By Brent Crampton, Alternative Wedding DJs · Updated November 2026
One guy on a consult call this year told us line dances make him feel "like I'm at my middle school dance." Plenty of couples agree with him. More of them don't, and that surprised us.
We analyzed our 121 consult calls from January to November 2026. Line dances came up on 63 of them, a little over half.
Do couples want line dances at their wedding?
Most of the ones who talked about it want at least one. Here's how the 63 split:
Twenty-nine couples banned line dances completely. That was the biggest single group, and it's why line dances topped our do-not-play list count. But 24 more said one or two was fine, and 10 asked for them. Put those together and 34 couples wanted at least one line dance, against 29 who wanted none.
So if you'd sit out every line dance ever made, you have a lot of company. You're still outnumbered.
Which line dances get cut first?
"YMCA" and the "Cha Cha Slide" tied at the top, each on about 12 couples' do-not-play lists. After those came the "Cupid Shuffle," "Cotton Eye Joe" and the "Chicken Dance." With counts this small, I wouldn't fuss over which one is fourth or fifth. It's the same handful of songs over and over.
Why do some couples ban line dances?
Our DJs live-mix, blending songs on the beat with no gaps. A line dance mostly breaks that. The song comes with instructions, the energy shifts, and half the room either rushes the floor or heads for the bar. Afterward your DJ has to build the floor back up.
A lot of the couples who call us want a nightclub-style night. For them, a stretch of group choreography doesn't fit, and we're happy to leave it out.
Why do other couples keep them?
Line dances are easy. Nobody has to know how to dance, because the song tells you what to do. That makes them one of the simplest ways to get older guests and kids onto the floor.
A mixed-age crowd was a worry for 27 couples on our calls. If your grandparents and your college friends are in the same room, one well-placed line dance can pull in people who'd otherwise stay in their seats all night. And if Grandma's favorite part of every wedding is the "Electric Slide," that counts for something.
How do you settle it if you disagree?
Most couples meet in the middle. Here's what that usually looks like:
Pick one or two, by name. "A few line dances" leaves your DJ guessing. Choose the ones that make the cut together. The partner who hates them vetoes the worst offenders, and the partner who loves them gets a favorite.
Time it early. When it happens matters more than which song it is. Earlier in the night works better, while older guests are still on the floor. Late, when the floor is packed with people who came to dance, a line dance tends to cost you more than it gives back.
Try a sing-along instead. If what you want is everybody on the floor together, a big song the whole room knows the words to can do the same job without the instructions. Ask your DJ what's been working for crowds like yours.
Country plays out the same way on our calls. About 20 couples wanted none at all, and most of the rest wanted a little, usually for family and usually early. Line dances and country tend to get the same treatment: a small dose, at the right time.
Will your DJ play line dances if you don't ask?
Ours treat line dances as opt-in. If they're not on your must-play list, your DJ won't reach for them, and if a guest asks for one, your DJ checks your lists first.
How do you tell your DJ?
Write it down. Any line dance you never want to hear goes on your do-not-play list, by name. The one or two you're keeping go on your must-play list, with a note about when. We ask for about 50 dance songs plus a must-play list of 10 or fewer, and How to Choose a Wedding DJ walks through how the lists fit together. For more on the music itself, here's how to build your wedding playlist.
Then think about guest requests, because that's how the "Cha Cha Slide" usually sneaks in. We break down the three request settings in Guest Requests at Weddings.
We DJ weddings in Omaha and Lincoln and in Madison and Milwaukee. Want to talk line dances with one of our DJs? Check your date →
And if the guy who feels like he's back at his middle school dance still can't agree with his partner, that's fine. One song, early in the night, and he gets three minutes at the bar.