This Fall I had the pleasure of meeting Julia Wetzel and learning one of her new line dances “Give Me Shivers” with some other line dance friends. She is from the San Francisco Bay area, but was in Orange Country with her husband Dave and had some time to kill. It was fun to host her and some other line dancing friends in my living room and practice her new dance. You can tell from the video below that I’m still learning it here! I’ve got it down better now!
Julia has a great heart and is a great teacher. I enjoyed her instruction and some solid tips for line dancing. One is to be careful not to look too much at the teacher. There’s a point where you just have to dance and looking back and all around keeps you from moving in the right direction and just doesn’t serve you!
The next day we also all hung out at our local Dance Saloon, The Ranch in Anaheim Ca, and had a great time dancing and talking.
For my country dancing blog, I asked Julia to do me a favor! To pick out from her 94 line dances (see Copperknob for the list!), what are her personal favorites looking back. She was so kind and took the time to give me her favorite 12! I think if these are her favorites they must be among the best and are worth rounding up here in a blog post!
One thing to note about Julia Wetzel’s choreography is that these aren’t beginner line dances. Julia’s choreography has a great depth to it and generally brings a line dance to the next level. If you are a beginner, check out my list of 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need to Know. But, if you have been dancing for a little while and are ready for a challenge and to level up, then this list of Julia Wetzel’s personal favorites is for you!
Like other line dance list roundups on my blog, I’ll give the important facts and info and include some hand-picked YouTube videos to help learn the dance!
But if you aren’t familiar with Julia Wetzel, check out her bio right here:
Julia Wetzel lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two daughters.
Ever since her ballet lessons at age 5, Julia has always known that dancing would become one of her life’s passions. Although her career path led her to software development in the high tech industry of Silicon Valley, throughout the years, she continued to explore and train in many different forms of dance. She was first introduced to line dancing through country & western venues in the early 1990s, however, it was in 2008 that she finally found her true passion in modern line dancing.
In 2011, Julia started choreographing line dances. Her dances are well loved globally and have millions of views on YouTube. Some of her popular hit dances include:
SENORITA LA-LA-LA, BETTER WHEN I’M DANCIN’, RING MY BELLS, and DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND.
In 2012, Julia became an instructor of line dancing. Always focusing on technique, style and musicality, Julia has taught line dancing at all levels in her classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has also traveled extensively conducting workshops at numerous line dancing events worldwide.
For the future, Julia hopes to continue her work in line dance choreography and instruction. She welcomes the opportunity to travel and meet dancers from around the world.
And now, here’s Julia’s personal favorite 12 of her line dance choreography (click on them to pop down to more information and lessons for each one).
1. The Beer’s On Me
| Count: 24 | Wall: 2 | Tag: 3 | Level: Intermediate | Videos On Copperknob: 43 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) October 2021
Music: “Beers On Me” (feat. Breland & Hardy) – Dierks Bentley
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
So, Julia and I were just talking about line dances to country songs and what do you know, she makes one! Julia likes to see what is new and fresh in the music industry and will create fresh choreography from what inspires her. She was saying maybe she needs to start doing more country ones! Anyway, this dance to Dierks Bentley’s new song Beers On Me is a great new country line dance!
But as I set out to learn it, I realized you can’t go by the count to determine the level of difficulty. While only 24 counts & 2 walls, this is definitely an intermediate dance. There is a tag done at 12:00 3Xs and a modified Section 3 at Wall 7. See Julia’s own demo below to see this. Along with her own great demo, I’ve included one of many teaching examples to walk you through it well.
When it came to learning this dance I felt a little like Dierks Bently’s song “Everybody’s got a problem, so do I But we ain’t gonna solve ’em on a Saturday night.” I’ve started to learn it, but I ain’t gonna get it on one try! But so far, to me, the line dance has a really great feel to it and is another Julia Wetzel, excellent line dance!
back to top
2. Give Me Shivers
| Count: 64 | Wall: 2 | Level: Intermediate | Restarts: 2 | Videos on Copperknob: 157 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) September 2021
Music: Shivers by Ed Sheeran
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
Coming in at #2 of Julia Wetzel’s personal favorites is her second newest line dance: Give Me Shivers to the new song from Ed Sheeran “Shivers.”
This dance I have down pretty well, and I would say it is my new favorite line dance. Since Julia and some friends were coming over to practice it, I was particularly motivated to learn it and be ready, LOL! But I’m glad I had the push to do so, cause it is a fantastic dance.
The dance has a little bit of everything, beginning with a cool Swivet step! The hop (leg raise), cross, side, behind, side rock in the first 1/2 of the dance is cool. I also enjoy the stepbacks to the lyrics “And when they say the party’s over, then we’ll bring it right back,“ But then there’s the point right to prep for the rolling turn as well!
