Tradline Weekend - what to expect

Tradline Group Photo, 2026

Weekends away with Line Dancing are another way to enjoy our favourite hobby, and there are lots of them around - they do vary though, in location, dance level, atmosphere etc. My favourite is the annual Tradline weekend.

Tradline means "traditional line dancing" so there's an emphasis on older, classic dances, mostly country music, with a few newer dances mixed in.

I thought you might like some information about what to expect, if you book onto a Tradline weekend:

1. The hotel is the Wessex Hotel in Street. This is a 3* hotel with a super dance floor. Please don't expect luxury though - I'd describe it as clean and comfortable (unless you want a shower in room 105), but a bit tired (e.g. the corridors could do with a lick of paint and some new carpeting). There's free parking on site.

2. Your ticket price includes 2 nights' dinner, bed, and breakfast. Rooms vary - singles, doubles, twins, triples - and I like that the loo and the rest of the bathroom are separate. Makes sharing so much easier!

3. I would describe the food as good. You'll be asked when you check in, on Friday afternoon, to choose your dishes for the Friday 6pm dinner. Expect around four choices for each course, starter, main and pud, with tea or coffee offered afterwards. As an example, at one dinner I had butternut soup with a roll, a fish pie with carrots and broccoli, and a fruit salad (good job I like grapes!) For breakfast, there's a buffet with juice, cereal, fruit, yoghurt, toast, jam, marmite etc. You can also ask for a hot breakfast. You shouldn't go hungry.

4. Friday and Saturday night there will be dancing in the ballroom to a live act - we often wear club shirts on Friday night and there's often a theme for Saturday night, e.g. Western wear. There's no teaching, but the DJ will call a dance, often X at the front and Y at the back. The dance floor is usually full of people enjoying themselves!

5. On Saturday and Sunday morning there will be a 2 hour class in the ballroom.

6. Saturday afternoon, there's free time. We often like to mooch around the Clarks Village shops, which are a short walk away. If you decide you need a new handbag, or a Yankee Candle, some Cadbury's mis-shapes, or a new duvet cover... this is the place for you!

All in all - fantastically good value, great fun, and personally, my step average for the Friday and Saturday was 13 000 steps a day.

I really encourage you to come along next year, if you can. It's a club highlight, and I love seeing my dancers' confidence grow. I will send info about next year's weekend as soon as I get it.

Andy, Jeannette, Carrie-ann, Petra, Cas, me, Carol, Mum and Val