From Line Dance Connection Interview Profiles. Thanks Nichol Poyntz  

My name is Jackie Rice and my dance nickname is Sass.

I was actually born in Yokohama, Japan. But I was raised in, and have always lived in, Los Angeles, California.

I’m a Certified Nurse Midwife working for Kaiser Hospitals.  Many people don’t know about midwives so I’ll expound a little on that:

A Certified Nurse Midwife is an advanced practice registered nurse who has specialized education and training in both Nursing and Midwifery.  We function as primary healthcare providers for women. From menarche through the menopause.  Our scope of practice includes delivering babies and non surgical gynecological care.

Outside of dance, I don’t have many hobbies!  Dance is my passion!

However, I do love to travel and vacation, especially in the Caribbean.

I also looooove to shop, and it doesn’t matter what I’m shopping for, LOL!

In LA, we call in Line Dancing.

I’m affiliated with J&J SoulfulSteps Soul Linedancing

Dancing – all my known life as I can remember.  (ie: Tap Dance, Ballet Lessons, Modern, African, Jazz , Linedance– etc)

James and I met Belinda Haywood on the Black Cruise – Festival at Sea.  We fell in love with Soul/Urban line dancing immediately.  This was in 1994 or 95.

After first class I was Exhiliarated….happy…..excited…..ADDICTED!!

Concerning choreography……Well, you kind of have an idea pop into your head….or someone plays some interesting music.  It’s your body responding to what you’ve thought or what you hear.

I have created about 20 dances, all together. The first dance was called The J&J.

My favorite is Don’t Mind.

Dancing is special because it makes us release all the negative stress and strain of life.   Dance makes us come alive in all our senses! 

If I could change one thing --- it would be to have the capacity 

to learn more, in this feeble mind of mine, LOL!

It might be surprising that I sometimes dance in my sleep and sometimes wake to find myself with one foot on the floor and my arms in a funky move.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13696098/

• Director
  • Jamie Burton-Oare
• Writer
  • Jamie Burton-Oare
  • 
    
• Soulful Steps sheds light on this dance style's history, evolution, and trajectory, through the lens of husband and wife team James and Jackie Rice, whose dance serves as the foundation of their romance. The birth of this dance style is due largely in part to the soulful music it uses as its backdrop. All the dances are choreographed to popular soul music. The Internet has helped the growth of the dance style's recent explosion. Soul line dancers across the world share new variations through sites like YouTube and Vimeo. We revisit their union and explore their lives, the lives of soul line dancers, and fellow teachers. Soulful Steps culminates in their creation, the first Soul Line Dancing convention on the west coast. James and Jackie met dancing 35 years ago. Jackie had just performed horribly on her nursing exam and planned to stay in the house for as long as humanly possible. Jackie's girlfriends insisted on cheering her up and drug her out to the club, to dance her blues away. James had worked all day and also had no intentions of going out. He needed go home and take a shower. His friends, however, were also insistent on taking him to the club. James had a tendency to search for the "finest woman in the room." He'd find her, talk to her, and if she responded, he was happy. If she didn't, he was ready to go. Well, on that particular night, he spotted Jackie. He felt she definitely fit his criteria, so he made his move. She obliged, and they danced the night away. They have been dancing ever since.

https://www.soulfulstepsjj.com/

James and Jackie Rice take us on a journey of how they fell in love with Soul Line Dancing, through it’s history to their creation of CaliJam, the first and biggest soul line dance convention on the West Coast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl6S7oTUkgc

UC Star Awards                Western Dance

2012                                   James & Jackie Rice 

UC Star Awards                Western Choreographer

2014                                   James & Jackie Rice        

. 

My name is Jessie W. Barnes.  I don't have any nicknames.

I'm from Laurel, MD. I was born and raised in Pinetops, NC.

I retired from the government as a Senior Personnel Specialist.

I don't have any hobbies outside of dance.

I am affiliated and president of Jessie's Soul Line Dancers in Columbia, Laurel, Silver Spring and Montgomery County, MD.

I am also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Council for Negroe Women, NAACP, NCAT State University Alumni Assoc DC Chapter, G.W. Carver Alumni Assoc. Chapter, Alumni Athletic Association for NCAT.

I have been line dancing since 1997.

I got involved in line dancing when a  friend from my step aerobics class introduced me to several line dances she learned at a club and at one of LDC classes in PG County.  After I learned enough dances, I started my first class at the Lynn Brick Fitness Club in Silver Spring. 

What I like most about line dancing is the fellowship with my seniors and teaching stress free fun dances.  My goal is to entertain and inspire seniors and others to put a little enjoyment in their life through dancing.

