Aaron Dritz is the founder and dance director of Aaron'A' Team of Line Dancers, and holds weekly line dance classes at Frog Alley Brewing in Schenectady.

SCHENECTADY—industrial fashion during the day and noisy at night—at least on Tuesday.

As it gets late, Frog Alley Brewing in downtown Schenectady will put down its well-known hair and host a series of line dance activities, adding hip-hop and pop magic to traditional country music to create a nightclub-like experience.

Recently, a group of dancers kicked their legs high into the air, then slapped the ground in unison.

"This is definitely more progressive, and it sets us apart from other groups in the region," said Aaron Dritz, founder and dance director of Aaron's'A' Team of Line Dancers. The Rotterdam-based theatre company is pushing the boundaries of line dance. Go beyond old stereotypes and enter a bold new direction.

The weekly series called "Tuesday Taproom Dance Takeover" is calibrated as a platform for newcomers and elite operators.

"I like all stomping," said Sheila Golden, a resident of Malta. "Applause is fun."

The team switched between Frog Alley and Chieftans restaurant and bar in Kobleskill.

Members of the Nashville royal family like Reba McEntire continued to form the basic cornerstone of the night’s playlist. But other such major songs from the mid-1990s were remixed, chewed and spit out in the form of a stage mix through a modern filter, making the experience more vivid than yesterday’s dance, and people moved in sequence-with steady steps.

The dance now is Kanye like Travis Tritt. 

Meet Aaron’s "A" line dance team, the troupe behind the popular line dance series on Frog Lane in Schenectady pic.twitter.com/w2DCYhMfdX

"After the first mixing, we will definitely sweat," said Tony Riccio, the chief dance coach and coach.

Dritz said that the population is also very diverse, crossing age and ethnic boundaries.

The 27-year-old Dritz sat with his team last week and ate pizza before the three-hour class. He said an average of 100 people came to Frog Alley every week. 

He said that line dancing has absorbed all kinds of musical touchstones-not only hip-hop, but even waltz and swing elements, as well as traditional country and western elements. The "A" team also drew inspiration from regional scenes in Florida and the West Coast.

Dritz said that Florida is the center of this movement, and there are at least 10 national choreographers. 

The West Coast style combines elements of swing and soul.

How is Schenectady's style?

"We definitely have it," said Dritz, who is teaching for the third year. "When I went out, except for our dancers, I couldn't see anyone doing our moves."

On a recent Tuesday, Frog Alley's team consisted of Sara James, Kate Irons and their DJ Mike Cestaro.

The 56-year-old Golden appreciates the patience of this team, carefully guiding the newcomers to complete new actions and sequences. 

She said that once the basic knowledge is mastered, each dancer can customize their own movements.

"Everyone has their own ideas," Golden said, pointing to a participant with a beard, his pointed boots almost blurred because the "Footloose" mix was beating overhead.

Charlton’s Ed Class said he provided moral support there: About half of his party, including Golden, were on the dance floor.

"We thought it would be an ordinary honky-tonk, but it is not the case," Class said. "This is what you hear in ordinary clubs."

For Aaron's "A" team, the fast and relaxed genre is part of the appeal. The same is true for the movement element, which takes the dancer elsewhere.

"It's good exercise, but internally, you will shut down immediately," Dritz said.

"Every time I'm on the court, I can't think of anything outside of this place," Lisio said.

Like others in the creative industry, the pandemic has hit Aaron's "A" line dancer team, forcing them to seek alternatives, including online courses, which did not fully satisfy their desire for interpersonal interaction. 

With the ongoing series, Dritz hopes to spread the love and appreciation for this genre from where he stopped. 

"You get off the dance floor, it's a vacation," Irons said. "It's just pure happiness."

A week before the class suspension caused by the first round of the pandemic last spring, Aaron's "A" line dance team attracted 142 people to class in Cobleskill-a record. 

Since then, they have found a new home and moved to a space in the ViaPort shopping center in Rotterdam in September last year. 

No experience is required. But what about cowboy boots?

Dritz estimated that he had already put on his 14th pair of shoes, and he admitted that these shoes are difficult to wear and do not need to participate. 

He said that many experienced dancers actually prefer sneakers.

"In a sense, boots are almost harder because they wear tighter on your feet," Dritz said. "A lot of bubbles."

Pete DeMola reports on the city of Schenectady and the spa towns of Glenville, Rotterdam and Ballston. He previously reported for Adirondack’s Daily Bulletin and Sun Community News, where he won the New York Press Association’s 2015 Writer of the Year Award for his investigative reporting. He previously lived in Beijing, where he reported popular culture for a number of domestic publications and social media companies, and worked for record companies. He is a graduate of Syracuse University in 2005. You can contact him at pete.demola@timesunion.com.