Older Dance Reviews
(well more'n a few months old)
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I'm "just" a
dancer - I don't teach or choreograph, so I don't have to
worry about politics. ☺ In these reviews
I call the shots as I see 'em
- if I like a dance I'll say so, if I dislike a dance, I'll also say
so. Please note none of the comments are meant to be personal, just
what I thought of the dance in question.
If anyone wants to submit
a dance
review, please email 'em. Indicate whether ya wish the review to be
anonymous or not (still send me yer name), also what country &
state ya from.
Rating:
This is purely subjective and reflects my view of the dance, the music (keep in mind I'm a country music fan)
and how the two go together. '****' Brilliant, '***' great, '**' good,
'*'
so-so, '-' hmmm...
☺
I recommend any dance with a ** rating or above. The date refers to
when the dance was choreographed.
The album is given in [..]'s.
For
recent reviews, see the current reviews page (click here)
| Reviews: |
Among the
Gumtrees; Let's Twitch; Wildcat; Perfect Day; Good Morning Beautiful;
Get A Life; Your Love; Treat Her Good; Like a Bird on a Wire; Girls
Night Out; 16 Bars From Luckenbach; Live Your Dream; Hell Or High
Water; Wild Kisses; Bad Days; Forever on My Mind; Love Me, Love Me;
Shoop Shoop; I Believe in Angels; But I Do; Move It; Rock n' Roll Is
King; Birmingham; Just Wright; L.O.V.E.; Mr Lonely; The Fun Begins;
Sweet Dreams; God's Been Good; Angel Eyes; Home; Without You; Caught In
The Act; Into Something Good; Walk This Earth; Funtasia; Point, One,
Two; My Better Half; Walk On; All Day Long; Ready To Fly; I Found You;
And More; The Fifth Wish; Whiskey Girl; Tonight We're Young; Halfway to
Mexico; Save The Last Dance; Follow Me; Soluna; I Miss Me; Heat on the
Street; Across the Mississippi; Baptized In Beer; Nothin' to Lose; The
Ride; Gentlemen; Bigger Boat on the River; Strait Exit; Trying to Find
Atlantis; Guardian Angel; Down to the River; If It's Over; Flames of
Desire; Life Love Liberty; Do You Love Me; Another Day; Don't Wanna;
Wouldn't It Be Nice; Like She's Not Yours; The Right Side of Town;
Cotton Pickin'; You Know What That Means; Louisiana Melody; What If I
Said; Side By Side; Mars Attack; The Way That...; Breakaway; Shine Your
Light; Grace and Favour; I Love The Senoritas; No Way Out; Some Beach;
This I Swear; My Way; Someday Baby; Give It Up; What Car; Next To You,
Next To Me; Going All The Way!; Party for Two; Free For A Moment!;
Being Us Again; Lord & Master; Last Plane Out Of Sydney; Dixie's
Honky Tonk; I Ain't No Quitter; Dare
2 Party; A Better Man;
Don't Come Easy; Sky Full Of Angels; Goin' Down; Better Life;
Don't Know; Unburn All Our Bridges; In a Moment; Mr Mom; Take it Easy;
Too Much Candy; Shiv-a-ree; You and I; Big Time; Maybe; Barefoot &
Pregnant; A Man Is Not A Camel!;
Fudge It; Girls Gone Wild; Open Season; A Devil in Me; Push; Back To
The Island; Go West; Western Cha Cha;
Women Rule; All Clear; A Bit of Alright; Where I Belong; Mary's Zorba;
Drinkin' Bone; Turbo Twang;
Come Fly With Me; Pure Country; Ride 'em Cowboy; The Ice Cream Song;
Start Living; Guys Like Me; When She Drinks; Days Go By; Sun Up; Hold
You Now;
Waiting All My Life; Hey Good Lookin'; Wrong Girl; Something Easy;
Jamacia; Free With a Tree;
Canadian Stroll; Forever Dance; Show Me The Money; Neutron Dance;
Tumbleweed 2; Across The Sea (a.k.a. Sea Sick);
A Good Thing; Addiction; Drive; Amazing; Buy Me A Drink; Doctor,
Doctor; I Got a Feeling; Nights Like This; Elusive Love;
Is it Love Yet?; All Night Long
Romantasy; Burnin' Bridges; Just Got to Stay; You Are; The River; High
on the Mountain; Heartache Tonight; Much Too Young; Slow Burn;
The Meaning of Love; Hell Yeah!; Shine On; Leave Right Now; It's You;
Zest Appeal;
Where the Girls Are; Camp it up; My Valentine; Original Sin;
Rescue Me; Faster; Slow Hand; Extremity; Love Changes Everything;
Before it's too Late;
A Lotta Rhythm; Nu Flow; For the First Time; First to Last; Senorita;
Make Your Mind Up; Maybe I Could; Together 4 Ever; That's
a Woman; I Need Your Love; Man in the Moon; Sweet Southern Comfort;
Please Don't Stop; I Shoulda; Jacksonville; The Real World; Time After
Time;
Sway; You've Got No Heart; Cha Y'all; Do It All; How High; She Believes
In Me; Cheek to
Cheek; Crazy Love; Stranger in My House; Trembling Lips; Wave
on Wave; Scrapped; The Voice Within; What About Me; Sweet Nothin's;
From Here to Eternity; All in My Heart Waltz; Leave Right Now; Country
2 Step;
Crazy; Jump In; I Remember; Swing Your Chains; Done Deal; Cold Blooded;
31st
April; Light O' Day; Land of Enchantment; Secret Storm; Call Me; After
All; Spanish Waltzing;
Beautiful Senorita; Que Sera Sera; In Love With You; Here We Go;
Everybody's Doing It; The Swing; Desperado; Keeper of My Heart; Take it
to the River; By Your Side; Family Ties; My Guy.
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| Revised: |
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Among the Gumtrees - Linda Burgess [4w,32c];
9/2005
Beginner/improver dance to a country song ("Give Me A Home Among The
Gum Trees" by John Williamson [Home Among the Gum Trees]). Hard to
get much more country than this. A fairly simple dance, tho' the
shuffles and heeljacks strictly speaking put it in the improver level,
however this was done at a workshop and non-linedancers didn't have all
that much trouble picking up the dance (it's not quick). A fun dance
with optional arm movements. No tags/restarts.
Let's Twitch - Linda Burgess [4w,64c]; 9/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a rock 'n roll track ("Jukebox" by
Michael Martin Murphy [Land of Enchantment]). A fairly easy dance,
which is probably achievable at the imrpover level. Has a similar feel
and difficulty as 'Rock 'n Roll is King", which is also going around,
tho' not as quick. This one wasn't really to my taste, but seemed to go
down well in class. The one big drawback is that the dance travels
quite a bit, so small steps and watch the furniture if you're on the
outside. A few steps felt awkward when walking thru', but seemed to
settle down when doing to the music when you got the momentum going. No
tags/restarts.
Wildcat - John Hughes [4w,64c]; 7/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("Kentucky Wildcat" by
Kentucky Headhunters [Stompin' Grounds]. A nice pacey dance, but
doesn't feel too quick. Not much floor movement and the dance flows
fairly well. Quite a good effort by a novice choreographer. The only
section that caused trouble when teaching was counts 41-48 with all the
turns - the footwork isn't all that difficult but all the turns can be
a bit confusing and warrant extra attention when teaching
(alternatively leave out the full turn and just do a 1/4 turn for the
non turners). Count 41 did feel a bit awkward at first, but that passes
with practice. The 1/4 turn right & step together at the end felt
better as a 1/4 turn and two sways, but that's just personal styling.
One easy mid-wall tag done three times (every chorus) and a 4th tag
with is really just a restart.
Perfect Day - Brett Jenkins & Stephen Patterson
[2w,60c]; 7/2005
Intermediate waltz to a country song ("Oh, What a Perfect Day"
by George Strait [Somewhere Down in Texas]). A tricky dance that'll
take a fair few tries to nail down. It has quite a lot of syncopation
(has a 1-3&4-6 count), so a tad difficult to dance with waltz
styling. I've never liked waltzes with syncopation, so this one faces a
big uphill battle with me and just doesn't make it, especially with a
3&4&5&6 section. To my ear the syncopation doesn't seem to
be in the music and getting the right count did cause some trouble in
class (and it's an advanced class). Probably more an
intermediate/advanced dance. Nice music tho'. If you don't mind
syncopated waltzes, then it may be worth a try since some did like it.
One restart, but ignore the obvious restart in the music - the real one
is latter on.
Good Morning Beautiful - Mark Simpkin & Kate Moore
[2w,32c]; 6/2005
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Good Morning Beautiful"
by Steve Holy [Blue Moon]). A quickish dance that felt a bit rushed to
me, at least on the first week. After a few walls to the music it does
start to flow. The dance is fairly characteristic of Simpkin's
choreography style and will no doubt quite appeal to those who prefer
his style. Not much floor movement. Three restarts which may take a bit
of practice to hear in the music, especially the last two.
Get A Life - Carl Sullivan [2w,64c]; 7/2005
Upper intermediate dance to a contry track ("Gonna Get a Life"
by Mark Chesnutt [What a Way to Live]). A pacey dance with some tricky
stepwork. Definitely not for the improver or low intermediate class
(unless you're prepared to spent a long time teaching and revising).
Counts 33-40 will likely cause the most trouble in class, tho' they are
easier to do at dance speed when you have gotten the momentum going and
it's easier to keep your balance. The full turns would, of course, be
optional for the non-turners. When you do the full turn on count 16,
just trail the left leg around as you turn, but make sure the weight
stays on the right (or just step, drag). The 1/2 turn on count 27
caused a bit of trouble in class. Counts 50-56 seemed a bit simple and
out of place compared to the rest of the dance, but I guess it gives
you an opportunity to catch your breath. There's a bit of floor
movement, but nothing excessive. Two tags, two restarts.
Your Love - Mark Simpkin & Kate Moore [2w,64c];
1/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("How Your Love Makes Me Feel"
by Diamond Rio [Greatest Hits]). This one starts off with Mark's
signature kick-ball-changes, but after that the dance settles down to
flow fairly smoothly. There are several "step R to R, step L to L"
sequences on the sheet which could be side rock, recovers or stomps.
Given the choreographer's sytle, they're prolly stomps, however note
I've never seen the choreographer or his group do the dance. They did
end up being stomps in class. The restarts all occur with these "out,
out"s, which is convienient. There's not much floor movement and some
of the turns oculd be left out for non-turners and there're
opportunities to add extra turns for those who want a bit more. I
wasn't too keen on the tag. The dance was originally done as a comp
dance, so choreographed for appearance rather than feel. Two tags, a
restart and a restart/tag.
Treat Her Good - Brett Jenkins [1w,64c]; 7/2005
Improver dance to a country song ("Lonely Women Make Good Lovers"
by Steve Wariner [Ultimate Collection]). A fairly simple dance -
there's nothing difficult with the stepwork and the danced flows fairly
well. Counts 32-64 are a repeat of the first 32 counts, on the opposite
foot. This may cause some confusion at first. The dance did seem to
move a fair bit towards the 9:00 wall and after a few walls there was a
'traffic jam' on that side. Whether this is the dance or the class is
another matter. There is a tag, however it was accidently left off in
the teach and no-one noticed the lack of phrasing. One tag.
Like a Bird on a Wire - Tracie & Sylvia Lee
[2w,48c]; 8/2005
Improver dance to a country-pop song ("Bird on a Wire" by Jimmy
Barnes, Troy Cassar-Daley & Bella [Double Happiness]). Barnes is
one of those singers you love or hate. At least he actually tries to
sing in this song rather than his usual scream. Already quite a few
dances out to this song (and at least three going around locally) and
all are much the same difficulty. Choreography of this one flows quite
well. It's tempting to do 28-30 as a forward waltz, but the walks
forward ensure the dance doesn't move around the floor too much. Note
also that 7-12 move backwards - there's a tendency to do them on the
spot. I found the cross behind on count 13 to feel awkward, but with
practice it started to settle down. No tags/restarts.
Girls Night Out - Terry Hogan [2w,64c]; 1994
Intermediate dance to a country song ("Girls' Night Out" by Gina
Jeffreys [The Flame]). An old classic from the early days of
linedancing in Australia that keeps surfacing on local dance floors
every now and again. The first 8 counts are typical Terry Hogan -
"tricky". An easy option is to do a kick, 5 rocks, 1/4 turn right and
then step together. Note that the vine on counts 9-12 turns backwards.
