Are the cowboy hat and spurs necessary for line dancing?
In Singapore, the spurs are not really that important. The cowboy hat is optional. Some people like to wear it, some don’t. It’s not compulsory.
Is it really only old people who line dance?
No, line dancing is open to all ages. We have students from the age of four to my oldest student who is 74. He’s very good.
Have you ever had a student with very poor psychomotor skills?
Oh, yes. Some of them have what we call “three legs!” No matter how you teach them, they just can’t get it.
Anyone ever start talking with a John Wayne type accent after each class?
No, not really. Don’t get the wrong concept that because you dress like a cowboy, you must speak like one.
What is the strangest music you have ever danced to?
There’s a song-and-dance set entitled “Genghis Khan.” Line dancing should be more or less about country music—something very pleasant to the ears.
What do you think are some of the misconceptions that people have about line dancers?
There aren’t many really, it’s just that to an ordinary person, it doesn’t make sense for a guy to dress in cowboy clothes and dance to Latin music. To me it doesn’t make sense! I believe most people agree with me, only that they don’t ask why they’re dressed like this.
We’ve heard that the Macarena is considered a line dance. Is that true?
Actually, you can consider it a line dance because the dancers all stand in line. The only thing is that they don’t move as much as us. They just turn around a little bit but, in line dancing, we move a lot.
Do you know how to do it then?
No, I never liked that dance! It’s good for the ladies, not the men. But the inventors are men, those Italian guys.
Are you sick of hearing “Achy Breaky Heart” yet?
No, it just keeps getting better!
