GO TO THE RIVER

January 2011 - Phase II+2 two-step to a brand new song available as a single, or as track 01 of a CD album, or downloadable as MP3.

History

This is the first time that we write a dance to a piece of music that is so new... an interesting experience. I happened to be watching my favorite Saturday night TV show and Yael Naim was one of the guests, having been invited to present her new CD called "She is a Boy". "Go to the River" is track 01, rapidly gaining popularity as a single. I downloaded the song from iTune France (3:42) but it looks like there might be a difference (in length) with the version on iTunes USA, so it may be best to ask us for the music.

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HEY, WHAT'S UP?

May 2011 - Phase IV+1 Cha Cha Santana's Oye Como Va, available on a CD album, or downloadable as MP3 from most sites

History

This cha cha was a request from a young couple getting married in June, having no previous dancing experience but very attached to the Santana music which they had become familiar with during a trip to Mexico. The dance was written to be as spectacular as I could make it while keeping the number of figures to learn to the minimum.

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MIDNIGHT FLYER

June 2011 - Two-step and Single Swing III+1 to a Roger Miller song typically somewhere between country and jazz. The MP3 can be donwloaded from You Tube.

History

We went to Crete (Greek Island) for a REAL holiday but, as we were lazily resting (in the shade) by the swimming pool, we thought we would write a little Summer dance to pass away the time. Easy, no strain, no headache. A few measures however were insistently asking for Single Swing, so we put in a limited amount of the easiest figures: Change of Places, Change Hands Behind The Back and Spanish Arms, that's it, that's all.

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TOO SEXY

End June 2011 - Phase IV cha cha to a song by Right Said Fred, "I'm too sexy" available on CD or as MP3 download from Amazon and other sites.

History

My daughter was gathering music to use as background for a slide show and this was one piece that I heard her play. I started laughing (the lyrics will do that to you) and then thought that if the song amused me, it might amuse others too. The chacha is of average difficulty, no brainer but with a little meat to chew on, just enough to have something to teach in a workshop. It's a fun dance, well suited to outdoors or deck parties this Summer.

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PACK UP

End July 2011 - Phase II+2+1 two-step to a song released in 2010 by Eliza Doolittle. Available on a CD or as mp3 from Amazon & others.

History

Must blame my daughter Averil again for this one. As she was leaving she threw a postit on my desk mumbling something like "would make a nice dance" before rushing out the door. And so here it is, a two-step in which I have put a "Basket Ball Check Thru", an unphased new figure I had found in a sample module of ROUNDALAB's new Writing Cue-Sheets Guideline".

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PEACE OF IONA

August 2011 - 5-Count phase II+2 to a Celtic song by the Scottish group The Waterboys. Available as mp3 download.

History

From time to time I re-visit my folder of "choreographable" songs and am always surprised to find in there songs that I could swear I have never heard before. Such a song is this one, the perfect piece for an introduction to 5-Count. Early in their phase III classes, teachers probably want to wrap up the 2-step knowledge by teaching the few phase III two-step figures and a natural follow-up is to cue a few 5 Count dances, a great transition before starting the Cha Cha.

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WAND'RIN' STAR

August 2011 - Mixed rhythms: Slow-2-Step and Jive, phase IV. Music: instrumental or Lee Marvin's vocal, available as mp3 download.

History

We wrote this dance several years ago to introduce our students to Slow-2-Step. There are only 6 STS figures in the dance (and 6 easy jive figures). Only 3 phase IV figures (Left Turn Inside Roll, Right Turn Outside Roll, Windmill). The music is the kind that everybody likes, a must when introducing a new rhythm.

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REMEDY

September 2011 - Mixed rhythms: Tango and Cha Cha, phase V. Music by Alec Medina, downloadable from Casa Musica or iTunes.

History

The original song is by "Little Boots", a young English singer and song-writer. The arrangement by Alec Medina's orchestra is very close to the original, with the tango rhythm emphasized. Having started to write the dance thinking of a phase III, I was quite surprised to discover that it had turned into a phase V. This is because almost any true tango figure is phase V, including Left Whisk, Outside Swivel, Brush Tap. The dance is nevertherless much easier than the phasing indicates and would be a good workshop for Phase III/IV dancers.

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A HORSE WITH NO NAME

September 2011 - Two dances (2-step II+1 and Rumba IV+1) written to the same music by America, downloadable from Amazon or iTunes.

History

Another Greek island - another swimming pool - The Greek gods who were haunting the isle of Santorini inspired us, this time, to write two dances to the same music, a great song written in 1971 by the group America. We first wrote a rumba/two-step IV+1, and later, a two-step II+1. When we got back home we found out that Chris and Terri Cantrell had written a dance to the same music while we were away and it was simply serendipity that the level was III. So, with three dances at the II, III and IV levels, we are hoping that the song will be heard in many clubs this Fall.

CUE-SHEET II MUSIC SAMPLE CUE-SHEET IV

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EVERYBODY KNOWS

October 2011 - Cha Cha phase V to Leonard Cohen's song, downloadable from most MP3 sites

History

Another cue-sheet started in Santorini - impossible not to be inspired by such beautiful surroundings. I like deep voices and Leonard Cohen has an awsome personality: writer, musician, song writer, philosopher, buddhist monk, the man has so many facets, each more fascinating than the other. Like the artist, the dance is written in a serious mode: a solid cha cha with accent on two figures that belong to the same family: the Turkish Towel and Sweethearts. The sequence is Intro-ABCDE, no repeat, in other words it covers quite a number of chacha figures III, IV and V.

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4 New Christmas Dances

November 2011 - See bottom of this page

Happy Christmahanavaloween (TS II) - Take my Heart this Christmas (TS II) - Christmas Medley 8 (TS/FT III) - Say Merry Christmas (TS/CH III)

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A PLACE IN THE CHOIR

December 2011 - 2-step phase II+2 to a peppy song by CELTIC THUNDER downloadable from most MP3 sites

History

Mary and Bruce Nelson from Canada sent me this music, which is a humoristic song by the choir associated with Phil Coulter's orchestra. It's an easy, happy two-step which can be danced to cues at square dances.

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