The only other thing to be careful about is to make sure you get the
weight changes right (steps vs taps & holds). There's a lot of
repetition in the middle. Quite quick, so I'm not too sure of the b/m
on the dance sheet. No tags/restarts.
16 Bars From Luckenbach - Linda Burgess [2w,64c]; 7/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("16 Bars From Luckenbach"
by Rick Sousley [Patsy Proof]). Sousley is a new artist who sounds a
lot like George Strait (the whole album does). A nice flowing dance
well suited to the music. There is a lot of floor movement, in all four
directions. Counts 51-54 also felt awkward, tho' moreso when walking
thru'. This was the only spot that caused any toruble in class. Should
be Ok for an improver class, especially if you simplify some of the
turns. Two restarts.
Live Your Dream - Dee Musk [4w,48c]; 5/2005
Upper intermediate waltz to a country track ("Second Chance" by
Trisha Yearwood [Inside Out]). Note the choreographer has made a few
changes to this dance, so make sure you have a sheet dated 7/2005. A
really nice waltz. A bit quickish, but doesn't feel rushed like many of
the quick waltzes that've come out in the past year or so. The count is
a bit hard to pick up, especially on the first 3 walls, plus there're
quite a few tricky turns, so this one is probably not for everyone,
especially those who don't like turns. I'm a sucker for nice, flowing
'feelie' waltzes and this one definitely fits the bill. Not much floor
movement. The full turns on counts 13-18 and 43-48 are really done over
three counts. No tags/restarts.
Hell Or High Water - Yvonne Anderson [2w,48c]; 5/2005
Intermediate dance to country song ("Hell Or High Water" by
George Canyon [One Good Friend]). A very quick dance and probably not
for those who have dicky knees or ankles since it puts a lot of strain
on them and there were a few complaints afterwards about soreness. The
two "heel-hook-heel-flick, buttermilk, coaster" sections were the only
parts that caused trouble in class (and the parts which're hard on the
knees and ankles). Not much floor movement. There's a bit of
uncertainity about the 1/2 turn in the first set of 8. The original
sheet has the turn on count 6 which feels very awkward. In class we did
it on count 7, which is how the choreographer did the dance in a video.
Two tags.
Wild Kisses - Tracie Lee [2w,64c]; 1998
Easy intermediate dance to a country song ("Serious Love" by
Rick Trevino [Learning As You Go]). A pacey, lively dance from back in
the 1990's. Nothing particularly difficult with the steps tho' counts
25-32 did trouble a few initially. The shoulder shakes at the end are
definitely optional - when they're done properly it looks quite
impressive. Note that the dance does not phrase to the music, so watch
out for unintended restarts. Not much floor movement and the
choreography flows quite well. No tags/restarts.
Bad Days - Mitchell & Linda Burgess [4w, 32/64c];
7/2005
Intermediate dance to a pop song ("Bad Day" by Daniel Powter).
Originally choreographed as a 32 count dance, some people had taught it
as a 64 count dance so the sheet has been revised as a 64 count dance.
Take your pick as to which one you use, tho' of course the 64 count
version is done on the double-speed beat. Personally I think the 32
count version suits the music better (1-2&,3-4&). The dance
seemed awkward when walking thru', tho' this settled down when doing to
the music. The two coasters in counts 9-18 (in the 64 count sheet) are
both *back* coasters, which caused a bit of trouble in class with many
instinctively doing a forward coaster on the second one. Counts 17-19
again, in the 64 count version) are really a cross-rock, hold, recover
(this is obvious on the 32 count sheet). Dance has a bit of floor
movement. One easy tag.
Forever on My Mind - Peter Fry [4w,64c]; 6/2005
Advanced dance to a contry song ("It's Getting Better all the Time"
by Brooks & Dunn [Greatest Hits 2]. The sheet says intermediate,
but it's definitely not for the average intermediate dancer. Best leave
this one for the intermediate/advanced classes - it's a definite
challenge. Dance moves around the floor a bit and has a lot of turns.
The sheet looks a bit fearsome, but it's just a "&1-2, &3-4"
count throughout. After a few tries it does start to fit together and
flow and I suspect with a fair bit of practice this will be a smooth
and nice feeling dance, a bit reminiscent of his "The 5th Wish". A few
spots put a noticable strain on the ankles, especially counts
&9-10&11. Counts 32-40 seemed to cause particular trouble in
class. Two restarts (the 2nd is on count 36, not 44 as on the original
sheet).
Love Me, Love Me - Kevin & Maria Smith [2w,64c];
6/2005
Improver dance to a rock 'n roll song ("Love Me, Love Me" by The
Dean Brothers [Stuck on You]). There's a bit of debate with the music
for this. The sheet has the music "A Taste of Calypso". The Dean's
website does not list this, however there is a song "Love Me, Love Me",
to which there is a dance called "A taste of Calypso". I suspect the
music was obtained electronically under the name of the other dance,
not the song itself. The dance itself is fairly easy, with a nice flow
and well suited to the music. A fair bit of floor movement, especially
if you do shuffles instead of cha-cha's. No tags/restarts.
Shoop Shoop - Simon Ward [4w,32c]; 5/2005
Improver dance to a pop song ("The Shoop Shoop Song" by Cher
[Mermaids Soundtrack]). A simply little dance which nicely fits the
music. Nothing difficult with the steps, tho' the first 8 counts felt a
bit 'dicky'. Don't forget to shoop-shoop on counts 17-24! Not much
floor movement and shouldn't trouble upper beginners. Two tags (repeat
the last 8 counts).
I Believe in Angels - Gordon Elliott [2w,64c]; 4/2005
Upper intermediate dance to a contry song ("I Believe" by
Diamond Rio [Completely]). A tricky number. Unfortunately the large
number of turns and the very slow music may limit it's appeal - it got
a mixed reaction in class, some quite liking it, others just as vocally
disliking it because it was "too slow". A shame since I found it to be
a very smooth dance which nicely fitted the music - definitely a
"feelie" dance, so not for those who like them hard and fast. A few
spots caused trouble in class. The 1/2 turn sweep after count 4 is
relatively quick, on the & count. There was a strong temptation for
many to rock forward on count 17 rather than to the side. This made the
following steps rather more difficult. Not much floor movement. No
tags/restarts.
But I Do - Judith Campbell and Bill Larson [2w,32c];
4/2005
Improver dance to a country track ("I Do" by Mila Mason). A nice
feeling dance to a rather mellow song. The count is a bit tricky at
first - there's a lot of 1-2& (etc) counts and the few times
there's not an & count, you feel like doing one. Eg: a ball-step,
step instead of a shuffle. Counts 9-14 may take a bit of practice and
are the only steps in the dance that should challenge improvers. The
beat is a bit hard to pick up on the first wall. One restart.
Move It - Dancing Dynamics [2w,64c]; 3/2005
Intermediate dance to a spanish dance mix ("Muevete" by David
Civera). The music for this one will definitely not appeal to everyone.
However for those who like the music, the dance is very well styled to
the music. A lively dance and a good one for the exhibitionists in
class. Nothing tricky with the steps, tho' I did find it a bit of a
strain on the knees. Not sure if counts 33-40 are samba's or mambo's.
Travels a bit. No tags/restarts.
Rock n' Roll Is King - Barry Andracchio [2w,64c]; 5/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a rock 'n roll song ("Rock n' Roll Is King"
by Electric Light Orchestra). Easy steps, however the dance pace is
quite quick, so it may be a bit of a challenge for some improvers. The
rolling vines on counts 16-24 could be done as vanilla vines, making it
a bit easier. The music stops for 8 counts near the end, either dance
thru' or hold for the 8 counts (omitting the next 8 counts). Two
restarts;
Birmingham - Karen Jennings [2w,96c]; 3/2005
Upper intermediate dance to a country song ("Paint Me a Birmingham"
by Tracey Lawrence [Strong]). I saw this done at a few socials and
wasn't exactly impressed. Doing and seeing in this case were, however,
very different things. A very flowing and graceful dance with lots of
drags and sweeps, yet is isn't all that slow. Nothing exceptionally
tricky with the steps. The drag on count 48 is easy to leave out (and
get ahead) and the turns on counts 77-80 caused a bit of trouble at
first. The few sequences that had steps on the 4 and 8 counts may feel
a bit "off" at first since almost all these counts are holds, sweeps or
drags. A little bit of floor movement. Two restart/tags.
Just Wright - Maggie Gallagher [2w,64c]; 2/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a country song ("C'est La Vie" by
Chely Wright [The Metropolitan Hotel]). The music is very reminiscent
of Scooter Lee. The sheet says beginner/improver, but I've done this in
two intermediate classes and both times caused some trouble, so it's
probably more an easy intermediate dance. The start caused the most
trouble - starts off with a side shuffle, rock back - a common start
which is then followed by a side shuffle rock recover to the other
side. However in this dance you cross and then a series of points. More
than a few went into a shuffle instead. Apart from that the dance is
fairly easy. Has arm actions for those who like such things. No
tags/restarts.
L.O.V.E. - Joan Alexander [2w,64c]; 2005
Beginner/improver dance to a caberet style song ("L.O.V.E." by
Peter Perez). Not much to this dance - it's basically just a LOT of toe
struts and not much else. Two vines, two jazz-boxes and a few swivets.
The swivets may trouble beginners - fans, swivels etc would do just as
well. The 1/4 turn jazz-box at the end feels like it should turn the
other way (more natural), but that's just being fussy. A good dance for
introducing toe struts. The Perez music is hard to get and some are
using the version by Nat King Cole, for which the tag is dropped. One
tag.
Mr Lonely - Mitchell Burgess [4w,32c]; 7/2005
Easy intermediate dacne to a, errr, comedy rap song? ("Lonely"
by Akon [Trouble]). The music for this is, well, best described as the
Chipmunks go rap. The music got a rather poor reception in class, tho'
the dance itself was well received. It will probably only appeal to the
younger dancers. The dance has a nice feel with a bit of a bounce to
it. I found the last step awkward and felt better as a pivot turn
without a weight transfer. No tags/restarts.
The Fun Begins - Brett Jenkins [4w,48c]; 4/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("T.G.I.F." by Lonestar
[Let’s Be Us Again]). Might be a bit of a challenge for improvers, but
hardly the intermediate/advanced that the sheet says. Nothing
particularly difficult with the steps, tho' the music is fairly quick.
The tags & restarts are not too clear in the music (that may just
take practice) and the phrasing towards the end is 'curious' (the fault
of the song, not the dance). This is one of two dances to this song
going around locally, the other is a genuine advanced dance. Two tags,
one restart.
Sweet Dreams - Chris Watson [2w,64c]; 5/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a rap song ("Sweet Dreams My La Ex"
by Rachel Stevens [Funky Dory]). The music for this one will definitely
limit it's appeal and probably drastically. If most in the class like
this sort of music then it may be worth a try. I couldn't get past the
music, nor could most of the class. Only two remained on the floor for
a second try. No tags/restarts.
God's Been Good - Tom Glover [4w,32c]; 3/2005
Improver dance to a country-rock song ("God's Been Good to Me"
by Keith Urban [Be Here]). This is the second dance I've learnt to this
song and I have to admit I much preferred to other one ("Grace and
Favour"), which came out late last year. This dance would suit a spilt
floor with intermediates doing the other dance. Nothing difficult with
the steps. There is a lot of syncopation, but the music is a tad on the
slow side. One tag and one restart.
Angel Eyes - Gordon Elliott & Linda Pink [4w,64c];
11/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop-rock song ("Angel Eyes" by Michael
Learns to Rock [Blue Night]). This dance has been around a while and
has become very popular outside of Sydney. Flows quite nicely, tho' the
music may not appeal to everyone. A few spots probably warrant extra
attention when teaching this dance. The 3/4 turn on count 25 follows a
hold, which many in class left out, getting out of time. The two turns
on counts 32-40 are not pivot turns - there's no weight transfer. The
dance does travel a bit and is quite turn intensive (tho' many of the
turns can be easily left out). Went down quite well in class, apart
from a few who didn't like the music. No tags/restarts.
