ISSUE 03 / SEPTEMBER 2015
DANCE NEWS & REVIEWS
DANCE CHART SCRIPTS & MUCH MORE
PAT STOTT MEETS LOVE2LINE
VISIT OUR WEBSITE HERE
This month’s cover shows a picture from a social night where we had a ‘Boat To Liverpool’ theme, based on the line dance ‘Boat To Liverpool’, choreographed by Ross Brown.
Here at Love2Line we love to read your comments about our magazine and have been pleased to have had positive feedback about our cover pictures, especially the two cover girls!
Also we want to promote line dancing as an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages and levels.
At our line dance club we frequently have theme nights where people can As you can see, this month’s cover choose to don fancy dress if they want shows a very manic, wild-eyed pirate to. At our 'Boat to Liverpool' party we on the right and an extremely worried had a wonderful night and dancers looking sailor on the left. Okay, I hold made a terrific effort dressing up which my hand up and confess, the pirate is made the evening very special. The me, Ellvie, the magazine’s writer. The atmosphere was brilliant and we had sailor is also a member of our team, loads of laughs at each other in our crazy Teresa, one of our web designers and costumes. who kindly keeps us supplied with her wonderful homemade cup cakes. In the months to come we hope to put more of these humorous pictures in the Inspiration for the cover pictures comes magazine. Who knows, perhaps we can from our being a fun magazine, written persuade the rest of the team to be by dancers and teachers especially for cover girls and boys! dancers and teachers. Do you have a photo that reflects the We want to show line dancing as it fun side of line dancing? should be, enjoyable, light-hearted, a place where you can meet people, and If so why not send it to us. We would go home feeling happy and buoyed up. love to hear from you.
Dear Readers Welcome to Love 2 Line. Our online digital magazine seems to be a massive hit with our readers. This month we have see the launch of two of our issues in a format which is compatible with mobile phones and tablets so we have doubled our readership. Big thank you again to our team and all the readers for liking and sharing the magazine, which has reached readers in many countries from US, UK, Norway, Netherlands,Malaysia, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Spain and China. We hope you continue to enjoy it. This month we have an exclusive interview with award winning international choreographer Pat Stott and we take a trip to the Netherlands to meet up and coming global choreographer Dwight Meessen. This month we have a new article as we take a look at the line dance live music scene and we chat to the increasingly popular Lainey West. Don’t be shy about letting us know your stories. Email us at love2line@writeme.com We look forward to hearing from you
PAT STOTT
Pat Stott born in Rochdale in the North West of the UK and now lives in Goostrey near Holmes Chapel in Cheshire. Pat tells Love2Line about the highlights of her line dance career as she celebrated 40 years of teaching. Pat remembers she was nine years old when she began to dance and started with ballet and tap. She had a passion for dance and enjoyed various dance styles achieving medals in ballet, jazz and tap. Like many dancers she competed nationally and performed in showcases and pantomimes.
, I had started private lCHOREOGRAPHER, DANCER & TEACHER PAT STOTT SHARES HER LINE DANCE STORY sons and competed in my first open
By the time she was sixteen she discovered ballroom and latin and joined a dance school in Wilmslow Cheshire teaching children. It was there that one of the examiners told her about line dancing.
Pat has recently celbrated 40 years in teaching. We asked her how she became part of the line dance scene. It wasn't long after I started teaching that I became involved in charity days. I was also part of a group of teachers who got together every month to discuss the new dances and teach each other. As a group we raised lots of money for local hospices and small charities.
I dont really have a preference although I do get inspiration from the music for my choreography. it just has to make me think of steps as I hear it, for example the "tag" in 50 Ways came first of all. And from small beginnings came an award. Dance of the year 2012
What was the first line dance you choreographed? My first line dance was called 'Set Me Free' to 'Take these chains from my heart' by Lee Roy Parnell. I can't remember the date now I didn't just choreograph line dances but dances for showcases at Wilmslow dance school. Which dance are you most proud of? That's difficult .... The ones that won awards are Forever and a day, Don't feel like dancing, 50 ways and Skinny Genes, others that were my favourites are Green Door, Side By Side and Grace Kelly. As a dancer and teacher Pat I have to say that all of those dances were popular at my club and some still requested today. My particlular favourite being Gtace Kelly. What genre of music do you favour with your choreography?
