Boot Scoot a success for Line Dancing at Lipscomb

For many, Boot Scoot is a Lipscomb way to kick off the semester. Always a popular event, this year’s Boot Scoot saw more attendees than in the past, despite being relocated to Shamblin Theater.

When serious rain threatened to ruin the event often held in the Square, SAB and Line Dancing at Lipscomb – the event’s hosts – decided to hold it in Shamblin Theater. Instead of dampening the event, or destroying the attendance, in some ways it wound up making it feel more like a night downtown.

“We were kind of upset that we had to have it in Shamblin, because it’s always been in the Square and that’s always been part of the effect,” Line Dancing at Lipscomb’s President, Reagan Maxwell, said. “But in Shamblin they had these new lights, and it made it feel like downtown. It was this completely different vibe that we weren’t expecting… I feel like people had more fun this time. I feel like they were more into it this time.”

More than 400 people came to the event, showing up for free Raising Cane’s and almost three hours of line dancing. Maxwell and Line Dancing at Lipscomb’s Vice President, Kennedy Duncan, taught two different dances, and the rest of the club was present to lead dances from the floor.

This marked the fourth academic year for both Boot Scoot and Line Dancing at Lipscomb. Lipscomb’s Line Dancing club began through a group chat among a dozen or so friends Maxwell’s freshman year. The club’s founder, Jaden Granda, realized that line dancing was too “Nashville” for there not to be a club on campus and decided he wanted to do something about it. Reaching out to several people he thought might be interested, the club had its first unofficial meeting in 2022.

“Jaden said, ‘hey, this is wrong! We need a line dancing club, this is Nashville!'” Maxwell said with a laugh. “The rest is kind of history.”

From that humble beginning, Line Dancing at Lipscomb has grown to become Lipscomb’s most popular club outside of the social clubs. Over the past three years, it has steadily gained members and interest.

“We started with a group of about ten people who really just enjoyed [line dancing], and we just hosted an event with over 400 people at it,” Maxwell shook her head slightly, smiling. “Our meetings have grown from 10 [people] to 20, to about 30. We’re crossing our fingers for forty this semester. And Boot Scoot went from about 75 people, to 200, to 300 and then we had 400.” She laughed, adding, “The fact that it keeps growing by a hundred is great too. If we can do that again next year…” she trailed off, joking that she didn’t know where they’d put them.

“I knew it was pushed hard as a freshman event, but I wasn’t sure how many upperclassmen were [going to] come,” Duncan said about Boot Scoot. “But just seeing my RA, and my RA from last year, and having such a good turnout, [while] being squished in Shamblin, was really cool to see.”

With the success of Boot Scoot this year, both Maxwell and Duncan are excited about the prospects for the club moving forward.

“I think [Boot Scoot] is a good way to show people what we do, how we teach, what our personality’s like… We will teach you, we will still have fun,” Maxwell said. “Whenever people come and have a good time and they think about Boot Scoot and they think they want to do that again, we have the perfect opportunity for them to do that, [in] our meetings.”

“I love the community, and I love line dancing,” Duncan said with a smile. “It’s become a weekly thing. It’s my workout.”

For Maxwell, a senior who’s been around since the club’s conception, this is her last year on the leadership team. She called it a bittersweet, but promising, moment. Boot Scoot was very special for her, the culmination of four years of work.

“It was everything I wanted it to be. It was very successful, it made me feel very validated, like the countless hours behind closed doors were worth it,” Maxwell said.

Duncan, a sophomore, said it was incredible to see the club’s growth in the short time she’s been on campus. She said the same was true for Boot Scoot. “I don’t know how many people went [to Boot Scoot] last year, but this year was great. We ran out of Cane’s in like 15 minutes, and there was a line before people could even come in to Shamblin.” She laughed, adding that she thought the event was a success.

The club’s first official meeting of the semester was Sept. 18, in Collins. When asked what they were hoping for, both Duncan and Maxwell said the main thing they wanted was for the club to continue to grow.

“Hopefully it continues growing and we get a lot more regular students who come. I think we’re still the largest club besides social clubs, which [is] super cool,” Duncan said, adding that she wanted to help keep the club alive once the founding members graduated. “I know some social clubs die out and when their alumni members come back they don’t have home clubs to return to. I think it would be really cool if we can keep the club alive for our alumni.”

“I hope people keep showing up and keep having a good time. I tell people these two things all the time: the more people show up the more fun it is, and the people who don’t know what they’re doing end up having the most fun.” Maxwell laughed. “I think it was a great event, I think it’s gonna be a great year. I’m excited.”

Line Dancing at Lipscomb’s next meeting will be on Oct. 2nd at seven in Collins Theater.