Home - Chris Watson [4w,32c]; 6/2005
Intermediate dance to a pop song ("I Wanna Go Home" by Michael
Buble [It's Time]). A deceptively tricky dance, mostly because of the
count. After a few walls it started to flow and fit the music, but
definitely one that will take a few tries to get comfortable with. I've
done this in two classes, one it was a success, in the other it
flopped. Some prefer another dance to the song and others disliking the
song itself. Keep track of the count or it can be easy to get out of
phrase. The rolling shuffle on 29&30 doesn't say which way to turn
on the original sheet, according to the choreographer it's a left turn.
The touch, 1/2 unwind (followed by the sways) is done on one count. One
short tag.
Without You - Rosalie Mackay [2w,32c]; 4/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a country track ("I'm Tired Of Being
Something (That Means Nothing To You)" by Ron Williams [Natural
Thing]). The music s quite slow and some gave the dance the thumbs down
because it was "too slow". The count is a bit unusual in places and
most of the turns are syncopated - apart from this the dance is
relatively easy. Dance flows well and has a nice feel to it. Count 7
feels strange, crossing behind instead of over, but it does flow better
that way (eventually). There's a sudden direction change at the end of
the wall going into the next wall, but if you end the wall with a bit
of a lunge, it flows ok. Rather than have a long (or no) intro, there's
a 16 count danced intro, which is just the last 16 counts of the dance.
Note that the dance starts on the word "they". No tags/restarts.
Caught In The Act - Ann Wood [4w,64c]; 2/2004
Easy intermediate dance to a rock song ("Who's Been Sleeping In My
Bed" by Glenn Frey [Solo Collection]), there is a country
alternative, but the dance suits the music so well it'd be a shame to
use anything else. Has a bit of pace, but the choreography flows very
nicely. Only two spots which may need extra attention. The heel jacks
with holds are sufficiently unusual to cause trouble with those who've
done heel jacks before - you might want to teach this with a click or
clap on the holds to emphasise them. The left turn near the end may
also cause a bit of bother - with the step sequence the turn would
normally be a right turn. Not much floor movement. No tags/restarts.
Into Something Good - Alison Biggs [2w,48c]; 4/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a 60's pop track ("I’m Into Something Good"
by Herman’s Hermits [20 Greatest Hits]). This one got a mixed reception
in class with a few walk off's during the music - probably partially
because of the music. Whether to do this one or not would very much
depend on the musical preferences (and probably age) of the people in
the class. Counts 5-10 felt like they should have been syncopated in
the music. No reason they have to be, but a few in class got ahead in
this section. Apart from that, nothing tricky with the steps, tho' the
dance is quite brisk. Steps should be ok for an improver class, but the
pace may put it beyond a fair number at that level. One restart.
Walk This Earth - Dee Musk [2w,48c]; 4/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("Just A Dream" by Jimmy
Wayne [Jimmy Wayne]). Dance has a nice feel to it and a fairly smooth
flow despite a lot of ball-steps'. Got a very mixed reception in class
with some liking it and others disliking it. Not sure if it'll make it
to the third week. A pretty turn intensive dance, few of which could be
left out (and then usually only the easy ones), so it's appeal will be
limited for the non-turners. A few step sequences are repeated, so keep
aware of just where in the dance you are. A fair bit of floor movement.
There's ot much beat in the music during the first wall. One restart.
Funtasia - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,64c]; 6/2004
Improver dance to country track ("Someone Should Tell Her" by
The Mavericks [Trampoline]). There are 5 alternative tracks listed for
this, however most already have dances. The Mavericks track as well as "The
Heart Is Right" by Carlene Carter [Little Love Letters] are the two
being used locally. Nothing difficult with this dance and is well
suited for the improver level. With two shuffles being the only
syncopation and no restarts (apart from one of the alternative songs),
this should be do-able for an upper beginner class without too much
trouble. Upper level dancers may find it a bit monotonous after a
while, but there's [plenty of opportunity for styling. Steps flow very
naturally and for it's level, it's a very well choreographed dance. The
only steps that caused any trouble in class were the vines and hip
bumps - not difficult, but there did seem to be a tendency to do the
hips and then vine. No tags/restarts.
Point, One, Two - Ben Summerell & Cathryn Proudfoot
[4w,32c]; 4/2005
Intermediate dance to a country track ("What Mattered Most" by
Ty Herndon [What Mattered Most; also Greatest Hits]). This one had a
very mixed reception in class - some liked it, some walked off the
floor. I found it awkward to do the first couple of times, but with
practice picked up the feel of the dance and it started to flow. The
full turns near the end are syncopated hinge turns rather than turning
shuffles - the hinge turns allow you to push off to turn in the
opposite direction. An easy option for the non-turners would be to
leave out the turns and just do side shuffles, tho' that part of the
dance feels nice once yu've gotten the feel. Make sure of the weight
change on count 12 - this was a common problem in class. Two tags and
two restarts, which're obvious in the music.
My Better Half - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,64c]; 11/2004
Easy intermediate dance to a pop-country track ("You're My Better
Half" by Keith Urban [Be Here]). There're several music
alternatives listed and the Glen Frey track was the unanamous pick in
class ("Call On Me" by Glenn Frey [Solo Collection]). The dance
seemed to fit the latter much more; it didn't seem to fit the Keith
Urban, track, nor did it phrase, plus there's a glut at the moment of
very similar sounding Keith Urban songs. Dance flows fairly well, tho'
the switches (25-32) seemed a bit out of place, especially when walking
thru'. Nothing overly challenging in the dance and should easily fit an
improver class. One tag with the title track, none with the Frey track.
Walk On - Brett Jenkins & Chris Watson [2w,48c];
5/2005
Improver dance to an old country song ("Walk On" by Reba
McEntire [Sweet Sixteen; Greatest Hits II]). A nice little lively
dance. Nothing difficult with the steps, tho' there was a tendency for
some to do a 'rock, recover' instead of a 'step, step' on counts 55-56.
Dance flows well and the choreograhy feels natural. Not much floor
movement and plenty of opportunity for extra turns and styling to keep
the more advanced dancers interested. Note the original sheet has a few
obvious mistakes. Two restarts.
All Day Long - Rosalie Mackay [4w,64c]; 5/2005
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country track ("All Day Long"
by Trent Willmon [Trent Willmon]). This is not for the faint hearted.
It's a fast dance with some pretty tricky steps. It's also just over 4
minutes long, so quite a workout. Not to be confused with the dance of
the same name being done to Mr Mom. Not much movement around the floor
and the dance fits the music pretty well. A few spots to look out for -
unless the sheet says to face the diagonals, when you are stepping to
the diagonal, face the wall so that you can easily go into the next
sequence (especially the restart). A common problem was adding a drag
before the coaster in the sequence "step, kick-ball-step, rock,
recover, back, coaster". The last 8 counts seemed a bit 'dicky' to me,
but that may pass with practice. One tag and one restart.
Ready To Fly - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,96c]; 9/2004
Intermediate waltz to a pop song ("Ready To Fly" by Richard Marx
[My Own Best Enemy]), tho' there is also a country alternative. There
are two versions of the song going around, one by Marx the other by
Bubba King, both are authorised by the choreographer. Both phrase the
same, tho' they have a different feel (one's a ballad, the other's more
rockier). Different classes are using either version. A quick waltz,
which felt nice when walking through, tho' the reaction of the class
when done to music was rather mixed. Doesn't seem to fit the music the
first few tries, but it does eventually settle down. The dance flows
most of the time, tho' the last 12 counts seemed decidedly
un-waltzlike. The cross-side-behind felt better (and more natural) as a
behind-side-cross. Not much floor movement. Definitely a case of a
dance that has to grow on you. One tag.
I Found You - Brett Jenkins [2w,64c]; 5/2005
Intermediate dance to a country track ("I've Gotta Find You" by
Lonestar [Lonely Grill]). This one got a rather mixed reception in
class. Has a fair few unconventional steps which means it's one that
will take quite a few tries to start getting comfortable with, maybe a
couple of weeks. Starts off the same as "Arms of Mary", which is a big
hit locally for 2005, which will probably lead to some confusion and
reduce it's appeal. 16 counts in the middle of the dance is repeated,
on the other foot. One tag.
And More - Julie Dowse [2w,64c]; 2/2005
Intermediate dance to a country-pop track ("And More" by
Restless Heart [Restless Heart]). A very smooth and flowing dance. A
common comment was that the dance didn't fit the music, but it seemed
ok to me. All the steps seemed natural and the one sudden direction
change is preceded by a rock/step from which you can push off from.
Most of the steps are easy intermediate level, tho' the turns on counts
29-32 did trouble some in class and are prolly the hardest part of the
dance. It's a bit quick, so prolly not for an improver level class. The
dance does travel a lot, so watch the walls and take small steps! Three
tags and a restart.
The Fifth Wish - Peter Fry [2w,68c]; 3/2005
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country song ("I wish" by Jo
Dee Messina [Greatest Hits]). Definitely only for the upper level
dancers. I missed the main teach so had to struggle to pick it up on a
revision. A very smooth and flowing dance that fits the body's momentum
remarkably well given the large number of turns, including more than a
few syncopated turns. Counts 25-40 is the hardest part of the dance and
is very turn intensive, with a turn every two counts. Until it clicks
this part of the dance is confusing and certainly warrants the most
attention when teaching. Two restarts, the first a bit hard to pick up,
the second quite obvious.
Whiskey Girl - Michael Vera-Lobos [4w,64c], 5/2005
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Whiskey Girl" by Toby
Keith [Shock 'n Y'all]). Dance has a nice feel when done to the music,
tho' it felt awkward when walking thru' because the dance makes
considerable use of momentum. The hold on count 12 is easy to forget.
The twists on counts 49-56 are ambigious on the sheet - you actually
twist the body left and the heels right (and vice versa for the return
twist). There's a sudden direction change on count 41 which didn't seem
to flow all that well the first week. The one downside of the dance is
that it travels across the floor a lot, so make sure you have a big
floor and are not near the edges! Two restarts.
Tonight We're Young - Carl Sullivan [4w,64c]; 5/2005
Intermediate/advanced dance to country song ("Young as We're Ever
Gonna Be" by Collin Raye [Can't Back Down]). This one is definitely
for the speed crowd, with a very quick beat and quite a bit of
syncopation. The steps that seemed to cause the most trouble in class
were the kick-ball-rocks (40-48), so extra attention here. Note also
that the weight stays on the right foot with the 1/4L pivot at the end.
Dance fits the music well and has a good flow, tho' it will take a bit
of practice to get the steps right at dance pace. Four tags, tho'
technically they are really restarts.
Halfway to Mexico - Charlie Mifsud [4w,36c]; 3/2005
Easy intermediate dance to a contry track ("Halfway To Mexico"
by Lane Turner [Right On Time]). A nice feeling dance which has a good
flow to it and suits the music. A few spots may need extra attention
when teaching - notably the drag (count 10) which has a weight change.
The "cross, hold, ball-step, back" (17-20) is a bit ambigious on the
sheet. This sequence moves to the side, so it's really a ".. ball-side,
back". Not much floow movement. Two tags.
Save The Last Dance - Lyn Booth [2w,72c]; 3/2005
Improver dance to a caberet-pop song ("Save The Last Dance For Me"
by Michael Buble [It’s Time]). Fairly simple steps in this dance and a
lot of repetition - you do a section, repeat it, do another section,
repeat it .. and that's the dance. Has syncopation and restarts so it's
tecnically not a beginner dance, but it shouldn't pose too much trouble
for upper beginners. The dance doesn't seem to phrase to the song - it
does, it's the vocals that are unphrased. Two restarts.
Follow Me - Linda Burgess [2w,108c]; 3/2005
Intermediate waltz to a country song ("Follow Me Home" by Jamie
O’Neil [Brave]). A quick waltz, so its appeal to those who prefer
slower waltzes may be limited. Don't, however, be put off by the 108
counts - the steps are all fairly easy, so it's not a difficult dance
to learn. A few sudden direction changes which felt a bif 'off' when
doing at dance speed, at least the first few times. This dance took out
first place in the waltz section of a choreography competition, which
just shows everyone has different tastes. One restart.
