Choreographing the World's Longest Line Dance
With over 200 dancers and only two days of rehearsals, Alan Jackson's new video for "Good Time" was well on its way! It was Alan's joke in the beginning that the song was so country, they were gonna bring line dancing back ... but what a great idea it was!
Award-winning director Trey Fanjoy hit the ground running with this idea of having the world's longest line dance. Soon, all that was needed was a choreographer to put it together. That's where I came in. Being a seasoned dancer and choreographer at Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon, I knew I could do it ... but the question lingered: Would I be selected despite my limited experience in music videos? Two days later, it was confirmed I had the job. Only having a week before the shoot, there wasn't much time to put this thing together. However, there were a few things that had to be thought through.
First, I knew it had to be a dance that was gender-friendly. It needed moves that both guys and girls were comfortable doing. Next, it had to be easy, but I wanted it to look difficult. The difficult dances usually look very cool and are fun to watch. So it had to be a dance that was able to capture attention but also able to be picked up by anybody. I used only 40 counts, which followed suit with dances that did so well in the past such as the "Watermelon Crawl."
Finally, the dance was ready and dancers were needed for the shoot. Lots of them! We searched high and low, using talent agencies, radio winners and even fan club members. The first day was the longest and proved to be the best for footage.
Alan and his wife, Denise, were both on the set -- eager to make a great video. Alan even took time to meet every dancer. When it was my turn, he really wanted me to know how much he appreciated my hard work on the dance. He made it clear that he was not a dancer, but he thought the dance was great. I've been in this industry a long time, and I can honestly say that I have never met any two people who seem as down to earth as Alan and Denise. Who they are is who they are, and you can tell they've never forgotten that.
The dancers spent hours in the sun doing this dance over and over. At one point, the line was so long that a lot of the dancers couldn't hear the music from the stage. So I grabbed a bullhorn and ran to where they were and counted off every step for those dancers to stay on beat. The next two days were spent literally all over Nashville and Franklin, Tenn., doing this dance. In the video, you will see a clip of a woman in a purple shirt coming into the farmers market. This lady was not part of the cast and had no idea what we were doing ... but she decided on her own to jump in the line and began to pick up the dance. Fortunately, we got it all on film! It was perfect. We couldn't have scripted that scene any better! Lots of people worked hard to make this video great. Hair, makeup, wardrobe and even the water boys were constantly there to help, and we couldn't be more grateful. As for me, I couldn't be more pleased. I've even started a company for booking more projects like this.
All along, I had no doubts about Trey, her production and the crew producing a great video. Even Alan said he had a good feeling about it from the beginning. So please check out his video for "Good Time" and do the dance. It's fun and easy, I promise!
Dance Steps to Alan Jackson's "Good Time"
40 Count, 4 Wall Line Dance
Choreographed by Jenny Cain
Nashville, Tenn.
1-8: Toe, Heel Steps
Walk forward R (1, 2) L (3, 4) R (5, 6) L (7, 8)
1-4: Side Steps
R out to R side (1), slide back together with L (2) Repeat exactly (3,4)
5-8: Grapevine to R With a Spin
R out to R side (5), Spin to R (6) [full turn and back to original position], R out to R side (7), then together & clap (8)
1-8: Repeat Last 8 Count Exactly
But this time to the left. Replace the R's with L's.
1-6: Knee Lifts While Going Backwards
Bring R knee up (1) & down (2), Bring L knee up (3) and down (4). Bring R knee up (5) and down (6). [Each knee lift should be at an angle and not straight in front. Also, each step down should be placed slightly behind so that you actually are walking backward.]
7-8: Jump Steps
Jump in place landing with feet crossed R over L (7). Jump, quarter turn in air to L, landing with feet apart (8).
