17.12.19 Nothing new taught tonight, it was part class, part social but we danced a lot!
Danced tonight: Playboys, Just A Phase, Wandering Hearts, Small Town Summer, Jessie, Jealousy, We Are Dynamite, Go West, She Ain’t Me, Second Hand Heart, You Gotta Work, Castles, All I Am Is You, Stack It Up, Mad Crazy Love, Water On The Flames, Darling That’s The Truth, Thousand Times, Nothing But You, All I Need To Know, In Control, Life Without You, In Comes The Night, We’ll Be Dancing, Feel The Same, Faithful Soul, Moves, Hearts On Fire, My Angel & Me, Willpower, Everything I Have, Hey Now, My Heart Is Gone, Ribbon Of Highway (Blake Shelton – Two Step Round The Christmas Tree), Rumba Ride (George Strait- Christmas Cookies) and Just A Kiss (Wham – Last Christmas).
10.12.2019 WE ARE DYNAMITE (Alison Biggs & Peter Metelnick) This was my last teach, not just of this year but of the decade! Didn’t want anything too taxing and this proved fairly easy to pick up with just one slightly sticky bit that took slightly longer to get used to. I think it was quite a hit with the class.
Also danced tonight: Dance On My Island, Pretend, You & Me Together, Life Without You, Thousand Times, Lonely Blues, Everything I Have, Darling That’s The Truth, In Comes The Night, Moves, Gone West, Hey Now, Young Love, My Heart Is Gone, Willpower, Stack It Up, Castles, Faithful Soul, Feel The Same, and You Gotta Work.
03.12.2019 DARLING THAT’S THE TRUTH (Gary O Reilly) Great track and the dance isn’t too hard. Just what you need at this time of year! 2 restarts and 1 tag but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Lots teaching it round here, in fact some at my class were learning it for the third time in just two days.
Darling That’s The Truth step sheet
Also danced tonight: Damn, Soul Shake, Selfish, Saluti, She Ain’t Me, Shot Of Tequila, My Heart Is Gone, Up In The Air, Feel the Same, Faithful Soul, I Am Giant, 3 To Tango, Legend, I Guess, Everything I Have, Stack It Up, Replay, Castles, You Gotta Work, Hey Now and Moves.
26.11.19 FEEL THE SAME (Karl-Harry Winson) Have been waiting months for this step sheet to be released and the I think it was worth it from the class reaction. Everyone was back on the floor at the end of the night to dance a 3rd time so definitely a hit. The only slight criticism is that there are 5 coaster steps in the last 4 sections – too many!
19.11.19 STACK IT UP (Neville Fitzgerald & Julie Harris) This was a tricky teach that took quite a while for people to get their heads around. Not for everyone at my class but I like the track although I’m not so keen on the rapping. The sequence is long wall, short wall, long wall, short wall, restart at 48 counts.
12.11.19 YOU GOTTA WORK (Ria Vos) I love this one especially the heel toe swivels that fit perfectly to the music. Yes the last 5 counts of the first section are very fast but the rest of the dance is fairly simple. One or two weren’t keen but think most enjoyed this one.
05.11.19 Quite a hard class this week with two new dances. First up was a 90 count waltz FAITHFUL SOUL (Gary O’Reilly & Maggie Gallagher). I don’t think there’s anything too hard in this, it’s more a case of being able to remember the order the steps come in as it’s a fairly long sequence. As if one Maggie dance wasn’t enough I then did CASTLES (Maggie Gallagher). Some had already learnt this elsewhere but it was new for most. A phrased dance with a straightforward sequence AAB times 4 that was picked up fairly quickly. I think both dances were well received.
29.10.19 NO CLASS due to illness
22.10.19 UP IN THE AIR (Rachael McEnaney-White & Simon Ward) The tricky bits in this were section 3 of the dance and also the tag at the end of the 5th wall where you have to get the weight in the right place while thinking about footwork and armography! Fortunately the 2 restarts are easier to deal with. Seemed to be quite well received by the class.
15.10.19 MOVES (Simon Ward & Shane McKeever) Must confess I’ve been waning to do this one for a few weeks now. But I wasn’t sure how well it would be received and I didn’t want to do it close to our recent week off. I think the majority of the class liked it although it was a bit testing in places and the music is a bit on the quick side till you get used to where you are supposed to be going. Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the response.