For 8 years, I played a Trombone in the band.  I just completed my 30th year of marching with the A&T State University Alumni Band in the Homecoming Parade in Greensboro, NC.

When I taught Jazzy Lady to my senior Generettes over twenty years ago, I had to change the steps because they were not able to master the turn.  After so many years of not doing the dance I requested the dance at Kenny J's Scholarship Event last year.  My student and I had a great time on the floor trying to master the correct steps between laughing and bumping into the other dancers.  Great time .....no one cared that we were having so much fun on the floor trying to keep up.

FROM JSLD 20th Anniversary Celebration. June 10, 2019.

Jessie Barnes, Founder & Director.

Jessie Barnes has a passion for music and dancing, going back to her days in high school.  She played in the marching band in high school and in the Blue & Gold marching band at A&T State University.  Since 1982, Jessie has not missed marching in the Homecoming parade with the A&T Alumni Band.  

Jessie was introduced to line dancing by a dear friend Arvida Woods.  Arvida spent several evenings teaching some of the dances to Jessie that she learned at the Bay Street Club.  Soon, they would car pool to various classes and clubs in Maryland to learn new line dances.  Thanks to LDC Mitcheville & LMC of Baltimore, Jessie was able to learn the latest line dances.

Another dear friend, Lavelette White, convinced Jessie to start teaching line dancing at Lynn Brick Gym in Silver Spring in 1998.  At Lynn Brick's Gym, her class became very popular.  Her students suggested she should form a line dance group called Jessie's Soul Line Dancers.  Under her leadership, there are thirteen classes taught by Jessie and her instructors in the Maryland area.  Jessie's motto is, "Do the Best You Can."

UC Star  Awards               Hardest Working Woman In Line Dancing

2007                                   Jessie Barnes 

UC Star  Awards              Lifetime Achievement 

2009                                  Jessie Barnes            

Originally from Baltimore Maryland, Kenny J, now a Burlington County NJ resident, is a retired Army First Sergeant and ex-drill Sergeant. In 2004 he was called to serve in IRAQ under Operation Iraqi Freedom and by the grace of God he has since returned and catapulted into becoming a major entity in the R&B/Soul line dance world. He is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated and the Founder and CEO of I am Kenny J Productions, a dance organization that specializes in dance entertainment, performance and instruction.  His organization is established as one of the most philanthropic organizations in the dance community serving the entire Delaware Valley Region in its effort to reach and promote the virtues of line dance.  “Footwork with a Purpose” is its creed and has become a very visible presence in the lives of many.  

A former member of the Dave Bush Dancers out of Philadelphia, PA, his special style of dance and ability to connect with people has provided him the opportunity to perform in various venues throughout the country.  His impact on others, however, reaches far beyond his fancy footwork.  He is recognized by his peers as one of the most prominent instructors in the line dance community with his ability to captivate audiences.  In 2008, he was voted entertainer of the year at the UC Awards, a Maryland line dance awards ceremony.  Kenny J’s success has taken him throughout the country to do workshops and performances, in places like Salina, Kansas at the Smokey Hill River Festival; Columbia, Missouri at the Columbia Arts Festival, Los Angeles, California and a host of others.  In many ways he and his organization are trailblazers doing whatever they can to promote the Delaware-New Jersey-Philadelphia region. His performance team “Sophisticated Funk” has performed throughout the country both competitively and non-competitively in venues like the Virginia Tri State SLYDE, The US Open swing dance competition in Anaheim, California, and the United We Dance family reunion, held in various locations in the Midwest, exciting audiences with their unique dance style.  He has also appeared on the Dr. OZ show teaching the good doctor a Soul Line dance.

While there are many people to credit for his success, Kenny J gives credit first, to GOD,  to his Family and friends for being supportive and willing to give him the opportunity to do all that he does.  He also gives special thanks and credit to Barbara Capaldi of the Atrium Dance Studio; his longtime mentor and friend Mr. Dave Bush; the officers and members of his organization, I am Kenny J Productions; and his many students and patrons that support his endeavors.

• Union Crew, R&B/Soul line Dancing Entertainer of the year
• Sister’s Network, Mercer County , New Jersey, Men who support Breast Cancer Survivorship Award
• Union Crew, R&B/Soul line Dancing Life Time Achievement Award

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1-zaVUhgFM 

UC Star Award           Lifetime Achievement

2012                            Kenny J                             

I was born Linda Marie Mix now Linda Marie Shuler. 