1-8: "Cha Cha's" or "Shuffle Steps"
Cha cha forward -- R together R (1 and 2)
L lunge forward, rock and recover (3, 4)
cha cha backward- L together L (5 and 6)
R lunge backward, rock & recover (7, 8)
1-8: "Shimmy Steps" or "Bounce Steps"
R out to R side [body slightly down] (1, 2)
Bring L together [standing back up straight] (3, 4)
R out to R side again [body slightly down] (5, 6)
Bring L together [standing back up straight] (7, 8)
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
CowgirlXena says:
Cool, now my only question is…..will it be in the Gunnisness Book of Records?
Orion says:
You Need to make a video that shows all the steps slowly. The numbers are to hard to follow!
Great Grandma Lena says:
I agree about the video. Can you make one that includes several dances or a set that you can purchase.
Dancer says:
As there is no demo video maybe you could adapt the stepsheet a bit. e.g. “1-4: Side Steps /R out to R side (1), slide back together with L (2) ”
A Step means shifting weight from one foot to another, what you actually want them to do is to tap the foot to the side without weight placed upon it.
Paul Jeffries says:
i loved the new song/video it was awsome and its made me want to learn how to line dance and im glad ya’ll put up the dance moves so now im going to learn how to do it thanks guys
The Famous says:
So proud of you JennyCain!!!!
Music Spanned Generations at 2008 CMA Music Festival — The 9513 says:
[...] The line dance choreographer for Alan Jackson’s “Good Time” video, Jenny Cain, has a blog post detailing the making of the video. [...]
morgan says:
i think that you should just give lessons for them and i love the movie keep up the good work
Doris says: says:
I love the song,and the vidoe is great.I taped it on my tv.so i can see it when it isn’t on the tv.Glad Alan had the thought about the line dance. But that’s Alan for you he is good ever thing.
Barbara Illich says:
I absolutely love this video!
I tried to learn the steps but it was hard to follow.
Can you please make a video of the steps?
And I think you should include all states east to west coast. Come through Little Rock, Arkansas. I would love to be apart of this.
Great Job to all!!!
Barbara
Jackie says:
I laughed so hard when I read that the lady at the farmers market was not part of the shoot… how perfect was that!!
Squillber says:
How long was the line dance? Any one know?
HEIDI says:
PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO OF THE STEPS SO WE CAN LEARN THEM!
PUT THEM ON THE TODAY SHOW!!!!!!!
KC says:
the video was great! It is one of those that i could watch over and over again. thanks 4 indcluding the dance steps. i will dfntly b using them 2 learn the dance.
laughingstock says:
Longest line dance according to the guinness world records book is 2354 people.
Made in my home country.
So your comments and the whole article is pure BS.
http://www.postimees.ee/150608/esileht/siseuudised/336844.php
Rondell says:
Great job!
Betty Marshall says:
I belong to a linedance group, we will surely be learning this dance. I loved the thought and the video!!! The song was my favorite before I knew there was a video.
michelle says:
alan i the best!!!! check out my brother!!! Life In The Key Of A Miner
tonya says:
i need a good time..and this is the best way to do it. i love the video and want to learn the steps but dont understand the steps :(
Kelli says:
Can’t believe it took so much searching to find dancers for this!!!!
I’m on the instructor team at a dance club in Pittsburgh. All of us are teaching this dance!!!!! Plus, I am a radio DJ in the same city and this is one of our most-requested songs! Way to go to Jenny AND Alan!!!!
amy says:
incase anyone wants to know, ive seen the video on tv now for a week & being a lover of dance, i knew i could pick-up the steps if i could just see them in the exact order they were choreographed (i just couldnt get them all in order from the video)so, i just now read her steps (40-ct is nothing)that she wrote & than watched some youtube video of a line dance class do the dance in sequence & ive been doing it for 10-min. ITS ALOT OF FUN i add a few bounces here & there & dramatize the shimmies, but its fun even just steping it out. TRY IT, ITS EASY
Rene’ says:
i was just like everyone else, loved the song and wanted to learn the dance, but the video is too fast and choppy! and i don’t know about you, but i need to see the dance to catch on…not read it like above! i came across this link…
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=36032179
CHECK IT OUT! it has Jenny Cain (the choreographer) showing the steps…slowly…and then a couple of times with music. once i say this short video, i was LITERALLY doing it within minutes!! very easy, once you see her!!!
sandra says:
Where can i get a video to teach my friends and I the line dance.. step by step.
aris-dance says:
XCEL Talent Agency, the exclusive dance agency for the hottest nightclub in the South, is casting dancers for FUSE Nightclub in Nashville TN. Permanent and on-call positions are available. GREAT WEEKLY PAY!
