Mojo Rhythm
Rob Fowler
That's How Rhythm Was Born - Wynonna
Probably the best dance to come out this summer. The music is really cool, and the steps fit just perfect. No tags and no restarts will make this dance easy to teach to most improver and intermediate classes. I hope everyone checks this dance out. Rob Fowler has choreographed so many great dances over the past decade, but this one might be one of the best yet.
Dance ***** Music ***** (August 10, 2009)
Toes
Rachael MacEnaney
Toes – Zac Brown Band
This is a great dance, especially for beginners and improvers. The music is a great feel good summer song, and I expect this dance to be a floor filler everywhere around the world for a long time to come. I have taught this dance to classes on different levels, and they all enjoyed it very much.
Dance **** Music **** (August 10, 2009)
Ease On Down
Rachael MacEnaney
Ease On Down The Road – Michael Jackson & Diana Ross
This is a great intermediate dance to one of the earlier Motown recordings by Michael Jackson & Diana Ross. Some of the steps are really tricky, but once you get a hang of it, it flows really well. I highly recommend this dance to intermediate dancers, and if you teach this dance, be aware that it will probably take a few repetitions before everyone will master it.
Dance ***** Music ***** (August 10, 2009)
Want Ya
Raymond Sarlemijn
Want Ya – Darin
In my view this is one of the best funky dances around right now. It has been picked as one of the new WCDF competition dances for the novice divison for which it fits perfectly, but it will also appeal to all social dancers who likes to get down and funky. The steps are relatively easy, so you can focus on adding your own funky moves.
Dance **** Music **** (August 10, 2009)
Give It Back
Rachael McEnaney
Give It Back - Gaelle
This is my very favourite dance at the moment. ‘Cool’ would be a good word to describe this 32 count west coast style dance from Rachael McEnaney. The steps and the music just go together so well. This is an intermediate level dance, and it will take some time to master the steps, but it is definitively worth the effort. Without a doubt a five star dance.
Dance ***** Music ***** (June 16, 2008)
Mercy
Kate Sala
Mercy - Duffy
This is one of those interesting dances that has ‘Kate Sala’ written all over it. The music is a bit out of the ordinary, and so is the dance. And that’s a good thing. Like other dances from Kate, the steps are put together in a very clever manner, as it really goes with the rhythm of the music, and the placement of the restart in cohesion with the steps leading up to it is just brilliant. Intermediate dancers will love this dance.
Dance **** Music **** (June 16, 2008)
Crazy Foot Mambo
Paul McAdam
If You Wanna Be Happy – Dr. Victor & The Rasta Rebels
Like ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ ten years ago and ‘Bosa Nova’ last year, this is a real feel-good floor filler. It’s one of those dances that you can teach to every class, as the steps are fairly easy, and the music is very catchy. There are a few hitches and turns in there as well to make the dance interesting for all levels. Every class that I have taught this dance to seems to really be enjoying it, so even though that personally I don’t like the music that much, I think that this dance will be filling the floors everywhere for quite a while to come.
Dance *** Music ** (June 16, 2008)
Wild Ponies
Ami Walker
Wild Ponies – Kellie Pickler
Lately, there seems to be few and far between the really interesting intermediate level waltzes, but once in a while, a good one comes along. This is one of those dances. With 72 counts and one restart, this dance will take a while to teach and learn, but once you get going, everything just flows in a natural way. The actual steps aren’t that difficult, and the restart is very easy to catch. The song is both beautiful and sad, as it touches on a very serious subject. I highly recommend this dance.
Dance **** Music **** (June 16, 2008)
A Perfect View
Roy Verdonk & Wil Bos
In Another’s Eyes – Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks
There are many nightclub dances out there at the moment, but this one stands out. The track "In Another's Eyes" by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks is one of my all time favourite country songs. The dance has a really nice flow to it, and the steps fit together very well. There are several new combinations of steps, especially the last eight counts, but once you get it, everything just fits together perfectly. Roy Verdonk and Wil Bos are just brilliant choreographers. I highly recommend this dance to all intermediate level dancers.