Soluna - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,64c]; 3/2005
Improver dance to a spanish-dance mix ("Monday Mi Amor" by
Soluna [For All Time]). An easy dance that would nicely fit an improver
class, depending on their music tastes. The 'step, pivot,
kick-ball-cross' may require extra attention - many automatically did a
'rock, recover' instead of the 'kbc'. The song has a nice lively upbeat
feel to it, tho' it will not appeal to all. Dance fits the feel of the
music quite well and there's little movement around the floor. The
phrasing is lousy, but it would probably take too many tags and
restarts to overcome that.
I Miss Me - Michael Vera-Lobos [2w,64c]; 3/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("I Miss Me" by Brad Cotter
[Patient Man]). A nice song, but the dance itself didn't seem to quite
jell to it the first week. The dance flows nicely most of the time,
tho' counts 44-48 can be a strain on the ankles. The full turn on
counts 25-26 flows a lot better if you begin the turn on count 24.
Dance does move around the floor quite a bit, so make sure there's
plenty of room (or ya not near the edges). The start in the music seems
a bit abrupt, so keep your ears open. Two restarts.
Heat on the Street - Maggie Gallagher [2w,80c]; 3/2005
Intermediate dance to a pop-dance track ("The Heat Is On" by
Glenn Frey [Solo Collection]). Also works to the Glenn Rogers version,
but not to other versions.. A quick dance, fortunately there're only
two syncopated steps. It got a very mixed reception in class, some
loved it, others hated it. Has a bit of floor movement and several of
the turns feel a bit rushed (if only at first). The two turns in 65-72
attracted the worst comments and I did find the sudden direction
changes there less than ideal. A lot of "point, hold"s, so be careful
just where you are in the dance. Two restarts.
Across the Mississippi - Gary & Cheryl Parker
[2w,32c]; 3/2005
Easy intermediate dance to contry song ("I Can See Arkansas" by
David Ball [Freewheeler]). Several local dances already off the same
album. A nice, flowing dance without any awkward steps. While easy
intermediate, I'm hesitant to label it improver because it's heavily
syncopated, as well as a few quick turns. However, the song is fairly
slow, so the dance itself is not quick, despite the syncopation. The
few missing & counts actually feel more like holds. Music slows
towards the end - just dance on thru' at the normal pace to the end.
One restart.
Baptized In Beer - Max Perry [2w,60c]; 6/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("The Lord Loves A Drinking Man"
by Mark Chesnutt [Savin' the Honky Tonk]). Liked the song (even if I
hate beer). A pretty easy dance, tho' the hinge turn shuffles prolly
put it above the beginner level. Apart from the shuffles, the only
syncopation are two weaves, not really beginner level either. Probably
wont appeal to many upper level dancers - the general reaction was
'boring', still a good dance for an improver class and there's the
opportunity to add plenty of extra spins. Not much floor movement and
mostly flows well, tho' I found the points followed by the weave to be
awkward. No tags/restarts.
Nothin' to Lose - Lyn Booth [2w,64c]; 4/2005
Intermediate dance to a country song ("Nothin' to Lose" by Josh
Gracin [Josh Gracin]). A quick dance that, at least on the first teach,
felt rushed at times. The phrasing seemed a bit uncertain at first, but
practice, practice, practice. I saw this demo'd by the choreographer
and liked the look and it got quite a few favourable comments at a
choreography competition (mistakes on the original sheet reputedly
robbed it of first place). Unfortunately the dance fell very flat at
class, with few expressing an interest in giving it a second try. One
restart.
The Ride - Kelvin Dale & Samantha Dixon [4w,64c];
oldie
Improver dance to a country track ("Enjoy The Ride"
by Brett James [Brett James]). One of the classic oldies done locally
to a great country track. There're no particularly difficult steps and
there's a fair bit of repetition, so not a particularly difficult
dance. It is, however, a quick dance with some sudden direction
changes. The full turns can be left out at first until one gets
comfortable with the footwork. One of those dances that's best done
with lots of body attitude. No tags/restarts.
Gentlemen - Linda Burgess [4w,32c]; 1/2005
Improver dance to a pop dance song ("Gentleman"
by Lou Bega [Ladies & Gentlemen]). Originally called the New Year
Cha Cha, this dance was modified and renamed. A bouncy song, very
reminiscent of Mambo #5, but definitely not for everyone. The
dance is not difficult and flows fairly well, but with 4 tags and
restarts, this will definitely cause a few groans. Does travel a lot,
in all four directions..
Bigger Boat on the River - Jan Wyllie & Dave Young
[2w,64c]; 2001
Improver dance to a disco track ("Boat On The River"
by Boney M [Greatest Hits]). Back to the 70's for this one with flairs
and frizzy hair-do's. A fairly basic dance with a lot of repetition.
The first 32 counts is a beginner dance, "Boat On The River",
choreographed by Dave Young, sometime in the '90's. Jan added an extra
32 counts onto the dance to do it as a floor split for beginners and
improvers. No tags/restarts.
Strait Exit - Jan Wyllie [2w,64c]; 12/2004
Improver dance to a country song ("The Cowboy Rides Away"
by George Strait [Greatest Hits II]). A very country track, which may
limit the appeal. A fairly simple dance, tho' there are a fair few
turns (some can be left out). Flows quite well. I found the start of
the dance felt awkward when walking thru', but it does come naturally
from the end of the previous wall. As one of the three most prolific
choreographer's in the world (according to Kickit), a lot of her dances
do tend to seem the same. One restart.
Trying to Find Atlantis - Linda Burgess [2w,88c]; 3/2005
Upper intermediate dance to a country track ("Trying to Find Atlantis"
by Jamie O'Neil [Brave]). There're several easy dances to this song, so
could readily be done as a floor split. Wasn't sure whether to rate
this one intermediate/advanced or not. It doesn't seem all that
difficult while walking thru', however the beat is quite fast, which is
where the challenge of this dance lies. It was also done at a workshop
and more than a few were obviously struggling. The timing of some of
the holds is tricky and takes a few tries to nail down. Has quite a few
turns, tho' the harder ones can be substituted - the figure 8 could be
done as two rocking chairs and the step & slow sweeps as "step,
hold, tap, hold". The pace is too quite to really flow smoothly,
however there're no un-natural feeling steps. Dance is on the double
beat, which may take a bit of getting used to. Two restarts.
Guardian Angel - Lyn Booth [4w,48c]; 3/2005
Improver dance to a country track ("Guardian Angel"
by Jason McCoy [Sins, Lies & Angels]). A nice bouncy feel to the
song and dance. Quite a bit of repetition anot that much pace, so not a
difficult dance. The last 4 counts would be the 'hardest' and the only
ones that needed extra attention when taught. The two turning shuffles
could be done as vanillas and the 5/4 turning shuffle done with a 1/4
turn for the non-turners. Three restarts.
Down to the River - Jennifer Hughes [2w,64c]; 3/2005
Intermediate dance to soft rock song ("The River"
by Keith Urban [Keith Urban (1991)]). Note this is off Urban's first
self titled album released in 1991, not the more familiar one released
in 1999. The choice of steps in this dance means that even tho' the
music doesn't change pace, the dance has fast and slow sections. The
dance did have a nice feel to it and flows well tho' like her previous
dance to another song of the same title, this one has quite a few
unusual steps, along with an unusual count, so takes a fair bit of
getting used to. The twists in the middle are a bit awkward to do for
those with less than perfect ankles, but don't let this put you off the
dance. he tag seems to cause the most trouble - it's similar to a
section of the dance. One tag.
If It's Over - Kerry Hughes [2w,32c]; 10/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop song ("If It's Over"
by Shane McAnally [Shane McAnally]). This one fell very flat in class,
with most walking off the floor before it'd finished, mostly because
it's very hard to pick up the dance beat and keep with it - mostly
because the song has a 1-2& beat, but the dance doesn't. The song
beat does get more noticable after a few walls. No tags/restarts.
Flames of Desire - Brett Jenkins [2w,64c]; 1/2005
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country song ("Nothing On But The
Radio"
by Gary Allan [See If I Care]). Brett has a reputation for smoothly
flowing and very well choreographed dances. This one, at least on the
first week, seems below his usual standard. Several of the step
sequences felt awkward the first week or two, notably the "step, hold,
back coaster" and the
dance as a whole just didn't seem to flow as well as Brett's dances
usually do. Has an unusual count and it
takes a while to get the feel of the beat, hence the difficulty level.
One tag and one restart.
Life Love Liberty - Ian St Leon [4w,64c]; 1/2005
Intermediate dance to a disco-opera song ("Vincero (Disco Mix)"
by Fredrik Kempe [Song for your Broken Heart]). That music description
is right. The choreographer calls it "unique". Maybe not that but
certainly very unusual. Music is also apparently hard to get. The dance
has some unusual step sequences. Travels a fair bit and it is a bit of
an ankle strainer in places. One did get the impression that the
choreographer was trying to squeeze in as many different step sequences
as possible. Dance starts quite late into the music - 16 counts after
the heavy beat kicks in. No tags or restarts.
Do You Love Me - Chris Watson [2w,48c]; 1/2005
Improver dance to a 60's style rock 'n roll song ("Do You Love Me
(Now That I Can Dance)"
by The Contours [More Dirty Dancing]). A quick but fairly easy dance
with a lot of repetition. Will likely appeal to the younger dancers as
well as those who grew up on 60's music. The original sheet (which was
the one floating around at Tamworth '05) has several mistakes, so make
sure you have the corrected sheet. The pace and feel of the dance were
very reminiscent of Chris' Jump In. At least on the first week, the
beat did seem a bit too quick for some of the steps which felt rushed
and lead to a bit of fudging. Having recently seen the Dirty Dancing
musical, I was curious to learn this dance. The only tricky steps are
counts 25-32 which may take a bit of practice to get used to. One
restart. There is a fake ending in the song, just dance thru' it to the
end.
Another Day - Trent & Narelle Duncan [4w,72c]; 1/2005
Intermediate dance to a country-rock song ("Live to Love Another Day"
by Keith Urban [Be Here]. Like most of Urban's songs, this one has a
great dance beat, tho' the heavier tracks on this album all sound very
similar. You need to watch out for the fake ending - there's a break
before the music resumes. Just keep dancing. There's also a fake start
- the dance begins 2 counts before the lyrics. There's a fair bit of
repetition in the dance and flows quite well, tho' I felt the heel
switches were a bit out of place and felt rushed. The last 8 counts are
unusual and will require a bit of concentration. Ends with a ball-cross
which leaves you in an awkward position to start the next wall. A
ball-step would feel more natural. One restart, not terribly obvious in
the music.
Don't Wanna - Jennifer Hughes [2w,32c]; 9/2004
Intermediate dance to a country song ("Don't Wanna"
by Suzy Bogguss [Voices In The Wind]). This is really a waltz done to a
waltz track - you can easily add the rise & fall waltz styling,
however it's choreographed in 4/4 time. The dance flows quite well and
has a very smooth and sweepy feel throughout. Some of the steps do take
a bit of getting used to, but this 'different' feel is typical of the
choreographer. This does mean that it can feel awkward at first, but I
found this quickly passed with repetition. The 3/4R followed by the
1/2L turns near the end are best done as lunges and are the hardest
part so prolly deserve more attention when teaching. While count 26 on
the sheet is a step to the side, it is being taught as a step together,
which flows much more nicely. One mid-wall tag done twice.
Wouldn't It Be Nice - Jessie & Ben Summerell
[2w,56c]; 10/2004
Improver dance to a 60's pop song ("Wouldn't It Be Nice"
by The Beach Boys [Very Best Of]). This one did not go down well at
class. Might need a few weeks to get the feel, but I doubt I'll get the
opportunity. There is a lot of repetition in the dance and the steps
are not too difficult, tho' there is a bit of pace to it. Probably best
for the younger crowd (there're choreographed hand & arm movements
which appeal to that set) or those with 60's nostalgia for the Beach
Boys. The music slows down half way thru' and this latter picks up
again - you are s'posed to slow the dance down as well, tho' we didn't
know that at the time. No tags/restarts.