Seeking—Go-Go Dancers/Freestyle: females, 18+, attractive, personal, worked out body, must be in amazing shape, confidence, sensuality, curviness, and sex appeal are preferable. All ethnicities. Bring pix, résumés & wear body conscious go-go attire such as sports bra, booty shorts, go-go boots. Full hair and make up. LOOK GLAMOROUS!
Seeking – Males and Females professional dancers, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, break-dancers. All ethnicities. Bring pix, résumés & headshot.
Seeking – Models: female, 18+, attractive, personal, worked out body, must be in amazing shape, confidence, sensuality, curviness, and sex appeal are preferable. LOOK GLAMOROUS! All ethnicities.
Auditions will be Friday June 27, 2008 @ 2802 Opryland Drive, Nashville TN 37214 Time 5-8PM Bring pix, résumés. For more info, email amy@xceltalent.com No phone calls please!
Jim Allen- Line Dance Instuctor- Riverside Resort, Laughlin NV says:
Love the dance. Class does good with it.
How long was the line???
Diana Cerda says:
I’d like to learn the Good Time Line dance by Alan Jackson.
I’ve tried to look for it on line but it only shows a small portion of it. Can you please let me know where I can see a video on the line dance for that song, so that I can learn the steps. Thank you so much!
Bertrand says:
hi Jenny,
We dance GOOD TIMES to France!
Thank you for learn me this choreography very nice
Bertrand
Yeeha!
james says:
it will not be in the guiness book of world records due to the fact it only used 200 people. the real longest line dance in the world was 15729 people.
Haley says:
that is really hard but fun :)
Jay Jay says:
This dance is definatley awesome and i think its going to be the “boot scoot” of the younger generation! cant wait to bust this out on the dance floor!
Jenjen says:
I love the video but now I want to learn how to line dance! so you could’ve did the steps slower and kept the camera in one place!!!
Dobie says:
I just love the video! Now I want to learn the Dance Step’s They Look to hard on paper,written down, So Please Please,Let me know if there is a video Out on this Dance or Someone can get back to me on IT….
Southern Class says:
Jenny,
You’re instruction video is great and I could write out the step pattern easily after watching in short clips. My only question is this: The dance is called a 40 count - 4 wall repeat. I’m counting 48 beats of music. Please tell me where I’m wrong. Keep going, you are a great choreographer and instructor.
Michelle says:
I just want to know if he ACTUALLY set the record or not?
Justin says:
Did he set the record?
Pamela says:
I wanna know where I can find this video of the steps?
shanita says:
it is a great video and i want to learn the steps to the dance
April Brandt says:
I love this song. And once my fiends and i saw the video we had to learn it before our school homecoming so that while our FFA Float was being pulled we could dance the line dance. Thank you for puttin’ out on the web.
Leonard says:
You did an AWESOME job! With that many people you can’t do a difficult dance, you actually would need a simple dance that LOOKS difficult and you totally accomplished that!! Great job! Oh and the Purple shirt lady brought a “realism” to the video, like maybe it wasn’t ALL scripted. ;) peace
sunfun says:
why cant there be a video that shows step by step all the numbers are confusing
lynn says:
thanks stumbled accross this while looking for something else this was cool !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheryl says:
go to youtube and learn step by step how to line dance to GOODTIME
mitch says:
how long is the longest line dance featured in alan jacksons song good time?
CountryPat says:
It took a while to get the hang of this ,especially the “hop move”. I got it and plan to teach it here in Chicago! Great Job,Jenny!