You are certainly well known by teachers and dancers globally because of your achievements and great choreography. Do you still host events and charity evenings? I have been very fortunate to have visited many places teaching my dances Jersey, Spain, Tenerife, Sweden, Copenhagen, Australia, Florida, Denmark and I have toured all over England, Scotland and Wales, but never been to Ireland yet (hint hint)! I have met some wonderful people who have made me very welcome and I have met many of the great bands and singers in this country and Max Perry, Scooter Lee and many more.
You recently wrote a lovely dance with Craig Bennett which we have published here called 'lately'. What have you been up to lately? I've co- choreographed a new dance with Carrie Ann Green called 'Overload' music by Tina Arena and I have some new dances in the pipeline too.
When I was younger I wanted to be a nurse and I did start training but I became pregnant and had to give it up.
Lucky for us that you did because maybe you wouldn't have had the time to write such great dances. Have you any future aspirations in If you werent a successful dance? choreographer and dancer what else would Oh gosh, I feel I have you be doing? achieved so much so far Well I have a part time job it's nice to see new at my golf club on choreographers coming reception, if I could I would up, I'm actually very like to be a golf coach but happy with what I have I need to be a lot better achieved, more than I than I am. ever dreamt of!
SUZI DOES SOCIALS
If you are like me always dancing I'm sure you would appreciate that it is impossible to write about all the fun experiences that you have on the floor.
I attend some fabulous event sometimes on a weekly basis so having attended three in the past few weeks I thought I would give you a whistle stop tour of what is actually going on on the floor in a dance club near you. What do you expect when I say Social? What comes to mind? For me, it's just a gathering of people for a bit of a shindig. It doesn't matter whether its a CD dance, live artist or has a choreographer teaching, its all good. Recently I have been to a choreographer event at Fancy feet in Blackpool hosted by the lovely Jean Webb and guest choreographer no other than award winning Karl-Harry Winson. I was lucky enough to attend the full day event where Karl-Harry taught 3 dances. My particular favourite was 'Get up, Get down' which was cochoreographed by himself and Ria Vos. It's a great 64 count dance with no tags or restarts to a feel good tune. I am suprised it hasn't raced up the charts, it certainly deserves a mention.
I have since taught it at my classes and it's gone down a treat.
He also treated us to his miming act to unchained melody. Later in the evening we were supposed to be entertained by Paul Bailey, but he had been double booked so Jean had booked Dave Sheriff. It must be about ten years since we booked Dave at our club as he spent some years in Spain but he didn't let us down. He is still one of the most talented musicians and entertainers on the line dance circuit and he soon had the crowd up and dancing some of the classic 'Legend' dances to some of his original tracks and some from his new album. In between sets we danced all the up to date chart dances. Great evening to suit all levels and tastes. Thumbs up to Dave for saving the day at the final hour you certtainly delivered on fun and talent and atmosphere.
Next on my travels was Polly & Keith's Friday night Social at Carnforth Royal Station Hotel. They usually run it twice in the month and it caters for dancers in the local area but some from Barrow and even Halifax. Keith & Polly teach in Morecambe and whilst this is predominantly a social Keith will step out 1 wall (2 if you are lucky) of the current dances he is teaching and because they attend regular workshops and events sometimes you will get a sneak preview of dances here before the script is published. The times I have been Keith has run through Your Place or Mine, Flashlight & Don't Make Me Suffer. If you live within a reachable distance I recommend this regular event. Typical dances that are danced here are: Tribal Heartbeat Don't let the sun go down Flashlight Don't make me suffer Modern Romance Slam goes the door and many many more. Get yourself down there the dancers are a friendly bunch too. The final trip on my journey this month took me to a small village between Preston and Blackpool called St Michael's. This was a social run by Julie Carr for her dancers from the Preston and Lancaster areas. This was one of those club get togethers with the aim of having a good old knees up and this didn't disappoint..
