Skeedaddle away from the monotony of Rugby Road and discover Wednesday night country line dancing at Max's.
A 20-year-old Charlottesville tradition, tucked behind the railway tracks and next to the live music venue Trax, Max's offers everything from cowboy boots to back-flips, "Cotton-eyed Joe," to "Back That Azz Up," and on Wednesday nights, University students get in for free.
Max's "is a good place to go if you're a cowboy nerd at heart," said first-year College student Dana Grant from Connecticut, who donned cowboy boots and a denim skirt for the occasion. "The people aren't judgmental, just mental," she said with a smile.
At Max's last Wednesday night, regular boot scooters filled the dance floor while onlookers yelled hearty "yeehaws!" as the dance moves got more complicated. Beginners, mostly University students, stood out in khaki capris and flip-flops, but didn't let their conspicuous attire deter them from having fun all the same.
From cowboy hoots to out-of-control dancers doing back flips off a raised stage, Max's provides a change of pace from a student's typical week of writing papers and studying.
"It's packed every Wednesday," said Crystal Morris, a recent Charlottesville High School graduate and 'The Max' weekly regular.
Morris added that it usually "gets good" around 10 or 10:30 p.m. when the younger crowd, comprised mostly of students, starts drifting in.
"More U.Va. students start coming in as the school semester wears on and they get increasingly settled into their schedules," said Wednesday night DJ Tom Beazley, dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans.
The most requested dance is the "Funky Cowboy," Beazley said, a fast paced line-dancing staple that has regulars pumping their arms and clicking their boot heels. But don't worry if these toe tapping steps seem elusive - free instruction is held each Wednesday from 8 to 9 p.m.
It's mostly an older crowd grooving on the dance floor earlier in the evening, but this crowd thins out as the night wears on. Then the students arrive.
Located at 120 11th Street, next to Trax night club, Max's is less than a five minute walk from the 14th Street bus stop and it's open until midnight.
Previous line dancing experience or even a penchant for country music is not a prerequisite for enjoyment.
"I come here to meet new people and see old friends," said Charlottesville resident Randy Walton, on leave from the Navy, who sat smoking under the brim of his baseball cap while watching his friends twist and turn on the dance floor.
Regulars constitute a large portion of the dance floor crowd at Max's and willingly offer some tips to wary students on the side. If not that, they'll at least offer you a little encouragement.
That's all it takes to slip into one of the many lines crossing the dance floor and follow the quick steps of the synchronized crowd.
"Getting onto the dance floor wasn't too hard," said first-year Engineering student Zena Martin. "Once I got used to the style of dancing, it was actually fun."
The dances vary in complexity, from slow- moving footwork to fast-paced shuffles, kicks and turns, but as the night goes on, a beginner can memorize at least some of the moves.
"Some of the dance steps are repetitive, which makes them easier to learn," said first-year Engineering student Alla Aksel.
The majority of the club's space is dedicated to a well-lit wooden dance floor, with plenty of round tables and plastic chairs on the side for tired dancers to take breaks between numbers. For those over 21, there is a bar, but ID is required at the door for patrons to get stamped for service later on in the evening. For something more mellow and relaxing, pool tables and a few arcade games flank the bar as an alternative to the fast-paced dance floor.
The extensive variety at Max's also extends to the music, where line dancing to Elvis' "Jailhouse Rock" or Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive," is interspersed between traditional country songs, such as the "Honky Tonk Blues."
Max's even manages to provide a hip-hop flair for the crowd that stays until closing time.
For the last 15 minutes of the night, Beazley mixes every kind of music from Old Dirty Bastard to Juvenile, as everyone exits the club to the sounds of "Back That Azz Up."
For the past two decades, Max's has provided an alternative entertainment venue for musical aficionados of all genres. Whether a country music fanatic, bubble gum bopper, hard rocker or hip hopper, there is always space for newcomers on that hard wooden dance floor.
Just remember, ditch those flimsy flip-flops and sport some closed-toe shoes, which are best for learning the fast paced footwork. And it gets hot, so dress appropriately.
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