Really it’s all great, and the fun thing about this dance is how each part flows naturally into the next.
With about 126 videos already uploaded to Copperknob you can see how fast this new line dance has caught fire and probably will be continuing to spread in popularity for a while – learn it! You will be glad!
back to top
3. Late Night Habits
| Count: 32 | Wall: 4 | Tag: 1 | Level: Improver | Videos on Copperknob: 101 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) July 2021
Music: Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
Late Night Habits is another very new line dance from Julia Wetzel. And, to another Ed Sheeran song. This is the 4th Ed Sheeran line dance from Julia. It is an improver and compared to some of her intermediate line dances, I feel that is spot on. It is a little more difficult than a beginner dance for sure.
What was challenging for me was how the pattern ends and begins again. For some reason, the moment where the dance begins again seems so quick. But, I’ve only recently learned, probably just me! Anyway, the dance is really fun and has some interesting things about it.
There’s a part (the back, touches) that reminds me of The Wolf, then the syncopated vine and side, hold, side hold is a little different, but easy to get.
I hear this dance called often and so one to for sure learn.
back to top
4. What A Man Gotta Do
| Count: 32 | Wall: 4 | Level: Improver / Intermediate | Restart: 1 | Videos on Copperknob: 72 |
Choreographer: Julia Wetzel (USA) January 2020
Music: What a Man Gotta Do by The Jonas Brothers
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
While I’ve never been a big Jonas Brothers fan and honestly didn’t even know when they broke up or got back together, now that Julia Wetzel made this line dance I feel like I have a newfound respect for the group. They released What A Man Gotta Do in 2020 and it is really just a great fun pop song.
Of all Julia’s line dances collected here, this might be one of the easier ones to learn. Some of the steps of note you’ll see as you learn the dance are (in section 1) heel touches, a swivel, coaster, (in section 2) wizard steps, a rock step, and shuffle, (in section 4) a rolling turn, chasse, and syncopated jazz box.
I also like the claps at the end of section 3 and the stomps at the end of the pattern. These go great with the fun and upbeat hit song What a Man Gotta Do.
back to top
5. Perfect Remedy
| Count: 56 | Wall: 2 | Level: Improver / Intermediate – Country Cha Cha | Videos on Copperknob: 55 |
Choreographer: Julia Wetzel (USA) March 2020
Music: Beer Can’t Fix by Thomas Rhett (feat. John Pardi)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
So, here is another country line dance from Julia. And, being a huge John Pardi fan I really love the love his song is getting with such a great line dance here from Julia Wetzel!
This one again is a bit of a challenge at the improver/intermediate level. It has 56 counts which is a little odd and a bit more than normal for a line dance. One thing that is super fun about his dance is the cha-cha beat throughout the dance. Just knowing that can help get this dance down faster.
Check out the demo & teaching video below to learn the dance.
back to top
6. Señorita La-La-La
| Count: 32 | Wall: 1 | Level: Beginner / Improver | Videos on Copperknob: 145 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel, USA (2019)
Music: Señorita by Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
With Señorita La-La-La, Julia has designed a beautiful dance that really capitalizes on the cha-cha rhythm of Señorita by Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello. So many people loved the dance; to date, there are 145 videos uploaded to the Copperknob step sheet!
It was exciting to see the folks judging the Crystal Boot Awards agree with everyone! Julia received the Improver Dance of Year for 2019 for Señorita La-La-La!
See the video below where they announce her Crystal Boot victory.
back to top
7. Sucker
| Count: 64 | Wall: 2 | Level: Intermediate | Videos on Copperknob: 88 |
Choreographer: Julia Wetzel, (USA) March 2019
Music: Sucker, by the Jonas Brothers
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
With Julia’s line dance Sucker, she chose another new Jonas Brothers song after they got back together. Like What A Man Gotta Do, the song Sucker is a really great song and makes you happy the band resolved their issues and came back together. And after checking out Julia’s dance for it, you’ll be glad she found the song and was inspired to create more of her great choreography for it.
The dance is an intermediate level again and besides being a 64 count dance there is an interesting part in the bridge of the song where after dancing up to count 32 you repeat counts 24-32 and then continue the pattern with count 33 and onward. To me, it seems like a tag, but uses an existing part of the dance to do it—how smart!
I think my favorite part of the dance is in sections 6 & 7 where there is the side rock, together point, together, then the point hold, 1/4 Monterey turn point, hold. There’s some, what feels like syncopation there that is a little tricky to get, but super satisfying when you get it.
