Heffernan has spent more than 10 years teaching line dance, drawing on an unlikely foundation that began in a family-run Bavarian Schuhplattler group in Pennsylvania. Now based in Wilmington, she’s developed a reputation for classes that are demanding without being intimidating. That mix has carried her into the national spotlight as a Top 15 finalist in Nashville Dance Fest’s Fresh Boots competition, where instructors from across the country gather to teach, compete, and compare notes on a dance form that keeps reinventing itself.

Long before line dance playlists and viral routines, Heffernan learned movement inside a tightly knit group setting, where precision and togetherness mattered as much as flair.

“Being part of that schuhplattler group taught me that dance is bigger than just steps, it’s about community,” Heffernan said. “From a young age, I was surrounded by a group of people all working toward the same goal: moving in sync, telling a story together, and creating something that only works when everyone’s committed.”

Schuhplattler, a traditional Bavarian folk dance, is precise and patterned, built on formations, timing, and repetition that leave little room for error. That structure left a deep impression, one that Heffernan still draws on as a teacher.

Submitted photo
Morgan (Bobb) Heffernan leads dancers through a routine during a crowded class.

“It introduced me to choreography early on,” Heffernan said. “Schuhplattler is very structured, formations, counts, timing, musicality, and that foundation is incredibly relevant to line dance. Understanding how movement is built and repeated, how transitions flow, and how to stay sharp within a group setting is something I carry into every class I teach.”

When she first began teaching line dance, that foundation was there, even if the methods were improvised. “When I first started teaching, I honestly didn’t even know what a step sheet was,” Heffernan said. “I learned dances from videos online to songs I liked, and taught them the same way. It was very instinct-based.”

That instinct served her early on, but experience reshaped it. Over time, preparation became as important as passion, and step sheets turned into planning tools rather than references of last resort.

“Now, step sheets are invaluable, and I think carefully about how I’m going to break it down for my specific audience,” Heffernan said. “Are they absolute beginners, or dancers who’ve been on the floor for years? Will they learn best if I cue step names, counts, or both? Does someone need me standing right next to them so they can mirror the movement?”

Teaching, for Heffernan, is an act of attention, shaped by posture, foot placement, and hesitation. She watches posture, foot placement, and hesitation. “Does someone need me standing right next to them so they can mirror the movement? I’m constantly reading the room and adjusting in real time,” Heffernan said.

That flexibility has become even more important as line dance culture has accelerated in recent years. “The age of TikTok has also transformed line dance culture,” Heffernan said. “New dances seem to go viral almost daily, and people want to learn them immediately. That means I have to stay on top of music and dance trends while filtering what will actually work for my community.”

Staying current is part of the job now, but so is restraint.

That balance is built into how her classes are structured. Beginner and intermediate sessions give dancers a place to start and a place to aim. Within each class, Heffernan focuses on clarity, returning again and again to how movements should feel. “I don’t just say the name of a step,” Heffernan said. “I explain what it should feel like in the body.”

Her background as a physical therapist shapes that language and how she explains it. She cues weight shifts, balance points, muscle engagement, and posture. Movements are explained as sensations rather than instructions, something dancers can feel as they repeat them.

“Even in intermediate dances, I build in foundational reminders so newer dancers can follow along and start connecting patterns,” Heffernan said. “I want beginners to feel challenged, not overwhelmed, and I want experienced dancers to feel pushed, not bored.”

That approach has earned her a loyal following and recent national recognition. Learning she’d been named a Top 15 finalist in Nashville Dance Fest’s Fresh Boots competition caught her off guard. “Complete shock,” Heffernan said. “There are so many incredibly talented instructors across the country, so to see my name listed alongside a small sample of them was such an honor.”

For Heffernan, the recognition extends beyond herself and into the community that supports her. “Our dance community here is unbelievably supportive,” Heffernan said. “I know without a doubt they’ll rally behind me, and that makes this opportunity even more meaningful.”

She’s attended Nashville Dance Fest before as a participant, and what stays with her is the shared language that emerges on the floor. “One of my favorite parts is seeing the regional styles and dances people bring from their own communities,” Heffernan said. “You can actually feel the diversity of the country on the dance floor: different influences, teaching styles, and musical tastes, all blending together.”

Despite those differences, connection happens quickly on the floor. “What makes line dance so special is the shared language it creates,” Heffernan said. “There aren’t many hobbies where people from across the country and across the world can walk into a room together and instantly connect through the same steps and counts. Within minutes, you’re dancing side by side like you’ve known each other for years.”

If the competition leads to a teaching slot at the festival, her goal remains the same. “I want the same thing I want for my students every single week: confidence,” Heffernan said. “I want dancers to walk away feeling like they truly learned something new and understood the steps they were doing. I want them to feel capable, challenged, successful, and excited to keep learning.”

The moments she values most are quiet ones. “When someone leaves class thinking, ‘I didn’t know I could do that,’ that’s everything to me,” Heffernan said. “If I can create that feeling on a bigger stage, then I’ve done my job.”

For now, she’s in the studio, watching faces as much as feet, counting people in before they feel ready. Voting for the Fresh Boots competition runs through Feb. 20. Supporters can visit http://www.nashvilledancefest.com and select the Fresh Boots Instructor Search to vote for the former home-grown Lewistown resident.

The music starts, the room settles, and once again, everyone listens.