08.10.19 HEY NOW! (Gary O’Reilly) After not having a class last week and a few people having been away on their own holidays, I thought it best to start back with something easier. This is a simple enough 32 counter with just one restart. The only downside is perhaps that the track is quite long for a shorter dance but it seemed to be fairly well received. Really thought this would have done better at the class and in the local area but it doesn’t seemed tob egtting picked up around here.
24.09.19 IN COMES THE NIGHT (Ria Vos) A nice gentle pace to this slightly Mavericks sounding track by Bobby Wills. The 1/4 turn touch, cross, rock and cross sections are a bit different and the final section takes a bit of practice to get used to. Just what you need to keep things interesting. Went down pretty well with the class.
17.09.19 3 TO TANGO (Alison & Peter) I thought this was a relatively easy intermediate dance, yes it feels fast at first but not too hard. A 32 count basic dance with a 16 count tag danced at the end of the walls 2,4 and 6. I was a bit surprised that nearly half the class sat down after the first time of dancing it. But when I played it for a third and final time at the end of the night, some did return to give it another go.
10.09.19 THOUSAND TIMES (Niels Poulsen) I’ll be honest, this wasn’t a track I was particularly drawn to but having learned the dance elsewhere I thought it fitted the track really well, even if the repeated sequence of a full wall (32 counts), an almost full wall (30 counts) and a short wall (16 counts) sounds a little daunting at first. Not a quick teach but think it went down well with the class despite being one of the slower dances I’ve done this year.
03.09.19 MY HEART IS GONE (Gary O’Reilly) Quite a long teach getting used to which way you should be turning and which diagonal you are heading for. But at least no tags and restarts just a simple ending for a big finish. Fairly well received. 64 counts and 2 wall.
27.08.19 ***NO CLASS – TOO HOT!***
20.08.19 RESTORING FAITH (Alison Biggs & Peter Metelnick) Solid intermediate dance to Kelly Clarkson with plenty of rocks and shuffles. A welcome change to a fairly steady pace after a few more upbeat tracks just recently. I somehow forgot to play it again before the end of the class (sorry!) but with next week being a recap night, we’ll have a plenty of chance to dance it again then.
13.08.19 GONE WEST (Maggie Gallagher & Gary O’Reilly) I slipped this one in as a little extra one tonight. Nice and easy even with a couple of simple tags. Ideal as a warm-up dance.
13.08.19 GET YOU SOME (Dee Musk) Learnt this from the choreographer at Harrogate a few weeks back. A nippy dance with a Brazilian Samba type feel – and lots of & counts. A bit frantic but built them up gradually and I think we got there without too much of a problem.
06.08.19 YOUNG LOVE (Karl-Harry Winson & Tina Argyle) A 64 count, 2 wall, dance with no tags or restarts. No particular troublesome bits but I spent a little longer than normal to try and give everyone a chance of getting it before the music went on. Most seemed to like it although one or two said the music could with a bit more oomph! Like last week’s dance, this is being taught locally so bound to see it out.
30.07.19 DIAMOND WINGS (Ria Vos & Dee Musk) This was a hit dance when taught in Harrogate last weekend. I think it transferred over to a class context pretty well. First half of the dance was reasonably straightforward but the latter half proved a bit more tricky. Tag and restart are simple enough too. I know its being taught elsewhere in the East Midlands this week so we are sure to see it on the local dance floors sooner or later.
23.07.19 DANCE ON MY ISLAND (Gary O’Reilly & Shane McKeever) This one came out a couple of months ago and I wasn’t sure at the time how much i liked the track. Its more radio 1 than radio 2 shall we say? But the dance fits the music perfectly and I didn’t think it really warranted being labelled as higher intermediate. It’s only 32 counts with one 8 count tag although it is a bit nippy. Probably fair to say that I liked it more than some of my class did but give it a few more goes and I think they will grow to appreciate it.
16.07.19 SALUTI (Karl-Harry Winson & Robbie McGowan Hickie) Had received some good feedback about this dance before teaching it and sure enough it was a big hit with my class. Tried not to rush the teach, as it takes a bit of getting in places at firs,t but we danced it 3 times in total and it was well received. Some were a bit hesitant about the turn in the middle of the cross shuffles at the start of section 3 and also with the quick behind 1/4 step at the beginning of the following section but with a bit of practice I think they fell into place. Good dance and sure to do well I think.
