The popular community event at The Clyde Venue steps up to the line-dancing trend
Written by ALLISON STICE
Photography by MIKE SCHALK
WHEN SAVANNAH REALTOR Morgan Donaldson went line dancing with her sister on a whim three years ago, she never expected her new hobby to grow into TikTok fame, a close-knit community and a regular teaching gig.
As she started posting her moves, Donaldson caught the wave of line dancing’s resurgence thanks to social media, where influencers and fans alike share dance videos to songs ranging from Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em” to Dasha’s “Austin.” With more than 36,000 followers, and videos climbing up to nearly 2 million views, Donaldson was soon fielding invitations to join fellow fans on the floor from Nashville, Tennessee, to Boston, Massachusetts.
These days, aspiring line dancers can find Donaldson every Friday night at The Clyde Venue, calling out the steps to choreography beneath the neon logo of Southern Stomps. The event, devised by The Clyde’s founder and general manager, Mallory Adams, to bring in crowds during the slow season, has become more popular than either woman could have imagined. Now more than a year old and with a year-round draw, Southern Stomps can bring in over 200 people eager to learn the latest viral steps.
“It was supposed to just be a summer thing, but the community that came really didn’t want it to be over,” Adams says. “We started with Morgan and her core group out on the dance floor, and now we watch the whole room moving left, right and clockwise together — it’s really cool.”
Adams says Southern Stomps is a hit because it’s a community activity that doesn’t have to involve drinking alcohol. If that comes as a surprise, just wait for the soundtrack: The trend’s recent comeback extends far beyond country to include pop, EDM and throwback jams.
“Don’t worry about how you look on the dance floor. It’s all about having fun. The more you come, the more dances you’ll learn, and the more comfortable you’ll be.”
— Morgan Donaldson, Southern Stomps line-dance instructor
“We do more hip hop and pop songs than country — it takes [line dancing] out of just one niche country music crowd and makes it go across the whole board,” Donaldson says. “We often laugh about how many line dances are set to Pitbull songs.”
Southern Stomps nights often have a theme, like Jersey Night, or are pegged to holidays, like St. Patrick’s Day or Independence Day, that gives participants the opportunity to dress up. The Clyde also partners with businesses like Truckin’ Happy Hat Co., which offers customizable trucker hats and boot branding.
Before each rodeo, Donaldson chooses the steps she will teach by searching social media or copperknob.com, which features the latest line-dance choreography. She keeps most lessons at beginner or “improver” levels to make them more accessible. And she shares the stage with co-instructors, including Isabelle DeSimone, Rebecca Mayer, Jules Zamorski and Olivia Cantrell. Occasionally, social media connections drop in, like Mark Paulino of @thefinelinedance, who has taught The Savannah Bananas dance moves to “Rude Dude” and “Honky Tonky Way.”
For those whose line-dancing experiences are limited to the “Cha Cha Slide” at weddings or who haven’t practiced dancing in concert with others since “Macarena,” Donaldson says to come with an open mind. (When it comes to mastering moves, there’s always YouTube tutorials.) As for attire, most people sport jeans or denim cutoffs and cowboy boots, but sneakers are fine, too, as long as they have a slick bottom for sliding across The Clyde’s wide open space.
“Don’t worry about how you look on the dance floor,” Donaldson says. “It’s all about having fun. The more you come, the more dances you’ll learn, and the more comfortable you’ll be.”