My family and lifelong friends call me Bird.  My hustle/line dance nickname is First Lady.

I’m originally from Harlem, NY – (Flint) Flushing,  MI is now my home.

I’m employed at Hurley Medical Center (28 yrs) and I currently work in the Pediatric Residency Program.   

I enjoy the outdoors and love camping with my family.  I also enjoy cooking and traveling.

Our main reference to this dance art is “Hustling”.  However, over time, the term line dancing has become more prevalent.

From 1997-1999 we called ourselves Master Dancers.  In 2000 we became Stone Hustlers, Inc., of Flint, MI

I’ve been dancing all my life.  In my elementary years it was jazz and square dancing.  In my middle school years, I participated in organized dance (pom pom & pep squads).  I continued that until I graduated high school.

In the mid 70’s, my sister, some friends and I, use to make up steps to songs we liked.  At that time, any steps done to a song by a group of people, was called the “Bus Stop”.   We had no clue it was line dancing….LOL

I was already instructing when I attended someone else’s class, in a different city, and learned/realized the “breakdown of a dance” method of teaching.  I thought it to be an easier way of teaching and I’ve practiced that method ever since.

I guess it just happened since I had already been creating steps to songs since the 70’s here in Flint.  When we started meeting people from other cities, we just shared the dances we created.  The term “Choreography” came into this arena later.

I created nine dances and collaborated on Twelve.  The very first dance I created in (1999) is named, “I Need A Drink” off Sexy Dancer, by Prince.

My favorite creation is my latest “A Quarter 2”, I think.  I really love Burn also.

Dancing allows me to be me and I get to do it the way I do and have fun while I’m on the floor.  I also get to meet a lot of special people while dancing.

I would change the rate at which dances are created and introduced into the hustling/line dance community.  They are coming way too fast and a lot in the form of routines.  Good line dances don’t stay in the rotation for any length of time anymore.  It’s understandable though.  The hustle/line dance arena has grown tremendously over the past 8 years.  This brings a competitive nature to hustling and some always want their name in lights.  I believe everyone has their turn to shine.

I am very emotional and tend to shed tears during the happy endings

My name is Mark Wynn a.k.a Big Mucci Dat 71   North Boi.

I'm from the city of Cleveland, Ohio -- The Birth   State of Line Dancing

I am an International Recording Artist.

My hobbies are producing & recording music also   riding my motorcycle.

In Cleveland we call it Line Dancing.

I am affiliated with 71 North Boyz.

I have been Line Dancing Since 1986, so that’s 27   years.

I have been dancing since I was a   child.  I majored in Dance at the Cleveland School of the Arts, but   as for Line Dancing it was a Cleveland Ohio Culture. Since the early 80's it   was like the entire city did Line Dances such as The Trans Europe Express and   The JB's Monorail From Children as young as 12 and 13 to the elders All Line   Dance.

 fter my first class with one of Cleveland, Ohio's   own Line Dance King "Rob Johnson", it gave me a boost on teaching   my own dances.

WOW….how I got into choreography ... In 1997 I came   up with a song and Line Dance called “Boodie Bounce” (which has been   stolen and is now called "The K Wang Wit- It" in some states).   After it became a MEGA smash hit in Cleveland people kept telling me to make   more Line Dances, so I just kept going none stop for 16 years now and still   counting.

I have 20 dances and my first was call "Let me C dat Boodie Bounce".

To tell you the truth I love all of them, but if I   was to pick one…….hmm that’s hard.  But I will go with "The   Bikers Shuffle".

What makes Line Dancing special to me is that it is a way of life.  It's used as therapy to aid and also cure many   types of disabilities and diseases believe it or not. Line Dancing also   brings many different races and creed of people together and have a good   time. Dancing has been around since the beginning of time and it will never   play out.

I would not change a thing about line dancing. It's perfect to me   because everyone has their own taste and it's out there.

Oh WOW! Well I’m going to keep it real But Shhhhh keep   this on the hush hush…..LOL. When in school I was a Ballet/Drama Major and   Modern Dance was my Minor. I have performed many Ballet & Modern Dance   showcases at The Karamu House located in Cleveland Ohio, which is the oldest   African-American theater in the US.

Big Mucci 

July 16 2023· 

Listen up everyone, I have been asked this question alot of times, so let me break it down to ya. 

This is a ** TIMELINE ** of Line Dance Records... What's a Line Dance Record people always ask? A song that is Specifically made for Line Dancing that has "CALL OUT'S" telling the people what to do in the song.

There is a difference between a Line Dance Song and Songs people make Line Dances to. 