Like She's Not Yours - Gordon Elliott [2w,64c]; 11/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Like She's Not Yours"
by the Bellamy Brothers [By Request]). The song sounds something like
the Beach Boys gone country. A very smooth dance with no awkward steps,
even when first learning. Personally, I found the dance to really suit
the song, tho' it may not appeal to the non-country crowd. The dance
does travel a fair bit, which is it's one failing, as such. On a
crowded floor you might be best replacing the shuffles with cha-cha's
(triple's). There're similar step sequences throughout the dance so
keeping track of just where you are is important - at least for the
first few weeks. This repetition does not mean it's boring tho'! The
two 3/4 turns are the only spots that might trouble improvers. Two
restarts.
The Right Side of Town - Linda Burgess [4w,32c]; 12/2004
Beginner/Improver dance to a country track ("Livin' on the Right
Side of Town"
by The Wolverines [Making Tracks]). Music will be very hard to obtain
outside of Australia. An easy dance well achievable by an upper
beginner class that has already been introduced to the idea of
syncopation. Nothing tricky with the steps, however the many shuffles
and other syncopated step sequences puts it firmly as an improver
dance. Has a nice, quick and boucy feel, but not rushed. I did find
going from the end of one wall into the next a bit awkward since the
dance ends moving to the left and begins moving to the right. No
tags/restarts.
Cotton Pickin' - Gordon Elliott [4w,32c]; 1/2005
Beginner/improver dance to a country song ("Cotton Pickin' Time"
by Blake Shelton [Barn & Grill]). The music has a good strong beat
to it. A fairly simple dance which flows fairly well and has a nice
bouncy feel. Quite a few syncopated step sequences which would restrict
it to upper beginners and above. Did seem to have a somewhat limited
appeal to the more advanced dancers (too basic), tho' it's the sort of
dance that could appeal to the younger set locally. Might work well as
a floor split with a harder dance. Two tags.
You Know What That Means - Paul Snooke & Cathryn
Proudfoot
[2w,64c]; 8/2004
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country track ("T.G.I.F."
by Lonestar [Let's Be Us Again]). Note that this is not a cover of the
song by Nsync, to which the dance T.G.I.F. is still being done. A
fairly pacy song and with a lot of syncopations, turns and tricky
footwork, this one keeps you on your toes all the time. Definitely an
upper intermediate/advanced dance. I didn't find this to be a smooth
dance the first week, but instead it had a rushed, jerky feel a lot of
the time. This did settle down in the following weeks, so persistance
is important. Has some unusual step sequences and counts, which require
a fair bit of concentration to pick up. Very turn intensive (and none
of 'em are really optional). Three restarts.
Louisiana Melody - Rosalie Mackay [4w,64]; 1/2005
Improver dance to country music ("Louisiana Melody"
by David Ball [Freewheeler]). An old-style linedance, straight from the
90's, complete with hitches, slaps and so forth. Actually the dance
appears to be a compilation of well known 'oldies', all meshed together
- with sections from Slap Leather, Kokomo and Hot Tomales quite
recognisable. A nostalgic dance, but didn't seem to go down well at
class, tho' it's gotten a better reception at other classes. Quite a
bit of repetition (almost every sequence is done twice). No
tags/restarts.
What If I Said - Brett Jenkins [2w,32c]; 1/2005
Intermediate dance to country track ("What If I Said"
by Steve Wariner & Anita Cochran [Burnin’ The Roadhouse Down]). A
beautiful song, but the dance is definitely one that requires a bit of
practice for it to grow on you. Probably more an upper intermediate
dance. Plenty of unusual steps and syncopated turns aplenty. Some step
sequences take quite a bit of attention when teaching - notably the
"ball-1/4-ball-1/4, cross-shuffle" which seemed to trouble most in
class getting the syncopation right. The ball-rock near the end is
another that caused a bit of trouble. With practice the dance develops
a really graceful and sweeping feel and well worthy of the song. Even
the non-country crowd liked this one. Two restarts.
Arms of Mary - Michael Vera-Lobos [2w,64c]; 11/2004
Intermedaite dance to a country song ("Arms of Mary"
by Keith Urban). According to the dance sheet, this song is on the
album "Keith Urban", however it's not on the copy I have - maybe a
special edition or s movie soundtrack? Definitely not an easy
intermediate dance as the sheet claims. Very turn intensive, probably
too much so for most lower intermediate dancers, tho' a few could be
left out. The large number of turns and a degree of repetition do make
it difficult to keep track of just where you are in the dance. Flows
quite well most of the time, tho' I felt the ball-side in the first set
of 8 (and repeated in the 2nd) to be a bit awkward. There's a sailor
with a 3/4 turn left which feels very strained to do - better done as a
3/4 turn cha (triple). Music beat is a bit soft at times and can be
hard for some to follow. Went down well in class, however at other
clases it was very badly received, dropped after one teach, so the
reception of this one will prolly vary a lot. Quite a bit of sideways
movement. No tags/restarts.
Side By Side - Pat Stott [4w,64c]; 4/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("We Work It Out"
by Joni Harms [Lets Put The Western Back In Country]). The music for
this is very country, olde style. The dance itself is fairly easy and
most of it consists of "shuffle, rock, recover" and variations thereof.
There's a hold which may cause a bit of bother (ya wanna do
'something'), otherwise the only 'difficult' part is the figure-8 vine
that comes straight out of Cruisin', among other dances. A sudden
direction change going from the end of the dance into the next wall was
the only part that seemed 'off'. Flows fairly well. A good easy dance
for improver and upper beginner classes into country. Two easy tags.
Mars Attack - Rachael McEnaney [4w,64c]; 11/2004
Improver dance to a pop-dance song ("Chocolate (choco-choco)" by
Soul Control [Here We Go]). This is one of those fun dances that you'll
either love or hate, somewhat reminiscent of Mony Mony
in feel and music. Nothing difficult with the stepwork - the only bit
that'd be difficult for improvers is the shuffle left with a 1/2 turn
left. Dance has a fair bit of repetition and a moderate amount of floor
movement. The music may turn some off, but it should be a hit with the
younger crowd. One mid-wall tag.
The Way That... - Noel Bradey [4w,32c]; 9/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop song ("The Way"
by Clay Aiken [Measure Of A Man]). Definitely not an easy intermediate
dance as the dance sheet claims, this is a solid intermediate dance
with some tricky steps, a 1-2& beat and almost no beat on the first
wall. Oh, and did I mention that the start is very hard to pick?
There's no indication in the music and you know you've got it when the
second wall starts on the heavy beat. Felt strange at first and took a
few tries before it started to fit together and started to flow,
especially when you add in the optional drags. A few steps still felt
awkward even after doing it a few times to music. The reaction to this
one in class was rather ambivalent. Some really nice step sequences but
the dance itself just didn't seem to work. Three restarts and two tags.
Breakaway - Julie Dowse [2w,48c]; 10/2004
Intermediate waltz to a pop song ("Breakaway"
by Kelly Clarkson [Princess Diaries 2], also on single). The steps have
quite a nice and flowing feel to them, tho' there are a few tricky
weight changes which will take a bit of getting used to. There is also
a fair bit of movement across the floor, but not excessively. The music
is, however, quite fast. Way too fast for a waltz and the dance feels
very rushed when done to the music. So much so that it was a near
universal consensus at class that the music fatally ruined what
could've been a good dance if a slower waltz track had been chosen. Two
tags and a restart.
Shine Your Light - Michael Vera-Lobos & Noel Bradey
[4w,64c]; 9/2004
Upper intermediate dance to a country track ("Shine Your Light"
by The Mavericks [The Mavericks]). One of those dances you can only
call "interesting" (if ya being charitable, that is). Is this a phrased
dance or a dance with a lot of tags and restarts? Officially the
latter, but I'd call it the former, especially since the music changes
speed when you don't do the restarts. A pretty bouncy dance with a
strong latin feel. Flows well most of the time, apart from one section
near the end of the full wall. A fair bit of floor travel. Has 4
restarts and 2 tags.
Grace and Favour - Gaye Teather [4w,32c]; 9/2004
Improver dance to a country-rock track with a gospel flavour ("God's
Been Good To Me"
by Keith Urban [Be Here]). Like the rest of Urban's 3rd album, this one
has a strong dance beat and this dance nails is quite well. While the
song is slowing, the dance is fully syncopated, so it is deceptively
quick. The only part of the dance that would cause trouble is the left
sailor with a half turn right. On first tying, this got a "What the?"
reaction, but it's really just a "behind, 1/4 & step forward, 1/4
& step to side". Dance flows smoothly, tho' there are a few step
sequences that feel rough at first, but they all settle down with
practice. Not much floor travel. Despite the gospel style music, this
was a hit even with the non-country crowd and was very reminiscent of
Urban's earlier "But for the Grace of God". Two restarts (the 2nd is
not obvious in the music at the time).
I Love The Senoritas - Keith & Glenda Davies &
Gina Varrasso
[4w,64c]; 9/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Senoritas"
by Adam Brand [Get Loud]). This dance is getting positive comments
around the country, but unfortunately it fell very flat at class when I
did it. Some of the weight changes felt awkward to do and the series of
hinge turns at the end was difficult to do cleanly. Dance has a lot of
repetition (the 1st 12 counts are repated on the other foot and this is
almost half the dance). The travelling heel switches and the hinge
turns are probably the only steps that would be challenging for upper
beginners. Two restarts.
No Way Out - Carl Sullivan [4w,64c]; 12/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("No Way Out"
by Julie Roberts [Julie Roberts]). A nice bouncy dance with a fair bit
of pace. Dance has a nice feel & doesn't feel jerky as a lot of
bouncy dances can easily end up feeling, but instead flows well. A bit
of floor movement, but nothing excessive. Has some unusual step
sequences that may take a bit of practice to get comfortable with. A
pretty turn intensive dance, tho' non-turners could leave some of the
turns out easily enough. The hitch-ball-step will likely quickly end up
as a kick-ball-step. Probably not for improvers. Two restarts.
Some Beach - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,64c]; 9/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Some Beach"
by Blake Shelton [Barn & Grill]). One of a crop of dances going
around to this song, all to my knowledge are beginner or improver. The
lyrics of this song may be a bit distracting for dancers who've not
heard it before. The dance makes no attempt to phrase to the music and
this is painfully obvious throughout the dance. The inclusion of a few
tags or restarts would possibly have made this a great dance (I'm not
part of the anti-restart crowd). A few steps feel a bit dicky - the two
paddle turns felt better as a cross & unwind. Not many turns - the
'hardest' being a 3/4 pivot. Dance has a nice feel in parts and there's
not much floor movement. No tags/restarts.
This I Swear - Lu Olsen [2w,56c]; 8/2004
Advanced dance to a pop track ("This I Swear"
by Nick Lachey [Soulo]). The choreorapher rates this intermediate, but
I'd call it tricky enough to be a definite advanced dance. The count is
a bit tricky to pick up and the step work quite unusual. Beacuse of
this it will take a few tries in order to pick up the beat and only
then will the dance begin to flow. The song is not all that quick, but
with a lot of syncopated, the dance is deceptively quick. A very turn
intensive dance and a lot of the turns will feel awkward until you get
the feel of the beat, whereupon everything clicks into place.
Definitely a dance for the upper level dancers, but one well worth the
effort to learn. Two restarts and a tag, along with optional styling.
My Way - Kevin & Maria Smith [2w,72c]; 12/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("I Wouldn't Have it any Other Way"
by Aaron Tippin [Read Between the Lines]). Pretty basic stepwork,
consisting almost entirely of vines with a few pivots and toe-struts. A
fairly typical Kevin & Maria dance. The choreographer's elected to
choreograph to the double-time beat, but it felt better to me doing it
to the single-time beat (ie: replacing a vine and hold with a shuffle),
especially since the dance is fairly pacey and there're a lot of holds.
Some of the turns were a bit tricky to do properly at full speed. One
restart.
Someday Baby - Linda Burgess [4w,48c]; 12/2004
Intermediate dance to a country-rock song ("A Better Life"
by Keith Urban [Be Here]). The song has a really good dance beat and
the dance hits it fairly well and you are not left with the feeling of
"is this all?" that seemed to be a common comment with the other dance
taught locally to the song. The only complaint about this dance is that
it moves quite a bit, especially the first 10 counts which all move
forward. Hint - take small steps! Dance has a bouncy feel and flows
quite well with no awkward turns and all the steps feeling natural. No
tags/restarts.