Check out Julia’s demo below, along with a great teaching and an extra video where Julia does a walkthrough when she was at the North Texas Line Dance Classic in 2019.
back to top
8. Simple As Can Be
| Count: 32 | Wall: 4 | Tags: 1 | Level: Improver | Videos on Copperknob: 45 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) June 2018
Music: Simple by Florida Georgia Line
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
The next personal favorite from Julia’s line dances comes from back in 2018 when she was teaching at the North Texas Line Dance Classic. She created this dance specifically for the event.
It is an improver dance, but to me at least in this group of Julia’s dances one of the easier dances to pick up. It just has one restart.
back to top
9. Better When I’m Dancin’
| Count: 64 | Wall: 2 | Restarts: 1 | Level: Intermediate | Videos on Copperknob: 45 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) – October 2015
Music: Better When I’m Dancin’ by Megan Trainor (Album: The Peanuts Movie Soundtrack – 2:56)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
Julia Wetze’s line dance Better When I’m Dancin’ is another intermediate line dance. I love that she created the line dance for this, simply because this is the sentiment of so many people that dance and the reason why they do it—they feel better!
Check out Julia’s demo and then another demo below it that includes a good walkthrough for the dance.
back to top
10. Dear Future Husband
| Count: 32 | Wall: 4 | Tags: 4 | Level: Intermediate | Videos on Copperknob: 43 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) September 2014
Music: Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
Well, we’ve come to #10 on Julia’s list of her personal favorites from her choreography. I realized that she’s picked songs from the same artist a few times. Ed Sheeran – 2 dances, The Jonas Brothers – 2 dances, and now here we are with her 2nd dance to a Meghan Trainor song.
Meghan Trainor’s song Dear Future Husband can be described as a pop, doo-wop, and R&B song. There is such a fun upbeat feel to it. In fact, it was described as an irresistible “sock hop” throwback.
With what this song is, I think Julia Wetzel’s dance for it really shows off her intuition and special talent to make a dance that fits music in every way. The fun challenge the song poses to that future husband and what he better be or not be aligns greatly with the quick variety of steps with all the attitude and flair they facilitate.
I think it is so interesting how the dance has a 32 count tag that is inserted 4xs. And I also particularly enjoy the charleston steps at the beginning of the main part of the dance. Julia has a great toolbox from which to draw without a doubt!
Note: Julia gave a special shout-out to her daughter Jessica Wetzel for suggesting the song for a line dance.
back to top
11. Ring My Bells
| Count: 48 | Wall: 2 | Tags: 1 | Level: Intermediate | Videos on Copperknob: 38 |
Choreography: Julia Wetzel (USA) – May 2014
Music: Ring My Bells by Enrique Iglesias : (Album: Insomniac – 3:55)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
I think this is another very special bit of choreography from Julia. To watch her dance this in her demo video is quite mesmerizing.
Such a great collection and blending together of so many interesting kinds of dance steps. Julia is simply a master chef in the kitchen of line dance choreography.
I’m just a little in awe of this one. I can see why it was particularly popular and a hit when she created it.
back to top
12.Misty Blue
| Count: 32 | Wall: 2 | Level: Intermediate | Videos on Copperknob: 15 |
Choreographer: Julia Wetzel (USA) – January 2012
Music: Misty Blue – Monica (CD: The Boy Is Mine – 4:21)
Step Sheet: Click here to download.
And last, but not least Julia has included an early masterpiece from her collection of 94 line dances one from 2012: Misty Blue.
While I always am happy to see just 32 counts, this dance is still a challenge and clearly an intermediate-level dance.
It has a beautiful and very sultry feel to it, and once again really fits the R&B song from Monica.
back to top
A Line Dance Journey…
One thing really fun about the line dance list Julia put together is that it hits some highlights of her line dance choreography over the years. These 12 dances span almost 10 years. It is cool to get a glimpse of her line dance journey.
I like the idea of a line dance journey since it’s a great activity to stick with and make a part of your life and see where it takes you. And, I know for me, it’s pretty satisfying to look back and see the distance I’ve come. I continue to learn more dances and in general, have progressed in some measure as a dancer.
And, speaking of learning more dances, besides the list above, depending on where you are in your line dance journey and what you are interested in you may want to check out some other line dance lists on the site:
Are you a BEGINNER at line dancing? Check out: 20 Beginner Line Dances You Need To Know
Are you looking for what is POPULAR in a lot of the clubs right now? Check out: 50 Popular Line Dances That Everyone Loves
Or, interested in what seems to be especially HOT: Check out: 2021 HOT Line Dances We Can’t Get Enough Of!
Hint: There are yet two more of Julia Wetzel’s line dances on the 2021 HOT Line Dances list…Check it out!