Red Boots on the Dance Floor
When Celina steps onto the dance floor, it’s not just a class—it’s a full-blown experience wrapped in leather and red boots. As the dynamic founder of Red Boots on the Dance Floor, she brings a fiery blend of Texas charm, unapologetic attitude, and the kind of energy that lights up a honky-tonk. A seasoned country swing and line dance instructor, Celina isn’t just teaching steps—she’s building confidence and community. With every spin, stomp, and smile, she’s redefining what it means to be a modern country dance instructor—and people are lining up to follow her lead, one boot-scootin' move at a time.
Let’s start with the name—Red Boots on the Dance Floor. What’s the story behind it?
I’ve had red cowboy boots since I was 6 years old. I don’t know who gave them to me, but I know I loved them dearly. Being born and raised in South Texas, it’s pretty much mandatory to have boots, right? I outgrew them a year or so later, and got my next pair when I was 15. My aunt was helping clear an extended family member’s home after they had passed and stumbled upon several pairs of boots that were my size. In the pile was a pair of red boots that fit like a glove, which were also about 15 years old. I wore them everywhere, and when I discovered country dance at 18, I wouldn’t go without my red boots. They were special to me and became my signature piece. I wore them to my high school reunion, and the only way people recognized me was because I was wearing my red boots. I still have them, after all the years of dancing, and having them resoled twice, they are now retired and sit on display in my closet. In May of 2023, a major wave of trauma and grief occurred in my life. My therapist told me that I needed to do something big, something extremely social, something very creative, and something healthy that would fill in the dark hole that had been created. I knew it was dance, and when the opportunity to be a line dance instructor fell upon me, I jumped in. My friend Hilary and I created my logo from scratch, starting with the red boots, then built the name. We toggled so many different names. The song “Boots on a Dance Floor” by Jon Wolfe has always been one of my favorites, and so it stuck. My red boots belong on the dance floor, it’s where my heart resides. I decided that I will never give up dancing again.
What first sparked your love for dancing, and how did that evolve into creating your own brand?
I’ve been moving and grooving since I could sit up straight and crawl. My mom has photos of me as a toddler dressed up in princess gowns and ballerina clothes. When I was 7, my mom discovered Footwork, the local dance studio, and immediately enrolled me for the next year. I quickly became the best in every class I took in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, and musical theatre. I was even the youngest member of the advanced dance competition team. At 14, I started teaching alongside the instructors and my senior year, I was teaching at another studio in a neighboring town while going to school, running on the cross country and track teams, and donning the school mascot. At 18, I graduated high school and began teaching and managing the dance school program at Hermann Sons in Texas—all while attending college and competing in surf events through Benjamin’s Surf Shop in Corpus Christi. This is when I discovered two-step and was out dancing every night I could. At 19, I was hired to work at Walt Disney World in Orlando to work in character entertainment. I worked there summers between the school year. At 22, I moved to Carlsbad, California, and started teaching dance at Carlsbad Dance Centre. I went to the Temecula Stampede one time, and turned my nose in the air like “I’m from Texas, I don’t line dance” and never went back. Funny thing is, I’m writing this interview as I’m on my way to The Edge Dance Event in Temecula, where I’ll be walking into those doors at the Temecula Stampede this evening.
At the age of 27, I quit dancing when I had my son, Waylon. It was one of the most bittersweet times in my life, where I was so thrilled and excited about raising my son, though I missed dancing. I went through a divorce and moved to Georgia in 2017. There was a dance hall called Electric Cowboy about ten minutes from where I lived, and thought, “Oh what the heck, I’m 30 years old, and I need to live a little,” and so I went to see if there was anyone I could dance with. This is where I discovered line dance. Of course, I wore my red boots. I picked up the dance to “American Kids” on the spot and was hooked. The story goes on from there when I started creating my brand. Now, line dance is my full-time career!
Country dance floors have such a unique culture. What’s your favorite thing about the dance community?
There are all kinds of people in the world, and country dancers are a special breed. We live for the neon lights, the bump of the bass, the thrill of hearing your favorite song to dance to. My favorite thing about the country dance community? A simple default answer would be “the community,” but it’s more than that. It’s the feeling of stepping onto the dance floor, thinking that everyone is watching you make a fool of yourself, and then realizing that no one is watching that closely. It’s the feeling of mastering one step at a time, one dance at a time, one variation at a time, and meeting one person at a time. It’s realizing that everyone feels the same way, and that you’re dancing for yourself, but not by yourself.
You’ve danced at honky-tonks, festivals, and big events—what’s the most memorable place you’ve ever country swing/line danced?
Oh wow, this is a tough one. Since I started teaching line dance in June of 2023, every place I’ve been has its own story and special memory, each one better than the last.