09.07.19 GET WILD (Maddison Glover & Jo Thompson Szymanski) I’ve been dancing this one for a couple of months but only just got round to covering it at class. An easy enough phrased dance that is filling floors around here. Quite a few had already learnt it elsewhere but not sure everyone who hadn’t done it before actually liked it although some certainly did enjoy it.
25.06.19 WILLPOWER (Robbie McGowan Hickie) With no class next week, it was good to leave them with a big hit of a dance. Typical flowing Robbie steps that moves along nicely and a track with a strong beat from Claire Richards (ex Steps). This should do very well but no script released as yet so you’ll need to contact the choreographer.
18.06.19 SHOT OF TEQUILA (Fred Whitehouse) I liked the track for this one and thought the choreography really captured the Samba feel of the music. A couple of restarts with one simple tag. Everyone was able to pick it up fairly quickly and it seemed to go down pretty well.
11.06.19 WATER ON THE FLAMES (Maggie Gallagher) This one only appeared on the internet this morning so it was a case of learning it quickly to teach tonight. I liked it and I think it went down pretty well with the class. The man beat kicks in around halfway through the first wall. Fairly straightforward once you’ve mastered the “in front*anchor steps, and got used to going backwards after the forward shuffle at the start of the final section.
Water On the Flames step sheet
04.06.19 No class
28.05.19 LEGEND (Robbie McGowan Hickie & Karl-Harry Winson) As this is dedicated to the memory of Lizzie Clarke, its bound to do well. The fact that this is straightforward 64 count easy intermediate dance with no tags or restarts also helps. As usual with these choreographers, the dance flows well and I’ve feeling it will be a big hit.
21.05.19 HABIBI (Gary O’Reilly) An easy(ish) little 32 count dance with just one restart. Not sure everyone was keen on the music but I like the flow and tempo of the dance.
Was asked to teach JUST A PHASE (Fred Whitehouse & Maddison Glover) quite some time ago but have only just found time to cover it. Some in the class had been doing it for a couple of months so this helped the others a bit when the music went on.
14.05.19 LONELY BLUES (Rachael McEnaney- White) I wanted something more upbeat after a few slower dances lately and I have’t done a country one for a while either. So this was ideal – my kind of country track too. A 64 count dance with no tags or restarts, but a neat ending.
07.05.19 EVERYTHING I HAVE (Gary O’Reilly & Maggie Gallagher) Easy enough nightclub 2 step and not as fast as some we’ve covered recently. Two restarts and one simple tag. They like the track by Westlife and I think the dance itself was pretty well received.
30.04.19 No new dance this week so we could recap the ones we’ve been doing just recently. If you think this makes for an easier night, think again! We got through 24 dances in total and I think it was still a pretty intensive workout.
23.04.19 SHE AIN’T ME (Maggie Gallagher) This was a bit harder to teach than I was expecting. In the main due to the combination of turns, the speed of the dance in places, and the fact that there’s not much beat to dance to on the opening wall. Not sure it was a hit with everyone but I think another week and people will be more comfortable with it. The two tags are easy enough.
16.04.19 REPLAY (Daniel Whittaker) Great piece of music for this easy intermediate dance. Has enough in it to be interesting but a relatively easy teach.
Squeezed another new one in tonight and it was a bit of a squeeze as we ran a bit short of time later in the night. The 2nd teach was I GUESS (Ria Vos). This is a higher intermediate dance and certainly took a bit longer. I’d describe it more of a twisty dance than turny as the turns go one way and then the other. A nightclub two-step but by no means slow. One restart and a tag on walls 6 and 8 respectively.
09.04.19 MAD CRAZY LOVE (Gary O’Reilly) A simple enough dance but with a rolling count and 4 slightly different tags . But the main issue seemed to be on wall 7 when the music fades to nothing and you keep dancing without a beat to guide you. Having watched the choreographer dance it on video it seems to go a little off beat for the last wall which feels a bit strange, certainly at first. But it seemed to be pretty well received.
