In July 1994 some of these combined and formed Mid-North Coast Bootscooters.

Still going strong today the club has more than 200 members dancing in Wingham, Taree, Coopernook, Forster and Tuncurry areas.

To celebrate its 20th birthday, Mid-North Coast Bootscooters will hold a special line dance social on Saturday July 5 at the PCYC,  95 Commerce St Taree, from 12 noon to 4pm.

If you have ever line danced, especially with Mid-North Coast Bootscooters, you are invited to go along and celebrate with the group (admission is free).

There will be a selection of old favourites from 20 years ago, including Tush Push, Boot Scooting Boogie, Girls Night Out, Smokey Places and Waltz Across Texas as well as a selection of currently popular dances.

A number of members from those early days are still dancing with the club including Peter Willis (now a dance instructor), Coralie Deland (club secretary) Michelle Cooling, Alice Yeomans, Linda Hodges and Chris Harris

Like many other things in life, boot scooting or line dancing as it is now more generally called, has developed and changed over the past 20 years.

 In the early days, dancers would often wear cowboy hats, fancy shirts, decorative belts and buckles and, of course, boots - especially to socials.

Clubs would have their own designed shirts displaying the club name, which were worn to class or to major line dance events, like the longest line dance line-up at the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival, and music was generally Country.

Today, very few dancers wear ‘cowboy’ clothing to socials and, while clubs still have their own shirts, many dancers just wear normal casual clothes.

Boots are still a popular choice of footwear, although more and more dancers are choosing a lightweight dance shoe that looks similar to a sneaker.

Country music remains the music of choice for many dancers; however, many of the newer dances are choreographed to songs from the pop music charts.

As the birthday social on Saturday July 5 is a celebration of 20 years of line dancing, it will have a Country and Western theme and everyone is welcome.

So, dust off your cowboy hats, dig out those colourful cowboy shirts, pull on your dancing boots and come and join us.

For further information about the birthday social, or line dance classes in the area, visit the web site here or contact Eileen on 6557 4146 for the social or Peter on 6552 7220 for social and classes.

Wingham classes are held on Mondays between 10am and 12 noon and on Thursday's 6.30pm to 9pm at the Wingham and District Memorial Services Club.