Country Dancers Wear Hats, Spurs, Smiles Only

Wednesday November 26, 11:37 AM EST

     ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - A federal judge was deciding Wednesday whether a Florida town should allow country line dance classes by instructors wearing cowboy hats, spurs and nothing else.
     An assistant to U.S. Magistrate David Baker said the judge had not yet ruled on a request from the Silver Spurs Dance Studios of Palm Shores, Fla., that he issue a temporary injunction allowing it to resume naked dance classes.
     The town of Palm Shores shut down the dance studio two years ago. The town contended that the naked classes violated an ordinance that lets the local government cancel the business license of any establishment violating the health, safety and welfare of the community.
     During a hearing on Tuesday, an attorney for Palm Shores said Silver Spurs had lost its license not because of the nude line dancing, but because it committed fraud on its business license application.
     Silver Spurs did not tell Palm Shores that its line dance classes would be conducted by teachers without clothing, attorney Michael Kahn told the court.
     If Baker grants the injunction, Silver Spurs would be allowed to reopen its doors until a hearing expected early next year.
     The school's nude classes taught such country music dances as the "Achy, Breaky Heart" and "Water Melon Slide."