By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
The FHSU Barn Hoppers gave their weekly Country Dance lesson on Tuesday inside the Black and Gold Room of Memorial Union. Students were taught the various moves associated with Country dancing, like swing dancing, two-step and line, while receiving one-on-one and group lessons on the tune of Country music.
Laura Chmidling and Reese O’Neal help each other learn a Country dance. 
Samara Bapat and Breanna Hemken dance with each other while leading students in lessons. 
The Barn Hoppers’ dance lessons give students the opportunities to have fun while helping each other practice. 
Hemken gives a one-on-one lesson. 
Students attempt to replicate a pose taught by Hemken. 
The Barn Hoppers host Country Dance lessons every Tuesday night. 
Sofia Talkington shows off a Barn Hoppers t-shirt. 
Bapat and Hemken try to copy a dance they want to learn while teaching. 
Students partake in a group lesson of Country dancing.
Ethan McPherson, senior majoring in Ag business and president of the Bark Hoppers, believes these lessons enable students to gain confidence.
“I started swing dancing at Barn Hoppers my sophomore year, and that prepared me to have confidence to ask people to dance,” he said. “It also prepares you by allowing you to have a variety of dancing partners, which teaches you to dance with a variety of different styles. That will give you confidence to adapt to whatever the social situation is.”
He also encourages students to request any dance they want to learn.
“We’ll teach you whatever you want to know,” McPherson said. “If we don’t know it, we love to learn it and then teach it.”
Country dancing originated in the 16th Century when settlers from the British Isles brought such dances that evolved from folk dancing to North America. They altered these dances to adapt to the cultural contexts and based them on indigenous and immigrant dances to create an American folk dance that would become the Country Dance to differ from court dances.
McPherson states that the Barn Hoppers’ Country Dance lessons highlight the culture in Ellis County.
“Being in a Western state and environment gives us a lot of opportunities to dance,” he said. “Most weddings out here have some form of dance, so this prepares you for those instead of having to stand on the sidelines. It’s also something that a lot of the older generations love to do, so a lot of those functions that they host will have dances. This allows you to integrate into life out of college as you go to social interactions with them.”
People who attend the lessons have given positive feedback that it helps them learn new skills.
“They say they’re thankful that they had the opportunity,” McPherson said. “We have people who come and go when they want to learn something new. We also have people who come every week, and through those weekly meetings, they’ve been able to refine that ability and grow a lot.”
McPherson noted that people outside of the Fort Hays campus attend his lessons, pointing out that High Schoolers and Tech North Central students have attended as well.
“A lot of our instructors are people who used to be students,” he said. “They love dancing and teaching, so they have stayed and come back to help instruct even after graduation.”
The Barn Hoppers host their lessons at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in the Black and Gold Room.