Dance **** Music ***** (July 4, 2007)
Pump It
Raymond Sarlemijn
Pump Up The Jam – Technotronic
This is another fun and easy dance from the multiple World Champion choreographer Raymond Sarlemijn. The steps are easy, and the arm styling fits very well. The music is a classic from the late 80's, and what a pleasure it is to once again listen and dance to this track. Beginners will find this dance challenging, and more experienced dancers can add a lot of funky moves to make it even more fun.
Dance **** Music **** (July 4, 2007)
Heart Of An Angel
William Brown
Heart Of An Angel – Modern Talking
This 48 count improver waltz has become very popular in Denmark over the last few months. The steps are fairly easy, and the dance pattern is very logic to follow. However, I clearly prefer the alternative music suggestion "I'm Moving On" by Rascal Flatts over the original. With this slower track, you will have time to execute the steps in a much more elegant way and add some styling and arm movements. I believe this dance will stick around for quite some time.
Dance **** Music *** (July 4, 2007)
Got You Too
Kelli Haugen
Captured (By Love's Melody) - Rick Tippe
This beautiful waltz choreographed by Kelli Haugen back in 2002 still remains a favourite with both the dancers and myself. This is the very first waltz I teach to new students. Even though there are only 24 counts, it introduces several basic waltz steps, and it is both easy to learn and easy to teach. Also, this dance will fit to several different songs, and is easy to use as a floor split alternative to the new and more difficult waltzes. In my view, this dance is one of the classics of the new millennium.
Dance ***** Music **** (July 4, 2007)
Badda-Boom! Badda-Bang!
Karen Hunn
Freddie Said – Barry Manilow
Even though this beginner dance is a few years old, I decided to bring it back to some of the new beginners. I actually forgot how much fun this dance is. The class enjoyed the dance very much, and so did I. It is very easy to teach, and everyone just loved the music. Even intermediate level dancers will find this dance fun, as you can add a lot of your own styling to fit the lyrics.
Dance **** Music **** (December 9, 2006)
Paint Me A Birmingham
Ed Lawton, Gemma Bailey, Kate Sala & Roy Verdonk
Paint Me A Birmingham – Tracy Lawrence
The music to this dance is simply amazing – and reason enough alone to learn the dance. The steps are put together really well, and the dance has a really nice feel to it. However, the phrasing in the middle part of the music does not fit perfectly with the dance, but if you stick with it, everything comes together again for the last few walls. The step sheet says 'beginner level', but I believe that this beautiful nightclub dance will be best received by intermediate dancers.
Dance **** Music ***** (December 9, 2006)
Dimension Cha
Rachael McEnaney
Stars – Simply Red
This dance is close to being the perfect cha cha. The steps are put together in a very clever way, and even though some of the dancers found the ending to be a bit tricky, everyone learned the dance after the second try. The music is wonderful too, but can easily be replaced by some slower cha cha music when trying the dance for the first time.
Dance **** Music **** (December 9, 2006)
With These Eyes
Darren Bailey & Niels B. Poulsen
With These Eyes – Roch Voisine
Probably the best dance of 2006. The music is beautiful, and the steps fit just perfectly. The intermediate level class loved this dance right from the beginning, and I think this is one of those dances that will stick around for a long time. If you only learn one nightclub dance, this should be the one.
Dance ***** Music ***** (December 9, 2006)
Delight
Yvonne Dunn
Rapper’s Delight – Sugarhill Gang
This is a fun funky dance. I have taught the dance to both beginners and intermediate dancers, and everyone found the dance to be both challenging and fun. Just add your own styling to make the dance even more enjoyable. I find the suggested 'old school' music really good, but the class found Justin Timberlake's 'Sexy Back' to be a good alternative.
Dance *** Music *** (December 9, 2006)