Line Dance · Absolute Beginner

Copperhead Road

The one everybody knows. If you learn one dance first, make it this one.

"COPPERHEAD ROAD" LINE DANCE · Steve Earle · BEGINNER DANCE…

We did not make this video — we found the clearest one and linked it. There is no single official version of most line dances, so we are filming the version taught on West Michigan floors with local instructors. Teach it here?

Level

Absolute BeginnerSteve Smith’s sheet

Danced to

Copperhead RoadSteve Earle

Structure

24 count4 walls

This version choreographed by

Steve Smith

Most standards have been choreographed several ways. The steps below follow this choreographer’s sheet; we credit them and link it rather than reprinting it. Their step sheet on CopperKnob

Why this one is in the library

6.7M views on the top tutorial alone; the most-danced country line dance in the US.

The cheat sheet

What you are walking into

The loudest one on this list. Four walls, heavy stomps, and a room that shouts the intro before anyone moves.

What catches people out

It turns a quarter every time through, so the person you were copying is suddenly facing away from you. That is the dance working, not you failing.

How to get through it

Stand mid-floor, not at the back. When the wall changes, pick a new person and keep going. Nobody restarts.

Moves it leans on

Grapevine Vine with a Quarter Turn Hitch Stomp Walls

These are ours, written for someone who has not danced it yet — not a step sheet. For exact counts, see the choreographer's sheet linked above, or come to a night and let someone teach you.

How it goes

24 counts · 4 walls · Absolute beginner

No tags, no restarts. It turns a quarter each time through, so you face all four walls.

1–5

Heel, toe, settle

Tap your right heel forward, bring it in. Tap your left toe behind you, bring it in. Tap your right toe behind. Nothing travels — this is just finding the beat.

6–8

Vine right into the turn

Step right, cross your left behind, then turn a quarter right as you step forward on the right. That turn is why you keep losing the person in front.

9–10

The two hops

Hop forward on your right twice, lifting your left knee each time. This is the bit people recognise from across the room.

11–18

Vine, slap, vine, slap

Vine left and lift your right knee behind, slapping the heel with your left hand. Mirror it going right. The slap lands on the count.

19–22

Three back and a chug

Three steps backwards starting on the left, then hop back on the left lifting your right knee.

23–24

Home

Step forward right, stomp your left in beside it. Go again, new wall.

Written in our own words from the most-voted step sheet, so you can read it before you go. It is not the choreographer’s own notation — for that, see their sheet. Most of these dances have several versions; your room may do a different one.

Go dance this week

We do not claim to know which night plays which song. What we do know is where country dancing happens — here are three of the region's nights, and the calendar has the rest.

Stomp
Verified

Saturday · Spring Lake