Dear Future Professionals,
Sharing dance with all of you was a complete blast. Thanks again for inviting me to
teach. I LOVE teaching!
The Brain Dance was created by Anne Green Gilbert, but is completely founded
scientifically when relating physical movement to brain movement. All systems of the
body work together. Of course exercise is good for the brain. Below is the link for the
science of the Brain dance. I used my own music and choreographed the suggested
movements myself. So can you OR you can go to YouTube and find other Brain
dances already choreographed!
In addition to the notes I have given you below on some of the top five line dances, you
can also find them all by going to YouTube. I just connect up my sound system to my
laptop and voila…we follow the YouTube dance! I am sending two songs for you, the
Barn Dance and the Virginia Reel. I am not sure if Jim can put songs on the Extranet
so if not, e-mail me and I will send them to you. I also included the handout I give on
choreographing Line Dancing.
The Wobble, Macarena and Cha Cha Slide are all on YouTube. I do not have the notes
for them.
One of the CD’s that I authored has several really good line dances. That CD is called
“Dancin’ Feet Fever.” You can order it from Kimbo Educational. The code is KIM
9317CD.
The “Watch Me Whip/Nae Nae” song and dances are all over YouTube. Take your pick.
The song is song by Silento.
Drumming:
Go to YouTube and type in Drums Alive and lots of wonderful classes will come up for
you to view. If you want to be a Drums Alive instructor, their website is DrumsAlive.com
SPECIAL NOTE: Some of you mentioned me coming to your colleges to teach a
workshop. THAT would be so awesome! Contact me if you are interested.
LeAnn Haggard
North Central High School
Indianapolis, IN. 46240
317.259.5301 X 45810
[email protected]
BrainDance - The Creative Dance Center
creativedance.org ›
ELECTRIC SLIDE
{18 count-4 walled Line Dance}
1. Step R side, step L behind, step R side and touch-reverse {counts 1-8}
2. Three steps backward (R,L,R) and touch L foot to R {counts 9-12}
3. Step forward L and touch R, step back R and touch L {counts 13-16}
4. Step forward L and scuff R heel a.s.t ¼ turn to the L {counts 17-18}
CUPID SHUFFLE
Side step 7 to the R, touch L-reverse
4 touches front, right, left, right, left
8 “twisty” steps starting with the right foot and the upper body is doing the twist. Turn ¼ turn to
the left on the “Twisty” steps.
VIRGINIA REEL
Order of dance:
1. Honor your partner-4 steps forward and bow, 4 steps backward (repeat)
2. Right arm swing-hook R elbow with your partner and go around one time
3. Left arm swing-hook left elbow with your partner and go around one time
4. Two hand swing-join both hands and go around one time
5. Do-Sa-Do-fold arms in front of body like an Indian, pass right shoulders with your
partner, pass back to back, pass left shoulders with your partner as you back out of the
circle
6. Head couple sashay (slide) down the line and back
7. Head couple hook right arms and go around 1 and ½ times until they are facing the
opposite line that they come from. Reeling means hooking left elbows with your
neighbor and then right elbows with your partner until you get to the end of the line
8. Head couple sashays back to the front of the line and then they separate (peel off) and
everyone follows them to the back of the line where they make a bridge for the other
couples to pass through which will give you a new head couple.
9. Start the dance over from #1.
THE BARN DANCE
{Circle, mixer dance with LOD-CCW}
[directions are for the man whose back is to the center of the circle]
*Partners are holding hands in a practice hold
1. Step side L, together R, side L and touch-reverse {counts 1-8}
2. Man repeats side-together-side and touch as lady does a 3-step turn under the bridge (his
L arm) and reverses the turn going back under his L arm. Partners will end facing LOD
with inside hands held
3. Step L forward and hitch R (knee lift), reverse, repeat, reverse
4. Let go of inside hands and vine to the L and reverse meeting a new partner
Line Dance Choreography
1. Music needs to be appropriate to the time period you are studying, i.e. oldies, 40’s (big
band style), 60’s, Latin, hip/hop, Beach Boys, etc. Music has to be school appropriate.
2. Basic steps to know:
Walk
March
Rock
Chug
Pivot
Step touch
Grapevine
Kick
Slide
Hop
Jump
Turn
Gallop
Step
Stamp
Stomp
3. Counting: Keep it in units of 8 beats with a total count established before starting, i.e.
dance will be an 18 count line dance (Electric Slide), 32 count, 48, 64, etc. The Electric
Slide is a popular four-walled line dance but only has 18 counts and yet it is fun and easy.
Line dances are not always divisible by 8 counts. However, when the students are doing
line dance choreography for the first time, I would make the dance multiples of 8 counts.
4. Establish whether the dance is going to be two-walled or four-walled
5. Determine the length of music there is before the dance begins. Normal intro’s range
from 16-32 counts before the main song begins.
6. Decide at what point the dance will change directions and whether it will be to the right
or left. A pivot turn can change the direction, step touches, marches, grapevines, hops,
jumps, etc.
7. Combinations of basic steps give the dance variety. EXAMPLE: Grapevine to the right
and left (8 counts), followed by a step touch right and left (4 counts) and 4 marches to
make a ¼ turn to the right (4 counts).
8. Upper body movements can also be added in as part of the counts. EXAMPLE: Clap
your hands, “taffy twirl”, reach overhead right arm, left arm, right and left. If you are
doing Beach Boys music, you might swim front, backstroke, dip under the water, etc.
9. Each group will give the teacher a written copy of the choreographed dance for their
group. They will teach the dance to the entire class.
Happy Dancing!!!
Thanks for a great time at the conference!!!
You guys ROCKED!!!