 LEFT, TURN 1⁄2 LEFT, SWAY HIP RIGHT, HOLD, SWAY HIP LEFT, HOLD
1-2 Step right forward, turn 1⁄2 left (weight to left)
3-4 Step right forward, turn 1⁄2 left (weight to left)
5-6 Rock right side, hip right
7-8 Recover to left, hip left

STEP RIGHT SIDE, LEFT, RIGHT, FLICK, STEP LEFT SIDE, RIGHT, LEFT, FLICK
1-2 Step right side, step left together
3-4 Step right side, flick left back
5-6 Step left side, step right together
7-8 Step left side, flick right back

TURN 1⁄2 LEFT, TURN 1⁄2 LEFT, SWAY HIP RIGHT, HOLD, SWAY HIP LEFT, HOLD
1-2 Step right forward, turn 1⁄2 left (weight to left)
3-4 Step right forward, turn 1⁄2 left (weight to left)
5-6 Rock right side, hip right
7-8 Recover to left, hip left

STEP RIGHT SIDE, LEFT, RIGHT, FLICK, STEP LEFT SIDE, RIGHT, LEFT, FLICK
1-2 Step right side, step left together
3-4 Step right side, flick left back
5-6 Step left side, step right together
7-8 Step left side, flick right back

JAZZ BOX, 1⁄4 LEFT/JAZZ BOX
1-4 Cross right over, step left back, step right side, step left together
5-8 Turn 1⁄4 left and cross right over, step left back, step right side, step left together

REPEAT