Julie like most of us teachers have mixed level classes and she did well to accommodate everyone. We danced all night to current chart dances and some golden oldies. It was great to see that many of the Lancaster ladies had made the journey down with their husbands in tow. Here is a sample of Julie's playlist. I just wanna dance with you Bitty Boppy Betty This is me Seven Nights to Rock Baby Jane Slam goes the door Your loving arms The Bomp Elvira to wild wild west Tell the world Pink Stillettes Up Town Funk/Up Town Funky Pot of Gold Back street attitude Peligrossa Boat to Liverpool Party Freaks & Alcohol Piano Man Galway Girls Just a Memory Islands in the stream Streamlining Shades of passion No mans land Skip the line Mamita Mia Shut up and Dance (easy version Voices that care Aw Naw Girl Crush The Long Way Home Your place or mine
Classes Blackburn, Bamber Bridge, Hyndburn
MEE What is your background? ‘I was born in Liverpool but now live in Manchester. My mother is Spanish so my roots come from Barcelona. My daddy is half Welsh and Scottish with a bit of Irish descent and so there is quite a lot of Celtic roots from my daddies side. ’
One of the best things about line dancing is attending socials where, not only do we get a chance to strut our stuff and show off what we’ve learnt, but also to listen and dance to live acts. In the UK we are very fortunate to have a wide range of very talented singers who make our socials something really special. One of these acts is Lainey West, a bubbly Northern lass who is extremely talented and versatile and always manages to connect with her audience. In this month’s Love2Line we are fortunate enough to have been able to interview Lainey and ask her some questions about her life and love of music and entertaining.
Now having met you several times that is certainly something I didnt expect. When did you first get involved in singing and entertaining?:‘I come from a musical family full of musicians and actors. I was aged 16 when I first started singing and learning to play the guitar. It was about 26 years ago that I started ‘gigging’ in a country band called ‘Delta Dawn’ and we toured around Portugal and Spain for a few months. Following this I formed another country band called ‘Blue Horizon,’ but then moved on, forming another band, ‘Tequila Sunrise’. We were managed by several agents up and down the country and played country and western music in social clubs and British Legions’.
ETS LAINEY WEST
You really don't seem old enough. How did you get into the line dancing/ country music scene? I got a bit fed up with audiences complaining that we sang too much country music. I met Katie Rhodes who gave me advice and said I was singing in the wrong places. She introduced me to the country scene and I couldn’t believe that I had missed out on this for all these years. I finally found a place where people actually appreciated country music and who would dance to my songs. I felt ashamed that I hadn’t realised this had actually existed without my knowing. It has taken me five years to get my foot in the door I guess there is a preference for male country artists. This is such a shame because there are some amazing female singers out there. I personally love what I do and feel very fortunate, I get such a buzz watching people dance to my songs.
Have you got any other musical talents and can you line dance? I am learning to play the banjo but can play the saxophone. Unfortunately I can’t line dance. I haven’t got time to learn because I am always too busy learning new songs and instruments. My ambition is to learn to play the harmonica, mandolin, steel guitar and fiddle if I ever get the time. I want to be more versatile a performer. Have you got any favourite singer and could you tell us about some of your gigs that you’ve done? My idol in the music industry is Emmylou Harris. Country music has only ever been my main love. One of my claims to fame is that I have been on the Smith and Rodgers Show. I have also worked in Ricky Tomlinson’s club a few times and supported James House in 2014. Unfortunately I missed out supporting Joni Harms as I am currently touring around Cornwall and Devon.
We thank Lainey very much for kindly Take it easy Call me breeze letting us interview her. Raggle taggle If you haven’t been fortunate enough to Good time girls see her perform then I would urge you to Rock n roll is king do so. She is a beautiful singer and has a High class lady lively and engaging personality and she Dream lover is always eager to participate in clubs Sweet sweet memories you gave to me Honky think life events and themed evenings. Stripes Those who know Lainey will know her Knock knock husband is recovering from heart surgery My first love and she would like to thank readers and Speak to sky friends for all their support and best Bossa nova Runaway wishes. Closer She has still managed to keep up to date Drive Billy be bad with our ever growing line dance list. Tempted Here is a selection of songs from her set Fly like bird Where corn don't grow list. This is me missing you New shade of blue Smoke places That's how I got to Memphis Silver lining Girl crush Gallway girl Patient heart Here comes my baby Triple mix Come dance with me What'll keep me out of heaven Peaceful easy feeling Priscilla Stand by your man Little bit gypsy Same thing happened to me Boat to Liverpool Ribbon of highway Who put the bump Push for the stride Lipstick powder and paint My first love It must be love
Why do we
LOVE2LINE I would imagine that most of us associated in some way with line dancing, enthuse about their hobby to other people, but how often has that been met with "yeehaa" remarks? So sad, but true that many people's perception of line dancing is a gathering of 60 somethings in a dusty church hall wearing cowboy boots, hats and checked shirts dancing to nothing but country music. We all know that it's not the case these days but as you try to explain you can see the glazed look that slowly forms across their eyes. This month at Love2Line we are hoping to capture the attention of none line dancers to show them what a fantastic and versatile dance style this is. Not only is it suitable for all ages and levels of ability as a hobby, but it is a great way to increase your social life and to add to your exercise regime.