I'll Be There - Pam Ackary & Peter Probert [2w,60c];
10/2004
Easy intermediate dance to an old rock 'n roll/pop song ("Reach Out"
by The Four Tops [Motown's Greatest Hits]). Dance originally released
with 'Joy Alan' as the choreographer because of politics. I found the
dance to be rather uninspiring, but it would prolly go well with an
improver class, especially with those who like the music. Has a fair
bit of syncopation, but there's also a lot of repetition. I found the
restart to be awkward, tho' the rest of the dance was fairly smooth.
Probably lacks the 'oomph' to keep upper level dancers interested.
Give It Up - Mark Simpkin [2w,64c]; 11/2004
Easy improver dance to a country song ("Move Over Madonna"
by Confederate Railroad [Notorious]). A nice beat to the song, tho' a
bit quick. Nothing overly difficult with the stepwork and it should be
ok for upper beginners, tho' maybe with a bit of practice getting up to
the pace (it's quick). An old song and there're already dances to it. I
found the double kick at the start to be awkward coming out of the end
of the previous wall and the two jazz-boxes seemed a bit strained.
Probably a bit lacking in "oomph" for more advanced dancers. No
syncopation, tags or restarts.
What Car - Kristina Beeby [4w,32c]; 11/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop song ("What Car"
by Cliff Richard [Something's Goin' On]). This one felt nice and
flowing to do while walking through, but it did seem a bit rushed when
done to the music and that seemed a fairly common comment. At least on
the first week. Dance ends with two left Monterey's, which may take a
bit of getting used to (seeing almost all Monterey turns are to the
right). It also has two "backward dororthy's", which have appeared in a
few dances over the past year, but are still quite a rare step, so may
take a bit of practice to get comfortable with - however not as
different as the left Monterey's. There's not much movement around the
floor and apart from the left Monterey's, none of the turns should
prove difficult to a low intermediate dancer. The beat is a bit pacey,
which will probably put it beyond many improvers. One restart and one
tag.
Next To You, Next To Me - unknown [4w,20c]; 1998
Novice dance to a country track ("Next To You, Next To Me"
by Shenandoah [Super Hits]). Could be done to any quick two-step. A
real novice dance on par with the Electric Slide consisting simply of
vines and steps with scuffs & taps. Two turns. No tags or restarts
(naturally), tho' the dance is a bit quick.
Going All The Way! - Teresa Lawrence & Vera Fisher
[4w,64c]; 10/2004
Upper intermediate dance to a pop song ("We Went As Far As We Felt
Like Going"
by The Pussycat Dolls [Shark Tale Soundtrack]). Dance has quite an
unusual feel to it and the most common comment was that it was hard to
pick the right beat at first. Has an 8&1 count all the way through,
which may cause trouble with those dancers unfamiliar with this count.
After a few tries the feel of the rhythm kicks in & it has a nice
funky feel. I found the holds to be the hardest part as well as the
slow drag followed by a ball-step (there's a strong temptation here to
get ahead of the music). The holds near the end didn't seem to suit the
rest of the dance. The music is probably nor for everyone. Not many
turns and not much movement across the floor. No tags/restarts.
Party for Two - Maureen Reynolds [2w,64c]; 11/2004
Intermediate dance to a country-pop song ("Party for Two"
by Shania Twain and Billy Currington [Greatest Hits]). One of several
dances already out to this track. I found the dance awkward at first
but with practice and more room on the floor it smoothed out and flowed
reasonably well. Not recommended for a crowded floor - not because it
moves around (it doesn't) but because it requires quite a bit of foot
space to flow properly, especially the full turn followed by two
heel-ball-crosses. There are plenty of turns, but the full turns can be
readily omitted for non-turners. Counts 55&56 are a 1/2 turn and
shuffle forward - make sure you step to the side on the last step of
the shuffle or the following sailor is next to impossible. Three
restarts.
Free For A Moment! - Stephen Paterson [4w,48c]; 11/2004
Easy intermediate waltz to a country track ("Under The New Moon"
by Beccy Cole [Little Victories]). An Aussie singer, so will be hard to
get the music elsewhere. The song has been out for a while and I learnt
another dance to it last year. This one, however, suited the music
better and while it's a quick waltz, didn't feel rushed (unlike the one
I learnt last year) and you can fit in the waltz rise and fall. Most of
the turns are easy. There is one 5/4 turn 'vine' which could easily be
done as a 1/4 turn for the non-turners. The only step that seemed to
cause trouble in class was the drag followed by a weight transfer -
there's a big temptation to drag and touch. Dance has a nice feel and
flows well. Two restarts, fairly clear in the music.
Being Us Again - Charlie Mifsud [4w,64c]; 5/2004
Advanced dance to a country track ("Let's Be Us Again"
by Lonestar [Let's Be Us Again]). There's another dance to this track
also going around locally (from the UK by Cox, Cox & Palmer). I
found this dance to be overly complicated and definitely only for the
upper level dancers. The dance flowed in parts but elsewhere was jerky.
Overall, IMO, the dance just did not fit together. A very turn
intensive dance with quite a few turns on the &" count. Not all the
turns felt natural and there were several awkward direction changes. A
caution - the original sheet is hard to follow and contains several
mistakes. This dance is definitely one of those you should only teach
if you've learnt it from someone else and not just off the sheet. One
restart.
Lord & Master - Brett Jenkins [2w,54c]; 10/2004
An easy intermediate waltz to a country track ("(Who Says) You Can't
Have It All"
by Alan Jackson [A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love)]). An old
song, but one that's a great waltz track. Dance fits the music quite
well and flows excellently. You can add a definite rise and fall style
to this dance (there's been a dearth of dances that you can do this
with the past year - most of the waltzes have been pseudo waltzes).
There're no awkward direction changes or turns, however there is one
tricky turn (19-21) that will take a bit of practice. One restart -
note there should be an extra hold after the restart which is not on
the original stepsheet.
Last Plane Out Of Sydney - Sandy Kerrigan
[4w,64c]; 11/2004
Intermediate dance to an Aussie rock 'n roll classic from the 70's ("Khe
Sahn"
by Jimmy Barnes & Cold Chisel). Barnsie's not to my taste, but
almost every Aussie over 30 should know this song which should be
available on many Aussie Rock 'n Roll compliations. The dance is
unusual and will definitely take a few tries in order to get the feel,
but 'tis well worth it - with persistance it flows quite well and has a
nice bouncy feel (but not a jumpy feel, if that distinction makes
sense). Not too much floor movement and no sudden direction changes,
tho' it is pretty pacey. The heavy beat kicks in well into the music
and this is where the dance starts 'officially'. Some are teaching the
dance with an extra two walls before the heavy beat. No tags/restarts.
Rating: ***
Dixie's Honky Tonk - Charlie Mifsud [80c,2w]; 10/2004
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country track ("Dixie Rose Deluxe's
Honky Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop"
by Trent Willmon [Trent Willmon]). I first saw this dance at a social
and wasn't overly impressed, but 'tis a case of a dance that feels much
better than it looks. The dance is pacey and is pretty turn intensive.
It does move around the floor quite a bit, tho' with the difficulty
level this is hardly likely to be a problem since this one's only for
the upper level dancers. The step sheet is a bit strangely worded in
places and IMO makes the dance seem harder than it actually is. Apart
from the first "&" count which is part of an out-out, all the
"&" counts are part of shuffles - these "&" counts seem quite
strange until you pick them as shuffles rather than the ball-step or
step-ball's as on the sheet. Picking this up, the dance starts to flow
and fits nicely to the music. One restart. Rating: ***
I Ain't No Quitter - Yvonne Anderson [80c,2w]; 10/2004
Improver dance to a country-pop sng ("I Ain't No Quitter"
by Shania Twain [Greatest Hits]). One of a the new songs on Shania's
Greatest Hits collection. The dance has a lot of turns, but there's an
easy option for the most "turny" section and other turns could be
easily simplified. IMO the music really did not suit the dance. The
start of the dance is especialy poorly matched to the music with a
1,2& etc beat in the music but a 1,hold,3,hold count in the dance.
The dance itself is ok, just not to the song in question. There's
almost no intro in the music, so be ready for a quick start. The
phrasing is quite poor - there're no restarts or tags. In comparison
another dance to this song has 4 restarts and 3 vanilla walls. Rating:
*
Dare 2 Party - Chris Watson & Johnny Montana
[2w,32c]; 10/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Party For Two"
by Shania Twain & Billy Currington [single]). Choreographed as a
phrased, 2-part, 80 count dance, however I strongly recommend teaching
this one as an unphrased 32 count dance with 3 restarts (part B in the
original simply being counts 1-16 of part A!). One of quite a few
dances to this track that came out around the same time. I've heard
there're pop and country mixes for the song, but I have no idea if they
phrase differently. A good dance track, but IMO the dance didn't quite
do it justice - it felt like there should've been more to it (more
"oomph", that is, not necessesarily more difficulty). Starts with
Dwight's, which're prolly the only part of the dance that'd pose
problems for improvers unfamilar with them. I've since dropped this for
another dance to the track which I feel is much better. Rating: *
A Better Man - Linda Burgess [4w,32c]; 11/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop track ("Better Man"
by Robbie Williams [Sing When You're Winning]). The dance is a bit
slowish, despite quite a bit syncopation. While it does flow reasonably
well, I didn't feel it quite fitted to the music. A pretty turn
intensive dance, tho' the 3/2 turns can be replaced by 1/2 turns and
the full turns left out for improvers. A few steps felt like they
should've been something else (eg: a step, step felt better as a rock,
recover), but this might pass with practice. Counts 27&28 seemed to
cause the most trouble in class, so would warrant extra attention
during a teach. Hardly any floor movement and no restarts/tags. Rating:
**
Don't Come Easy - June Hulcombe & Barbara Willshire
[2w,64c]; 9/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("If It Don't Come Easy"
by Tanya Tucker [Love Me Like You Used To]). A nice dance track however
IMO the dance didn't quite make it. At several spots the footwork felt
awkward, especially the cross-shuffle followed by a step forward &
then a pivot (I ended up doing a behind-side-step fwd, which seemed to
flow much better). Also seemed a bit rushed. The last 16 counts are
very turn intensive (almost all "rock, recovers with 1/2 turns"). A
fair bit of repetition & not much movement across the floor. I did
find this to be a bit of a strain on the ankles as well. One tag.
Rating: *
Sky Full Of Angels - Yvonne Anderson [4w,32c]; 4/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Sky Full Of Angels"
by Reba [Room To Breathe]). This dance is almost entirely syncopated,
tho' since the music is slow, the syncopation shouldn't trouble
improvers. Apart from the pivots, only the 1/4 turns are syncopated.
Music has an old-style country feel. I've already learnt another dance
to this track - there're several, hence not much to say about this one.
