Where to Line Dance in Nashville: Lessons, Dance Floors & Local Nights

A Nashville night out is a lot more inviting when you recognize a few of the steps. Start with a lesson, then head for a dedicated dance floor or follow the music along Broadway. Here’s where to begin—and where to take what you learn.

1. Turn Their Heads: learn the steps, then take them out

Yes, we put ourselves first. Subtle, we know. But there’s a reason to learn a dance with an instructor before trying to pick it up over a live band and a roomful of cowboy hats.

At Turn Their Heads, you can work through the steps, repeat the parts that trip you up, and put the dance together with music. Nobody needs to bring a partner. It’s a way to get your group dancing together before you head into the honky-tonks.

Join a public line-dancing lesson alongside other visitors, or book a private group lesson for your own party. Locals can also browse the class and social calendar.

You leaving knowing real dances and with enough basic steps to try jumping in when you visit the venues below!

2. Category 10: take it onto a downtown dance floor

Category 10’s official line-dancing page explains its famous Line Dance All-Call sessions. All-Call is a chance to follow simple dances already in progress, so it can be a little harder to jump in if you’re starting from scratch.

The dancing takes place in Hurricane Hall at 120 2nd Avenue North. Check their calendar for your date, as private events can close the space. The venue currently has a 21-and-over cutoff after 8 p.m., so get there earlier if you have under-21 individuals in your group.

3. Nashville Palace: a place where dancing is the main event

In Music Valley, the Nashville Palace is the line dancing bar for local dancers. From about 8pm-2am, Thursday through Saturday, the space packs out with dancers looking to show off their moves. It may be a little more difficult to jump in here as a beginner, but if you want a taste of the local dance scene, this is the place to check out.

A $10 cover will get you inside, where you'll see locals tearing up the floor with alternating line dance and partner dance songs (check out our country swing dancing lessons if you want to get on the floor for partner dancing after just one lesson). Check the Nashville Palace’s calendar to ensure they aren't closed for a concert or private event. This is a separate trip from Lower Broadway, so plan transport before committing to both in one night.

4. Broadway bars: follow the music and join a dance

Broadway is where your lesson can turn into a spontaneous part of the night. Sometimes you’ll find a group doing a familiar line dance; other times the room is all about the band. These stops give you places to look for an opening without making every song a dance assignment.

• The Stage: live country music and several floors to explore. Find a band you like, see how people are using the space, and join in when there’s room for the dance.

• Whiskey Bent Saloon: a popular Broadway stop for live music and dancing.

• AJ’s Good Time Bar: traditional country music, multiple floors, and a rooftop. Look for the floor where the music and crowd suit the kind of dancing you want to try.

• Tin Roof on Broadway: live music on two levels, with a rooftop above.

If there is room to dance, you can start a line dance you know (learn some with us here)! If a dance you recognize gets going, you can jump in. For an unfamiliar dance, watch a couple repetitions and join in on the edge of the floor. The music will change from stop to stop, so treat these as opportunities to try your steps to different styles.

Where should I start?

Start with a Turn Their Heads line-dancing lesson, then take those steps to Category 10 or another Broadway stop that catches your ear. Once you’re on a public dance floor, a few small things make following along easier:

• Watch the pattern repeat. A line dance comes back around. Spot where it begins and join there, rather than trying to catch up halfway through a turn.

• Choose a spot with dancers to follow. The back row becomes the front when everyone turns. A place where you can see someone in more than one direction is useful.

• Keep your steps small while you learn. It gives you room to correct a missed step without bumping the next row.

• Missed a turn? Rejoin the next repetition. You don’t have to make up the steps you missed. Find the pattern again and carry on.

The point of the lesson is to give you something you can use outside the studio. Learn it here, try it out there, and see which dance floor you want to come back to.

Start with a public line-dancing lesson

Venue information checked September, 2026. See each organizer’s listing for current lessons, admission, and age requirements.