The story of… Laughter in Line

Last week’s post was all about me - how I got hooked on line dancing, and missed it so much when the previous club closed that I started Laughter in Line!

This week, I thought you might like to know how we got from there to here, running 7 classes a week, social events, weekends away, and much more!

Back in 2007, I was working 3 days a week for the Fire Brigade, running the internal promotion process (I am an Occupational Psychologist; I later picked up dyslexia and neurodiversity support as well, and then all non-operational training. A really big job, especially in 3 days a week!) I also had one son in Reception at school, and one at home or nursery. Life was busy! Many of the things that make life easier weren’t available then; I used to make a lesson plan, then burn the music onto a CD to bring to class. Later that year I bought an MP3 player… it could hold about a hundred songs (hurrah!) but had a tiny screen with a scrolling display, so finding a particular track on it was….. well. CDs it was, then!

Slowly, the club grew, as dancers joined and brought their friends (thank you!) Some of you who joined in those early years, still come along now. We began to go on weekends away - our first venture was in Torquay, lovely view! But when we discovered Tradline weekends, it really felt like we'd found our tribe.

At the end of 2013, I decided to resign from the Fire Brigade and start my own business. Alongside my new consultancy, I started a second class, at Zion in Frampton Cotterell, a couple of miles from my first class in Iron Acton. You came out in droves to support the new Monday evening class - thank you!

And that’s how things stood in March 2020 when the Prime Minister said, "You MUST stay at home" and I dashed up the hill with a notice for the door: Line dancing cancelled until further notice. And the world got weird. And stayed weird. For a very long time.

By trial and error, we eventually settled on a free Zoom class twice a week. I realised you didn’t want to dance very difficult dances, but the social chat at the end of class was a real lifeline, particularly for those living alone. Along the way, you met Salem, our black cat (and character!) who would wander across my living room rug… and do his best to trip me up! Often several times in the same class!

As things opened up, very gradually and cautiously, my “risk assessment” skills were really challenged (I remember having to calculate the “cubic feet of air per dancer”). Sadly, I came to the conclusion that the Zion class couldn’t reopen. Iron Acton class did reopen, initially with only 8 places per class. To control the places, I had to upgrade the website to sell tickets in advance. Did you know I do all the website “stuff” myself? That’s been another whole learning curve, I can tell you!

I had joined one of the big departments of State in 2020, working remotely, and I also kept my consultancy business going too. Late in 2025 I decided that I needed to make a choice: three jobs is too many! It was hard to decide (it took me 9 years to qualify as a Psychologist, that's a lot to turn your back on) but eventually, I decided to go with what brings me joy. Line dancing won.

Finding venues for line dancing classes is a really big challenge and I was lucky to find an evening at Crossbow in Frampton Cotterell - and that’s how the Wednesday class was born! In September 2025. I left my employer and closed my consultancy business at the end of 2025, and started a Friday morning class in Iron Acton in January 2026. I was thrilled when the Cossham Hall in Thornbury reopened after renovation, in May 2026. Feeling my way into the new class, I learned that there were too many dancers for a single class, so I now teach two shorter, identical, classes on a Tuesday evening in beautiful Thornbury. I’m so lucky, each of my classes have their own “regulars” and each class is special to me. As you know, I try very hard to learn everyone's names, and to arrange social events as and when for you too. To me, Laughter in Line is not just a dance class. We are a community of people who like to line dance. There's a world of difference - in my view, anyway.

I am so much happier now! So thank you, every person who walks through my door… for sharing my love of line dancing. I couldn’t do this without you. Feel the love! ❤️