No tags/restarts. Rating: **
Goin' Down - Simon Ward [2w,32c]; 9/2004
Intermediate dance to an old rock 'n roll song ("Down by the Lazy
River"
by The Osmonds). This dance comes under the 'interesting' category and
is best kept for classes that go in for lots of styling and arm actions
(it has choreographed arm actions). If the class liked Michele Perron's
"Push", then they'll likely like this one as well. The dance moves a
fair bit around the floor and has something of a funky feel. One tag
that's quite obvious in the music and a second that isn't. Rating: *
Better Life - Peter Metelnick [4w,48c]; 9/2004
Improver dance to a country-rock track ("Better Life"
by Keith Urban [Be Here]). The song has a great tho' quickish dance
beat. The dance doesn't have any particularly difficult steps. There's
also a fair bit of repetition - f'instance the 1st set of 8 is done
twice with a 1/4 instead of 1/2 turn at the end. A fair bit of
syncopation, but it still manages to flow fairly well. However, the
dance seemed to lack the 'oomph' that the song demanded - there's a
definite feel of something missing. Still, it should go down well with
an improver or easy intermediate class. No tags/restarts. Rating: **
Don't Know - Jennifer Hughes [2w,48c]; 9/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Don't Know Why I Do It"
by Mark Chesnutt [Mark Chesnutt]). This is a quick, high-energy dance
(but not exactly 'fast'). There's a fair bit of repetition, not much
syncopation and the steps are not too difficult, so the dance itself
should be achievable by lower intermediate dancers without too much
trouble. Song has a really good dance beat and the dance hits it quite
well. Dance flows smoothly, despite some holds and a sudden
kick-ball-change. Not much floor movement. The only spot in the dance
that seemed to cause trouble was going from the end of one wall into
the next. Dance does have a bit of an unusual feel, especially when
walking thru', but persistance and this'll become comfortable, just
like her previous dance. Two restarts, one obvious, the other not so
obvious. Rating: ***
Unburn All Our Bridges - Charlie Mifsud [4w,32c]; 4/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Unburn All Our Bridges" by
Josh Turner [Long Black Train]). This one's been around since early in
the year, but somehow I've not gotten around to doing it until now. A
slowish dance that doesn't have anything particularly difficult in the
stepwork. The hardest part, such as it is, is the twisting shuffles,
which are straight out of "@ The Hop". The dance has a lot of turns,
but only one full turn and that could easily be left out. Note that the
dance starts with two skates (and likewise for the tag) and not sweeps
as on the original sheet (the choreographer taught the dance with
skates). Two easy tags that're obvious in the music. Rating: **
Too Much Candy - Robbie McGowan Hickie [4w,64c]; 6/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Too Much Candy For A Dime"
by Eddy Raven). Nothing difficult with the steps in this dance. There's
some syncopation (mostly ball-steps) which would prolly be the only
thing to challenge upper-beginners. Has a bit of floor movement, but
not excessively. The dance isn't smooth, instead it has something of a
jerky feel, but this is intentional in the choreography. One tag which
is just the last 8 counts repeated - which means you end up doing four
1/2 Montereys in a row, which felt a bit too much. Rating: *
In a Moment - Thomas O'Dwyer [2w,52c]; 1999
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Living In A Moment" by
Ty Herndon [Living In A Moment]). Another oldie that continues to get
played at local socials. The dance does not phrase to the music (no
tags or restarts) and this may cause trouble for those dancers used to
the current practice of phrasing. Most of the dance has a very graceful
and flowing feel, tho' there is a syncopated bracket of taps, switches
and brushes which IMO doesn't flow with the rest of the dance and seems
to come out of nowhere. The dance does move a fair bit in the 3:00/9:00
direction. Rating: **
Mr Mom - Hazel Pace [4w,64c]; 9/2004
Easy intermediate dance to a country song ("Mr. Mom" by Lonestar
[Let's Be Us Again]). There're also two alternative tracks by Paul
Overstreet. There's nothing challenging with the steps, just a rather
quick dance which did feel a bit rushed at one or two points.
Fortunately there's no syncopation in the dance, tho' the beat in the
music would equally well fit a 32 count syncopated dance. Flows fairly
well despite the pace with no sudden direction changes. The "hitching
steps" near the end of the dance seem best done as sweep steps. One
easy, but long, bridge. Rating: **
Take it Easy - Maggie Gallagher [4w,64c]; 7/2004
Intermediate/advanced dance to a country-rock track ("Take It
Easy"
by The Eagles). Track appears on most of the Eagles best of
collections. The slightly faster cover by Travis Tritt (on "Common
Thread: Songs Of The Eagles") is also a suggested track, with the same
phrasing. Something of a confusing dance to learn (but it was a hot
evening without any AC). I like the music, but the dance just didn't
grab me first time around. The dance is fairly quick, with a lot of
syncopation. Not much mopvement around the floor, but some of the turns
felt awkward, even after doing the dance a few times. Rating: * (might
get upped next week)
Shiv-a-ree - Maggie Gallagher [2w,64c]; 9/2004
Intermediate/advanced dance to a pop track ("Goodnight Moon"
by Shivaree [Kill Bill 2 Soundtrack]). This is a challenge of a dance
in anyone's book. Lots of turns and a unusual count most of the time,
along with plenty of unexpected steps. In a words, this dance is
different. Sufficiently so that a fair number of dancers will not like
it (at least going by the reaction when I did it). But for those who
enjoy a challenge and something different, definitely give this one a
try. Only for the upper level dancers tho'. Dance has a number of
styling steps which can be left out, at least at first. One dead easy
tag. Rating: **
Backroads Cruisin' - Penny Kelly [2w,64c]; 7/2004
Improver dance to a country rock 'n roll song ("Backroads"
by Ricky Van Shelton [Backroads]). A fairly easy dance that'd suit
either an improver or intermediate class. The dance is a bit repetitive
and the steps a bit basic, but has a nice feel to it. Has a few akward
feeling steps, notably the "ball-step, scuff" sequence which is done
twice (the only syncopation in the dance). But as usual, practice will
likely smooth this out. Dance does travel a lot, all over the floor, so
make sure there's plenty of room and take small steps when necessesary.
One restart. Rating: **
You and I - Julie Carr [4w,56c]; 8/2004
Intermediate dance to a pop track ("You And I"
by Celine Dion). This dance flows very nicely and has a very smooth
feel. It does have a lot of turns and moves a LOT around the
dancefloor, so make sure you have plenty of room. The second restart
will probably cause some trouble, especially with the more experienced
dances. There is an obvious restart on the 5th wall which leaves the
dance phrasing for the rest of the song, however the choreographer has
chosen to do the restart on the 4th wall (not in the music, so you'll
have to count). The rest of the dance doesn't phrase as well, but the
last wall does end facing the front. Having done the 2nd restart in
both places, I felt doing it on the 5th wall (and adding a 1/2 turn at
the end) resulted in a much better dance. Two restarts. Rating: ***
Big Time - Martin Ritchie [4w,32c]; 8/2004
Improver dance to a new-country track ("Big Time"
by Big & Rich [Horse Of A Different Color]). There is a more
traditional country alternative. The dance has a few unusual steps
which may catch the more experienced dancers by surprise. I found the
reverse full turn (which is optional) at the start needed a bit of
practice to get used to, especially coming out of the previous wall.
The "1/4 pivot turn" on count 30 is really a 1/4 turn & drag
together, leading into the coaster. No tags/restarts. Rating: **
Maybe - Justine Shuttleworth [2w,96c]; 1999
Intermediate waltz to a pop-country track ("I Love You"
by Faith Hill [Love Will Always Win]). This is another oldie that's
having a revival, tho' it never really dissapeared from the local dance
floors. The song is really in 4/4 time at 60 b/m with the dance count
being 1&a, 2&a, 3&a etc. Since this count is unfamilar to
most dancers, the choreographer chose to write the dance in waltz count
(at 180 b/m), making it a very quick waltz (tho' a lot of holds alieve
this somewhat). The speed of the dance does lend itself to a fair bit
of fudging (eg: replacing twinkles with sweeps) to avoid feeling too
rushed. The dance nonetheless is very smooth and has a distinct waltz
feel, despite the pace. Has a 12 count bridge near the end of the 6th
wall (the sheet doesn't actually say which wall) which, while it did
fit the music, didn't seem to fit the feel of the dance. Rating: ***
Barefoot & Pregnant - Ian Dunn [48c,4w]; 9/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Everybody's Sweetheart"
by Vince Gill [I never knew lonely by Vince Gill]). A lot of repetition
in this dance, starting off with the first 4 counts being repeated 4
times to make a full turn pattern. Another 8 is the diamond shuffle
pattern from Reggae Cowboy. And that's half the dance. Nothing in the
dance that should overly tax an improver dancer and should be ok even
up upper beginners, especially with the easier options. Does travel
around the floor quite a bit, especially with the Reggae Cowboy
pattern. The restart and two tags would probably be the hardest thing
for beginners to pick up. There's not much to the dacne, so may have
limited appeal to the upper level dancers. Rating: *
A Man Is Not A Camel! - Linda Burgess [48c,4w]; 8/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("A Man Is Not A Camel!"
by Tom Curtain [Smack Bang]). A great track, however it will probably
be impossible to get hold of outside of Australia. The dance took out
first place in the Australian Music section of a recent choreography
competition. Music has a nice strong beat to it (try not to get
distracted by the lyrics while you learn it!) and the dance doesn't
have any awkward turns or direction changes. Dance is a bit pacy,
especially with a lot of syncopation. Travels around the floor a lot -
so make sure there's plenty of room. You'll need to lean forward on the
scoot (count 35) so your weight will be right to do the heel-grind. Two
restarts (same spot), the 2nd has an added 1/4 turn. Rating: **
Fudge It - Simon Ward [64c,2w]; 8/1999
Intermediate dance to a country-rock track ("How Do You Do What You
Do So Well"
- J. C. Jones [One Night]). Not a new dance, but one that's having a
modest revival at the moment (and new for me). Song has a great dance
beat and the dance pickts it quite well. Nothing overley difficult with
the steps, tho' the stomp and turn near the end do require a bit of
practice to end with the feet in the right positions afterwards. This
bit at the end did feel a bit awkward at first, but soon settled down
once I got the feel of it. The speed of the dance (it's quite fast)
probably puts it beyond the reach of most improver level dancers, tho'
it's by no means a super-fast dance. No awkward turns or sudden
direction changes. One obvious restart. When this first came out it was
considered an advanced dance. Rating: ***
Girls Gone Wild - Christine Bass [64c,2w]; 8/2004
Intermediate dance to a country song ("The Girl's Gone Wild"
- Travis Tritt [My Honky Tonk History]). The steps of this dance are
quite easy (almost beginner level). The only challenge is the speed -
this is a fast dance. There's a lot of repetition with the 2nd set of 8
being repeated on the 4th, 6th & 8th sets, leading on the oppsite
foot each time - this can lead to a bit of confusion when you go into
the following set (which one?!). There's not much floor movement and
the dance flows fairly well with no sudden direction changes (which is
important with fast dances). Slowing the music down while teaching is
probably a must for this one. Two tags. Rating: ***
Open Season - Maggie Gallagher [32c,2w]; 8/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Open Season On My Heart"
- Tim McGraw [Live Like You Were Dying]). A smooth & slow dance.
Has a few tricky steps & some unusual counts. Dance has a
1-2&,3-4,5-6&,7-8 count & fits the music quite well. The
ronde will likely need a bit more attention with teaching since it
seems to be easy to get a count ahead there - the cross behind is not
on the same count as the rhonde. I found the last 8 counts to be the
hardest. There is one restart which is not obvious in the music (so
count the walls). Rating: ***
A Devil in Me - Kate Sala [64c,4w]; 8/2004
Intermediate dance to a dance-mix track ("Diavolo In Me (A Devil In
Me)"
- Zucchero with Solomon Burke). Another of those songs that defies
traditional labelling - which is to say it's a bit of country, a bit of
gospel, a bit of pop and a lot of dance-club music. The dance itself
has been heralded as the best thing since sliced bread (with I
personally loathe) and lead to a rather unpleasant flamewar on the LDUK
mail-list. I felt the dance fitted the music quite well (which
incidently has a great dance beat), however the dance itself didn't
flow all the time. A few steps did seem counter to the natural flow of
the dance, tho' it seemed to settle down a bit after a few tries. A
fairly turn intensive dance. While I was looking forward to doing this
one, it got the thumbs down at class & not just from the country
crowd. Rating: **
Push - Michele Perron [32c,4w]; 6/2004
Improver dance to a pop-dance track ("Push"
- Dannii Minogue [Neon Nights] or "Wait 'til I Get Home" - C-Note
[Different Kind Of Love]). The title song has a good dance beat and the
dance fits the music fairly well, with a nice funky feel to it. This is
probably best described as a 'cute' dance, especially with all the hand
& arm actions. Probably wont go down too well with those dancers
who prefer to focus on footwork, but for those who enjoy arm waving and
pop music, this'll probably be a go-er. Has a fair bit of syncopation,
which puts it above the beginner level. The last 4 counts didn't seem
to flow with the rest of the dance - it felt better to do a cross and
then a slow full unwind (as in Slow Burn). Rating: **
Back To The Island - Charlotte Skeeters [64c,2w]; 8/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Back To The Island"
- Jimmy Buffett [License to Chill]). Been a while since I've seen
anything from Charlotte. The dance seemed to flow in stops & starts
and felt awkward in spots, especially the holds, but this may just be a
matter of practice. Unfortunately this one got dropped after the first
week, so didn't have a chance to get used to its feel. Has a lot of
repetition, with the 1st 16 counts being repeated almost verbatum. Some
unusual counts in the middle of the dance. One 16 count tag. Rating: *
Go West - Mark Simpkin [64c,2w]; 8/2004
Solid intermediate dance to a country track ("Go West Young Man"
- Orrall & Wright [Orrall & Wright]). Dance has some unusual
counts (eg: 1, 2&3 etc) which may take a bit of getting used to.