Some standout moments include dancing at Dixie Tavern in Marietta, Georgia; winning first place in advanced line dance at the Forever Country Dance Fest in Dallas, Texas, in November 2024; and watching students from my classes make it to the finals—and even place—in their very first competitions.
I’ve had the honor of teaching at the world-famous Whisky Dix’s Saloon in Aiea, Hawaii. One unforgettable moment was at PeachState when Guyton Mundy asked me how I picked up one of his hardest choreographies on the spot—something he couldn’t believe! Now, just a year later, he’s inviting me to teach at major UCWDC events.
Other highlights include flash mobbing the NASCAR pre-race party at Atlanta Motor Speedway, collaborating with Blanco Brown on choreography, and being asked to emcee the World Dance Showdown alongside two major names in the line dance world.
But what truly takes the cake? The moment my son came running up to me, beaming with pride, because he choreographed his first line dance, which is now requested even more than some of mine!
Looking back, my favorite moments aren’t just about the dancing, they’re about the people I’ve met and the memories we’ve made together. It’s pretty cool to think about!
For someone who’s never country danced before, what’s the best way to jump in and not feel like a total beginner?
I tell all my beginner dancers, if you can count to 8, you’re well ahead of the game! Everyone has walked into their first line dance lesson or partner dance class. The others that are dancing when you arrive have been in your exact shoes at some point in time. I try to make every person feel welcome and give instruction in a way where the advanced dancers learn technique and beginner dancers learn which foot is their right and left. We all get our feet mixed up, so I provide little checkpoints to be sure we are all on the same foot. When we get to dancing to the music, and you feel you’ve made a mistake, you’re actually just improvising and creating your own “remixes” to the dance. Just keep moving, smile bigger, and nobody will ever know.
Do you have a go-to song that instantly makes you want to hit the dance floor?
I have such a variety of music that I like, so I don’t think I have a single go-to song! I will say anything with a strong beat, creative lyrics, and is catchy will totally get my red boots tapping.
You’ve worked with some incredible artists. Any fun behind-the-scenes stories from a show or collaboration?
One of my favorite recent collaboration moments was when country hip-hop music producer and line dance choreographer Elektrohorse FaceTimed me after one of my classes. When I picked up, he was sitting next to Blanco Brown and wanted to introduce us. Just two weeks later, I was leading a flash mob at the NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Blanco performing live, and 30 of my dancers beside me, all doing my choreography. It was one of those surreal, pinch-me moments you just can’t make up!
Another highlight was teaming up with some local bands to put on a trio show at Boot Barn Hall in Gainesville, Georgia. My line dance class got to perform choreography I created to the band's original songs—it was an incredible blend of live music and dance that brought the whole room to life.
Dancing is such a confidence booster. How has it shaped your self-expression and the way you connect with others?
I had a period in life where I wasn’t dancing, and it was the saddest and most stressful time in my life. With all the outside stresses and hard stuff in our lives, everyone needs some sort of outlet. I started teaching line dance to provide more places to dance in the area and also, selfishly, for myself to be able to dance more. My desire to dance and teach others to dance has changed my life drastically.
Little did I know that it would impact others to the same degree. There are four souls that I see every week that dance has saved. By classes being consistent and uplifting, they knew that they had other options than to fall into the darkness. Seeing others in the classroom with that invisible light bulb above their heads suddenly turn on… THAT right there is why I teach. Seeing someone finally click with what is being taught is what gives me the warm fuzzies. Watching my fellow dancers compete and earn titles and buckles, sometimes I’m dancing with them, sometimes in the audience, that gives me the same warm and fuzzy feeling. No matter what is happening in people’s lives outside dance, people know that right there in that moment, it is just them, the dance floor, the lights and music, fellow dancers and onlookers, and nothing can touch them. That is the confidence booster for me.
If you could teach a country artist one dance move, who would it be, and what would you teach them?
One dance move? Just one? How about a whole dance? My absolute favorite country song of all time is Wave on Wave by Pat Green. I’d teach him the whole dance!
What’s next for Red Boots on the Dance Floor? Any big projects or dreams you’re working toward?
There’s always big things happening with Red Boots! I am involved with 15 (and counting) dance conventions this year, and I encourage every single one of my dancers to try to make it to at least one this year with me. I’m putting together a line dance and country swing team of two tiers. The big group is my flash mob group, where we will be doing public flash mob performances throughout the area. The smaller group will be my competitive dancers of a variety of skill levels. My local events are getting bigger, better, and reaching more people with every social media post. Every week is a new opportunity, and I’m so proud to be a part of building a strong line and country dance community in the Atlanta area.
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