02.04.19 ITS YOU AND ME (Maggie Gallagher) This was taught at Maggie’s weekend event in Southport last week. There’s no sheet out yet and I’ve been asked not to pass it on, but it should be released within the next couple of weeks or so. It’s a 64 count, 2 wall dance with 2 restarts and a brief short tag. there’s a couple of trickier sections but after dancing it a couple of times, the class picked it up fairly quickly.
26.03.19 Nothing new taught this week, we had a recap night. Great turnout, thanks everyone for your support including those who travel a long way (over an hour in some cases) to attend the class. Although there wasn’t a new dance, we still did a lot of dancing.
19.03.19 SUCKER (Julia Wetzel) This was a bit easier than some of the recent dances we’ve covered and like last week’s dance, Keep it Simple, the first half of the dance is easier than the latter half. Its not a smooth flowing dance, as the track has a slightly staccato feel but the steps fit the music very well. Not sure it was a massive hit with the class, but its easy enough to just get up and dance after a couple more weeks, without a lengthy recap.
12.03.19 KEEP IT SIMPLE (Karl-Harry Winson & Dwight Meessen) There are two dances to this track – Maggie G also has a beginner dance but I went with this intermediate one. The first half of the dance is easier than the second but it couldn’t have been too difficult as it got a good response from the class.
Also did a quick teach of LOVE IS LOUD (Robbie McGowan Hickie) at the end of the class. Many had already learnt this elsewhere but a few still wanted to do it so by covering it at the end of the night, it allowed those who didn’t want to stay to have an early night.
05.03.19 YOU AND ME TOGETHER (Ria Vos) 64 count dance with two restarts and a 32 count tag. Might sound a little daunting at first but it was actually an easier teach than I expected. Both the dance and the tag fit the music perfectly and although it’s only March, this is my favourite teach of the year so far. The class seemed to appreciate it too.
You and Me Together step sheet
26.02.19 I AM GIANT (Neville Fitzgerald & Julie Harris) Have heard this track a lot on the radio and there’s at least one other dance out to it. This has three restarts but flows fairly well once you’ve got used to a couple of quirky bits in it. I’m really not sure how well it went down. Possibly not for everyone.
19.09.19 WE’LL BE DANCING (Maggie Gallagher) Well it’s been a while since we’ve had a dance with no tags or restarts and for an intermediate one, this isn’t too hard. The only slight complaint is that the heavy beat sort of comes and goes every so often within the song, but generally the dance was a hit with the class.
12.02.19 CANDLELIGHT (Rob Fowler) Great new single from Jack Savoretti – sounds like a spy movie theme. The dance is only 40 counts with a repeated final 8 counts on 2 walls. Some weren’t keen on doing two complete diamond rotations (with the tag) or the twisty bit in section 3 but generally it was pretty well received. Remember this dance is choreographed to the 3.36 version and not the longer 4.31 one which is generally available from Amazon and iTunes.
05.02.19 CODIGO (Pat Stott) Dead simple three minute teach to a catchy song about tequila by George Strait. One easy restart.
05.02.19 DESERT WIND (Kate Sala & Robbie McGowan Hickie) This was the main dance tonight and I think it went down quite well with most of the class. Three restarts on walls 1, 3 and 5 mean you never get to dance the whole 64 counts when facing the back wall. Sections 6 and 7 of the dance seemed to prove the hardest to get across.
29.01.19 JESSIE (Rachel McEnaney-White & Simon Ward) A nice dance but not the easiest to get across on the first night. I have a feeling it probably won’t be a big hit at mine as several people said although they liked the track, they found it hard to get used to the turns in the dance. Its difficult to take out some of the turns without spoiling the dance.
22.01.19 No Class
15.01.19 MY ANGEL AND ME (Karl-Harry Winson) There are several dances of different levels out to this track but this was ideal for my intermediate class. Nothing too tricky but enough to keep it interesting for everyone and with a decent tempo. It was a definitely a big hit.
08.01.19 HOURGLASS (Maggie Gallagher & Gary O’ Reilly) I think this may well be another hit dance for Maggie & Gary. A different opening 8 counts and then some more familiar sequences later in the dance adapted from Cry Baby and The Thing About You. I think everyone got the dance but getting comfortable with the restarts may take a bit longer!
For dances previously taught see Dances Taught 2018.