Line Dance · Improver

Watermelon Crawl

A 90s country staple that still fills the floor.

Learn How to Line Dance to "Watermelon Crawl" by Tracy Byrd

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

ImproverSue Lipscomb’s sheet

Danced to

Watermelon CrawlTracy Byrd

Structure

40 count4 walls

Choreographed by

Sue Lipscomb

Choreographers own their work. We credit them by name and send you to their official step sheet rather than reprinting it. Official step sheet on CopperKnob

Why this one is in the library

A country-night standard, revived by a 2024 TikTok challenge.

The cheat sheet

What you are walking into

Playful and unhurried. A story-song dance that regulars have been doing for thirty years and still enjoy.

What catches people out

It has a distinct pause-and-swagger feel. Rushing it is the common mistake — the gaps are part of it.

How to get through it

Watch the shoulders of the people who have done it before. The timing lives there more than the feet.

Moves it leans on

Grapevine Scuff Charleston Step Heel Split Hip Bump

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

40 counts · 4 walls · Improver

A story-song dance the regulars have done for thirty years. The pauses are part of it.

1–8

Toe, heel, triple, both sides

Touch your right toe in, then your right heel out to the side, then triple in place. Mirror it on the left.

9–16

Charleston, twice

Step forward right, kick your left through. Step back left, touch your right toe behind. Do the whole thing again.

17–24

Vine right, vine left with a quarter

Vine right and touch. Then vine left, turning a quarter left as you step forward, and touch your right in.

25–32

Slide and clap, both ways

Step diagonally forward right, take two counts to drag your left in, clap. Then step diagonally back left, drag the right in over two counts, clap.

33–36

The knee crawl

Drop one heel and lift the other, pushing your hips across so the knee crosses over. Alternate. This is the bit the dance is named for.

37–40

Two half turns

Step forward right and turn a half left. Do it again.

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