Example.. "The Bikers Shuffle" is a Line Dance Song.. It was made specifically for Line Dancing..... "The Wobble" Is a Rap Song that someone put a previous made Line Dance to.. It's Not an Official Line Dance "SONG"... Again The Wobble Just like "Cant get enough" by Tamia, The Electric Slide by Marcia Griffith are "SONG'S" someone put a "LINE DANCE" to! 

Here is the TIME LINE of LINE DANCE "SONG'S" from the very 1st known Line Dance in 1959 till 2010. 

Mind you, im only giving you the Time line of what year that Artist's 1st Line Dance Song was released. Because folks like myself and others such as Mixx Master Lee, Mr.C , Dj Maestro, Cupid, Meechie & Ent Distikt has numerous Line Dance Songs created after our 1st Release. 

Here is the Timeline ... The Year, Name of Song and Artist

#1. 1959 - "It's Madison Time" by Ray Bryant w/ Call outs by Mr. E. Morrision

#2. 1960 - "The Madison" by Al Brown w/ Call outs by Mr. Cookie Brown

#3. 1975 - "The Bus Stop-The Original Electric Slide" by Charlie Green (Call outs by Charlie Green)

#4. 1997 - "The Cleveland Shuffle" by Big Mucci (71 North) (Call out's by Big Mucci

#5. 1998 - "The Chinese Checkers" by Mix Master Lee & Louis Lane (Call Out by Louis Lane)

#6. 2000 - "Cha Cha Slide" by Mr. C (Call Out's by Mr. C) 

#7. 2006 - "The Turbo Hustle" by Dj Maestro (Call Out's by Lenora Douglas)

#8. 2006 - "The Cupid Shuffle" by Cupid (Call Out's by Cupid)

#9. 2007 - "The Down South Shuffle by R-3 (Call Out's by R-3)

#10. 2009 - "Shake Ya Tailfeather" by Demertic Allen a.k.a Meechie (Call Out's by Meechie)

#11. 2009 - "The Monkey Feet" by Pyraci (Call outs by Pyraci) 

#12. 2010 - "Row Row" by Black Zack (Call Out's by Black Zack)

#13. 2010 - "Same Ole 2 Step" by Ent. Distrikt (Call outs by Ent. Distrikt)

Honorable Mentions... 1994 .. "Tootsie Roll' by 69 Boyz (Call outs 69 Boyz) ... The Tootsie Roll is actually a DANCE, BUT!!!!! In Todays Line Dance Culture it Could Also be seen as a 1 Wall (Not 4 Wall) but a 1 Wall Line Dance.. 

If you know of a Line Dance "SONG" with "Call Out's" before 2010 that i missed please leave The Year, The name of song, The Artist and the name of the artist who was doing the "Call Out's!!

I had to educate the difference between a Line Dance Song & Songs that people Just put a Line Dance to! and how to let people see the time line.

A lot of people do not know, when I came out with my Cleveland Shuffle Line Dance that was made in 1997 along with my song Boodie Bounce but with Boodie Bounce I didn’t put call outs to it…

That before me the Last Call Out Line Dance song was The Bus Stop in 1975.

So from 1975 after the Bus Stop, till I dropped in 1997 mins you that’s a 22 year Gap there was NO OFFICIAL Line Dance Record with Call Outs… till me, and as we see After me and the popularity of my song the Cleveland Shuffle now there is a flood of Line Dance Songs with call outs …

Also what people don’t know.. I am the 1st ever to come out with a Full Line Dance Album even on the Country side also.

Nobody never recognized that. Lol

 My name is Nichol Poyntz and I have a few dance nicknames: Choly Chol (the main one that I prefer…even though some people don’t realize the “Ch” is pronounced as “K” LOL), Nik Woo, Memorex and NPeezy (given to me by my softball fam).

I am from Detroit, MI and I currently live in Southfield, which   is right outside of the city.

I started the Urban Line Dance Connection site because I had a   strong interest in knowing who created the dances I was   enjoying.  In the past, I had heard conflicting stories about who   created certain dances, so around 1999 I started capturing this data in an   excel spreadsheet. I later discovered that another woman in our class was   collecting the same data, so I stopped my effort assuming she would share her   information.  That person eventually moved from Michigan and that   first effort died.  In 2011, I decided to revive my effort because   I was continuously hearing questions like “who created that dance” or “what’s   the original song for that dance” or “I heard another person created that   dance”.  Other dance genres (e.g. Country Line Dance) have public   sites where anyone can search for dances, so I figured why not create that   type of site for our dance community.  It took me a year to bring   it to fruition but I’m happy it’s here. I didn’t create it for ME, I created   it for US and I hope WE all find it useful. 