Isn't a smooth dance with a lot of kicks, jumps, ball-changes etc (a
tardemark of this choreographer), so it has an intentionally jerky
feel. The dance does move a lot across the floor, both 12:00/6:00 and
3:00/9:00. Fairly pacy, tho' doesn't feel rushed, even the syncopated
sections. Two tags. Dance will likely go down well with those dancers
who the jumpy/kicky style dances (I prefer smooth dances myself).
Rating: *
Western Cha Cha - Mark Simpkin [32c,2w]; 7/2004
Upper beginner dance to a mex-country track ("Land
of Enchantment" - The Dean Brothers). For the most part a cha-cha,
hence the name. Flows fairly well and there's not much floow travel. A
ball-cross would be the 'hardest' step sequence in the dance. The dance
was choreographed as a beginner floor-split with Simpkin's intermediate
dance, "Land of Enchantment", done to the same song. No tags/restarts.
Quite a simple dance, tho' probably a bit boring for intermediate &
above dancers. Rating: *
Women Rule - Charlie Mifsud [2w,64c]; 6/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Women Rule the World" -
Lonestar [Let's Be Us Again]). Song has a terrific dance beat, tho' a
bit quickish. The dance really suits the music and flows very well with
a lively feel. The dance does move a fair bit in the North/South
direction, especially near the end of each wall. The speed and
syncopation would prolly put this beyond most improver dancers (but I'd
not call it int/adv as the dance sheet says). I wasn't too sure about
the kick-ball-changes fitting into the dance initially, but after a few
tries they slotted in. Dance starts with a 'heel, hold' and there're
also several heel-ball-changes, so a bit of care may be needed to keep
them all in their right spots. Some dances I need weeks and weeks to
pick up, others one teach cements it in place (and that has nothing to
do with the difficulty level). This dance was very much one of the
latter. Two tags which're very obvious in the music. Rating: ***
All Clear - Linda Burgess [4w,32c]; 3/2004
Improver dance to
a country track ("The Coast is Clear" - Scotty Emerick [The
Coast is
Clear]). This one's been around a while with the beginner and improver
classes, I only learnt it as a catchup. There were a few awkward step
sequentces in the dance that were counter to the flow of the dance (ie:
they didn't feel right). A 1/2 pivot followed by two back lock-shuffles
felt particularlt awkward to me. The dance is heavily syncopated, but
the music is quite slow, so the dance itself is slowish-medium paced.
One restart. Rating: *
A Bit of Alright - Linda Burgess [4w,48c]; 8/2004
Upper
beginner dance to a country track ("A Bit of Alright" - Tom
Curtain
[Smack Bang!]. A great track and a great album, however as an
independent Aussie artist, the music will be hard to get in Australia
and probably impossible elsewhere. There's no syncopation in the dance,
however it feels like there is - the music is a bit pacey and there're
slow shuffles, slow coasters etc. The dance and music flow quite well
and the only steps that would trouble beginners would be the holds and
the Elvis knees. The forward movement on the latter is optional and is
only slight anyway. There're no sudden direction changes or steps
that're counter to the natural flow of the dance. Quite suitable for an
upper beginner or improver class - while Linda has done some good
intermediate and advanced dances, the beginner/improver level is her
forte. Two turns and one restart. Rating: **
Where I Belong - Peter Fry [2w,48c]; 6/2004
Advanced dance
to a country track ("Softly" - Lonestar [I'm Already There]). A
lot of
unusual syncopation in this dance (mostly it's 1-2& etc) and the
dance is quite a challenge - definitely not recommended for anything
less than an upper intermediate class. The dance has quite a few sudden
direction changes, tho' only one is a serious problem - a double
rolling vine back after doing a forward lunge. Those who have less than
perfect knees will have trouble at this spot. I did find the dance
rushed at times, especially some of the turns. The dance is very turn
intensive - with 23 turns, on average that's a turn every 2 counts!
With all the turns and the rushed feel, this dance did not flow,
however there are spots where, after a few tries, it starts to flow,
which may hold promise for the rest of the dance with more practice.
One restart. Rating: *
Mary's Zorba - Lyndon Satchell [4w,32c]; 1999
Improver dance
to a pop-dance track ("Zorba's Dance" - L.C.D. [single]). Not a
new
dance, but resurrected because of the Athens olympics. Dance is done to
a dance mix of the well known Greek song. Nothing complicated with the
dance, tho' make sure you have the right dance sheet - the one on
Kickit (and prolly elsewhere) has the counts badly wrong. The music is
quite fast, although in the middle is slows down considerably for a
wall or so before speeding back up. The speed is the only thing
stopping this from being labelled a beginner dance. No tags/restarts -
but add your own arm actions. Rating: *
Drinkin' Bone - Noel Bradey, Michael Vera-Lobos & Robert Fletcher
[4w,32c]; 8/2004
Improver dance to a country track ("Drinkin' Bone" - Tracy Byrd
[The Truth About
Men])." Apart from the first 8 counts this is a fairly easy dance. The
first 8 counts are not, in themselves all that hard, just that you
repeat the first 4 counts with a step instead of a touch - the sort of
thing that's easy to forget and you end up on the wrong foot. I also
found counts 5-8 to have an awkward feel - with as much experience as
the choreographers have, surely they could've made it smoother? The
rest of the dance flows quite well and there's not much movement across
the floor. No tags/restarts. Rating: **
Turbo Twang - Max Perry & Peter Metelnick [4w,32c]; 7/2004
Improver
dance to a dance-mix country track - at least that's the best I can
describe it as ("Turbo Twang" - Wayne Warner). There's nothing
really
spectacular about the dance, tho' with a fair bit of syncopation
including syncopated weaves & heel switches - with holds - this is
definitely not a beginner dance as the sheet suggests. The music is,
well, interesting to say the least. Imagine a contemporary dance track
with banjos and fiddles and ya starting to get the idea. The music beat
changes a few times, but you just keep dancing and it comes back again
- fortunately the steps are not too difficult. The phrasing is bad, but
it would undoubtedly take too many tags and restarts to match the
phrasing so the choreographers have wisely chosen to forget about the
phrasing. Rating: **
Come Fly With Me - Brett Jenkins & Cathryn Proudfoot [4w,48c];
7/2004
Upper
beginner/improver dance to a cabaret-style track ("Come Fly With Me"
-
Michael Buble [Michael Buble]). There's a fair bit of repetion in this
dance and while it's rated improver, with a bit of practice, upper
beginners should have little trouble picking up the dance. 8 counts of
the dance come straight from the old classic, "Smokey Places".
The
'hardest' part of the dance would be the back, lock's in the last set
of 8. Dance doesn't take up much floor space and flows quite well. The
only downside for me was that I disliked the music. The music is not
particularly well phrased, but the choreographers elected not to
include any restarts so as to keep the dance simple. Rating: *
Pure Country - Darren Mitchell & Cathryn Proudfoot [2w,72c]; 5/2004
Intermediate
dance to a country track ("She Lays it all on the Line" - George
Strait
[Pure Country soundtrack]). Originally choreographed as a phrased
dance, after howls of complaints, it was rewritten as an unphrased
dance with a restart/tag (no change to the steps tho'). A well
choreographed dance that prolly verges on the upper intermediate.
There's not much movement across the floor and the dance flows quite
well. While there's a fair bit of syncopation, the music is not fast so
the dance doesn't feel rushed. Note that count 45 is a step back.
There's a "1/2 pivot, step" rather than the more familar "step, 1/2
pivot" which may take a bit of getting used to. Quite a few turns in
the dance, but it's by no means turn-intensive. Rating: ***
Ride 'em Cowboy - Leonie Smallwood [4w,32c]; 8/2004
Improver
dance to a country track ("Save a Hose (Ride a Cowboy)" - Big
&
Rich [Horse of a Different Color]). This is the latest in around 2
dozen dances to this track, almost all of which are beginner or
improver level. The big hint for this dance is not to take it
seriously! The dance harks back to the days of the "Bus Stop" -
body
movement is just as important as the footwork. There's nothing
difficult with the steps, although the dance appears to be
choreographed to the double beat, so it is a bit quick, especially with
the syncopated sections. Even tho' there's not much to the dance, the
pace & syncopation probably put this above most beginners. A tag
done 3 times (just repeat the last 8 counts). Rating: *
The Ice Cream Song - Leonie Smallwood [4w,32c]; 5/2004
Improver
dance to a country track ("How Your Love Makes Me Feel" -
Diamond Rio
[Greatest Hits]). There's nothing much to this dance, tho' the
dorothy's probably put it above the reach of beginners (dorothy's *not*
being a beginner level step sequence IMO). The full turn on counts 5-6
was a bit awkward. A long dance - I lost count after a dozen walls. Two
tags and a tag/restart. {I missed this teach so no rating}.
Start Living - Carl Sullivan [4w,48c]; 8/2004
Upper
intermediate dance to a country-rock track ("Days Go By" - Keith
Urban
[single]). The music hasn't been released in Oz and the album's not yet
out in the US and there're already three dances to this song doing the
rounds here in Sydney! This is a fairly quickish dance and, IMO, the
best of the three (well of the two that I've tried). The dance didn't
feel rushed and flowed quite well and with a tag & a restart, it
phrased better than the other dance I've learnt to this song (which has
only one tag & definitely needed something latter on). A moderate
amount of movement across the floor, but not all that much. Part of the
dance is done to the diagonal, which seems to be a Carl's "signature".
While there are actually not all that many turns in the dance, it does
feel like you are doing lots of turns. Some unusual step sequences in
the dance to keep you on your toes. The music was a bit of a
disappointment, given Urban's previous linedance hits. Rating: ***
Guys Like Me - Mark Simpkin [2w,64c]; 8/2004
Upper
intermediate dance to a country track ("Guys Like Me" - Gary
Allan [See
If I Care]). This is the 4th dance I've heard of to this song and 3 of
these have the same title. The dance also got a lot of exposure on the
weekend - not only was it taught in the workshop, it was entered in the
choreography competition and it was also performed in the team dance
competition. A quite fast dance and one which thankfully had no
syncopation. Nonetheless, the dance felt rushed to me - it seemed more
like a race than a dance. With practice I daresay this rushed feel may
well pass. I found counts 25-32 to be the hardest to get used to at
dance speed (there was a big tendency to fudge a bit there). The steps
themselves are not that hard - I missed half the teach and still had no
trouble picking them up .. it's just that the dance is quick. One tag.
Rating: **
When She Drinks - Paul Snooke [2w, 32c]; 4/2004
Improver dance to a country song ("She Only Smokes When She Drinks"
- Joe Nichols [Man With a Memory]). A smoothly flowing dance which
doesn't take up much floor space. The dance has a 1-2&,3-4&
count throughout & fits the music quite nicely. There are two turns
in the first set of 8 which're done on the & count, however a lot
of people tend to do the turns early using a 3&4 etc count. The
full unwind, following straight after a 1/2 unwind is prolly the
hardest part of the dance and does feel awkward at first. Non-turners
could replace the full unwind with a cross and hold. Note that the
original sheet has a missing step and a couple of mistakes with the
count. Two restarts. Rating: ***
Days Go By - John "Grrowler" Rowell [2w, 48c]; 7/2004
Intermediate dance to a country track ("Days Go By"
- Keith Urban [single]). The song has only been released as a singler,
so may be hard to find. Dance flows fairly well, however there's one
sudden direction reversal and several steps that don't feel quite
kosher. The "ball-recover, 1/2 hinge" in the first set of 8 feels
awkward when walking thru', but feels better when done to the music.
The dance is a bit turn intensive in places, so may be difficult for
non-turners, although the two full turns could be replaced by vanilla
vines. The main criticism I had with this one was actually the music.
In the last half the phrasing and beat go totally out the window - nice
to listen to but not to dance to. One easy tag. Rating: **
Sun Up - Mary Kelly [4w, 32c]; 10/2003
Improver dance. The original sheet has two tracks, one pop & one
country, ("Sunrise" - Simply Red [Home]) and ("Talking To A
Stranger" - Rodney Crowell [Greatest Hits]). For some reason
locally it's being done to another country track ("I've Got a
Feel
