Join Dancing With Tonya/Wetumpka Line Dance for fun, energetic classes, private lessons, parties, and events! Let me introduce myself and tell you alittle about me! This is a Bio from a news article I did. Time sure flies! But I sure do LOVE what I do! Tonya Coon Moore: A Pioneer in Country Line Dancing
Tonya Coon Moore is recognized as one of the pioneering figures in the modern country line dance movement. Through her performances, television appearances, and nationwide exhibitions, she helped introduce line dancing to over 70 million homes in North America alone, during its peak popularity in the 1990s. Her talent, professionalism, and passion for dance earned her national recognition and established her as one of the most influential personalities of line dancing's golden era. Raised in East Texas near Dallas, Tonya developed a love for dance at an early age. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she watched her older sister and friends perform many of the era's most popular dances, including the Electric Slide, Electric Boogie, Slappin' Leather, Tush Push, to name few. Inspired by their energy and artistry, seven-year-old Tonya knew dance would become a lifelong passion. Following her high school graduation in 1987 and two years of college, Tonya made the life-changing decision to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee—just before country line dancing exploded onto the national stage. While working two jobs, including Opryland Hotel and Opryland Themepark, she became immersed in Nashville's thriving entertainment industry. That opportunity led to a defining moment in her career when she was invited to participate in the first taping of the World Famous Wildhorse Saloon television series on The Nashville Network (TNN), which turned into a weekly taping of 3 shows a night, 2 nights a week. The show telecast in over 70 million homes across North America and soon gained International recognition through CMT Europe and Latin America. The Wildhorse became one of the driving forces behind the line dance craze. Tonya quickly became one of the show's most popular and recognizable performers. Her charisma, precision, and unmistakable stage presence made her a fan favorite, generating thousands of viewer letters and dedicated following. The interest surrounding line dancing began to soar, thanks in part to the widespread popularity of Club Dance and the Wildhorse TV shows. This helped fuel the growing popularity of country line dancing. During this time, Tonya was mentored by renowned dance professionals Barry and Dari Anne Amato, who among many other credits, are currently are the choreographers for Country Tonite Theatre and Dollywood Theme Park. Their guidance and mentorship, helped expand her skills as both a performer and choreographer, and helped her explore numerous opportunities that allowed her to develop her skills and knowledge and to continue to develop as both a performer and ambassador for country line dancing. Throughout her television career, Tonya earned recognition as one of the network's most popular and frequently featured dancers earning awards for both the Most Popular Dancer and the Most Creative Dancer on The Wildhorse Saloon. She appeared in several instructional dance scripts published in Country Weekly Magazine, was featured by national media outlets including ABC and CBS, as well as, performed in numerous Instructional Videos that were sold Nationwide. Her television credits include The Ralph Emery Show, Music City Tonight with Crook & Chase, Club Dance, and numerous Wildhorse Saloon television productions and promotional appearances, as well as, performed in music videos with artists including Chubby Checker, The Tractors, Patty Lovelace and Tanya Tucker, where her infectious enthusiasm for dance truly shined. As demand for line dancing grew, Tonya performed across the country at major festivals, theme parks, and special events. Highlights of her career include performing for President Jimmy Carter's 82nd birthday celebration, appearances at Wild Adventures Theme Park, Walt Disney World, Six Flags Over Georgia, and performances at more than 100 festivals and special events throughout Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Beyond the stage and her own performances, Tonya's influence helped inspire countless dancers and exhibition teams, playing a vital role in growing the line dance community by mentoring dancers and supporting performance groups such as the Dixie Twisters Country Dance Team of Alma, Georgia, whose exhibitions entertained audiences across the Southeast. Her commitment to teaching, choreography, and performance helped introduce countless people to the joy of country line dancing. And paved the way for dancers in the generations to come. Tonya has been teaching in Wetumpka, Alabama for over 8 years! She served as the first dance instructor at Alabama's Little Bit of Texas when it first opened in Eclectic, Alabama in 2017. She decided to leave that venue after a short time and start teaching in a studio that would that would be open to all ages. Tonya founded Dancing With Tonya/Wetumpka Line Dance in Wetumpka, AL, where she has led classes, private lessons, weddings, parties, flash mobs and special events for the past eight years. She offers classes for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Dancers! She doesn't just show you a dance, she teaches you to Dance! She's patient and encouraging, breaking down each dance step by step so you not only know a dance....you learn how to dance! She has taught everyone from first time dancers to instructors. And has taught dancers who decided to become instructors themselves! She has the Passion, Dedication, Knowledge and Experience to help you become the BEST Dancer you can be! Classes are held at Skate Zone Wetumpka, 88 Red Eagle Pkwy, Wetumpka, Alabama. Dances are taught to New Country, Traditional Country and Non-Country Music.