I’ve been asked, in a nice way, what do I get from the site and   the simple answer is NOTHING.  I actually spend money to host the   site and I pay the individual who does the development.  It’s been   slow getting choreographers to get their dances entered but there’s been a   lot of movement lately.  I believe partnering with the UC Star   Awards will create the momentum needed to get more dances entered.

Adding the Interview Profiles just seemed like a good next   step.  We celebrate the dances that we all enjoy but in most cases   we really don’t know the person behind the dance.  We typically   like a person’s style of dance and I thought it would be nice to get to know   them a little better.

In my professional life, I’m an IT Manager at Ford Motor Company.   I have an undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems from Florida   A&M University and I have a MBA from Florida State   University.  Honestly, I find it very difficult to tell people what   I do at Ford. Typically I say I manage the deployment of new computer systems   and folks typically get the gist of what I do….even though I no longer   perform that role.  If I said I am responsible for Corporate and   Global IT Communications for IT Security and other IT Strategy Initiatives,   I’d probably get a blank stare. J

As for hobbies outside of dance, I absolutely LOVE softball…which   I’m sure many of you already know. LOL  I’ve been playing   softball for 36 years.  I played through high school, a few years   in college and I still play.

In Detroit we call it Hustling, although the more I travel I find   myself saying Line Dance more and more.

Within the dance community, I’m a member of Motown   Hustlers.  We call Motown Hustlers a group but we’re really just a   Thursday class that loves to dance and anyone can be a part of our   “group”.  J I’m also a member of Mo Ground Park.   Well   we aren’t really a g roup either, we’re more like a small family. A family that   loves to have fun together, laughs together, travels together and dances   together. Outside of dance, I am a proud member   of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

I started dancing in a classroom setting when I was   5.  I started out with ballet, tap and jazz and continued to dance   all the way through high school and college.  In college I got my   feet wet with another form of dance called “stepping”….I was the Step Master   in my sorority. I’ve been hustling for about 14 years.

I used to see people doing hustles at cabarets and parties.  Then a friend and teammate invited me to a bar in Detroit called the Comfort Zone and I immediately feel in love with it.

After I attended my first class I felt good from a dance   perspective but I didn’t feel warm and fuzzy about the   atmosphere.  Initially I didn’t find hustlers to be very friendly but that feeling passed a looooong time ago.

I was a tap and jazz instructor my last two years of high school, so I had some experience with choreography. But when it came to hustling, I   wanted to see if I had what it took to create a hustle.

I have created 25 hustles, including collaborations. The very first dance I created for the public was Incognito in 2003.

Hmmmm, let me see.  It’s hard to pick just one favorite.  If I just considered the dances I created by myself I’d   have to say it’s between N2 and Nik Woo.  Wait….and   And 1.  Shoot, I can’t pick just one. LOL

Dancing is special because the dance floor has no boundaries.  Dance   allows people to express themselves in their own unique way. Dance allows us   to get the physical exercise that we all need. Dance allows us to momentarily escape the stresses of life.  Dance is like therapy…….and it’s just the therapy I need! 

I would change the unspoken competition that sometimes rears its   head on the dance floor.  The great thing about the dance floor is that it’s big enough for everyone to shine at any given time. We need to recognize that we don’t need our light to shine brighter than the next persons because the spotlight is big enough to cover the entire floor at one time.

Let me see…..some may find it surprising that I’ve had 5  surgeries (3 knee and 2 ankle) over the years and I refuse to let  it keep me from dancing or playing softball.  Let’s just say that Motrin 800’s are my best friend.

 My View Of The Line Podcast(Interview w/ Nichol Poyntz)https://soundcloud.com/dj-chris-blues/my-view-of-the-line-podcast-feat-nichol-poyntz

Let's Talk Soul Line Dancing (Interview with Nichol Poyntz in 2021)

https://youtu.be/ed2wRo09sQY
 

======================================================

UC Star Award            Dance 411

2011                             Nichol Poyntz                                               

UC Star Award           Out of State Dance 

2010                            Nik Woo      Nichol Poyntz 

UC Star Award           Choreographer

2014                            Nichol Poyntz 

UC Star Award           Dance 

2015                            Back 2 U   Nichol Poyntz & Louis Jenkins 

UC Star Award           Sleeper Dance 

2018                            Cruise Control   Nichol Poyntz

2019                             Lights Out         Nichol Poyntz

UC Star Award           Trailblazer 

2013                             Nichol Poyntz