I have been teaching line dancing for 20 years and I have seen how this dance style can benefit children. I taught children for 9 years ,from age 6 to 16, I watched as their confidence grew from being shy and introvert to blossoming on the floor, taking part in team dances, demonstrations and medal testing. Line Dancing isn't just for adults it can be enjoyed by all ages. Line dancing is increasingly becoming more appealing to the 20-30 somethings as they are looking for something different as part of their fitness regime, as an alternative to the gym where they can go on their own. Modern line dancing satisfies the need to express yourself to upbeat music, which not only increases the heart rate and provides a cardiovascular workout, but improves mental health and is a great activity to help wind down after a busy day at the office. For the forty somethings whose children have flown the nest line dancing can fill a void. Soon you won't have enough hours in the day to fit in all your line dance classes, weekends away , holidays abroad and socials.
Then as you are reaching your 50's and 60's you still enjoy good music and dancing but appreciate the social aspect maybe a little more. There are times when you just need a good giggle and the dance floor is a place you can guarantee this. The increasing complexity of dances with interesting footwork, the unique interpretation on the floor is something that can often be hilarious. If I was to choose dances which would appeal to different ages to show non line dancers how much fun our hobby can be I would choose these.
WTF (What the France ) by Fred Whitehouse, Darren Bailey & Joey Warren again is a far cry from the slap your thigh perceptions that people have and a great dance enjoyed in many clubs. Not only do we have fast and furious but emotive dances like Guyton Mundy's Take me to church.
If you are a dancer who likes floaty more pronounced footwork where you can really lose yourself in the dance and music, here is a great example with Rob fowlers Shades of Passion.
Trespassing by Fred Whitehouse is a brilliant example of how line dance has evolved to incorporate other dance styles to appeal to a wider audience. If that wasn't enough to entice you then the annual red carpet event the Crystal Boot Awards is maybe the glitz you are looking for. Whatever your requirements there is something to appeal to everyone. Hope to see you on a dance floor soon x
Dance Reviews Love me Hate Me
We Get One Shot
48 Count 4 Wall Improver
48 Count 4 Wall High Improver
Music : "Better At My Worst" by The McClymonts
Music : "One Shot" by Rob Thomas
Choreographer:Nev & Julie
Choreographer:Daniel Trepat (NL), Rob Fowler (UK) & Darren Bailey (UK) Aug 2015
Love Me, Hate Me is a fantastic upbeat, 48 count, 4 wall, improver level line dance choreographed by Neville Fitzgerald and Julie Harris. The dance has been written to 'Better At My Worst' by the McClymonts which is a very, infectious, up tempo country song that will make you want to sing along. I love the catchy choreography that fits in well with the music including the use of toe heel stomps and a back touch step. I taught this at my class and it went down very well. The dancers did not have any trouble learning it and I can see it being very popular in line dance classes. Ellie
This dance seems to have appeared from nowhere and there's quite a buzz about it. I am sure it will become popular. I liked it instantly because of the music, the steps are fun and bouncy and I particularly like the volta. I found it went down well with all levels. My improvers stuck at it and enjoyed it and the intermediate/advanced dancers enjoyed the upbeat track. The downside was that there were a handful of dancers didn't like the music, but I love it so its a keeper. Margaret
Send us your reviews love2line@writeme.com
Dont Make Me Suffer
Black Magic EZ
96 Count 2 Wall Advanced
32 Count 2 Wall High Beginner
Music : "Suffer" Charlie Puth
Music : Black Magic Little Mix
Choreographer:Jose Miguel Belloque Vane, Sebastiaan Holtland, Roy Verdonk (NL)
I was instantly attracted to this dance when I saw the choreographers demo. Their interpretation of the waltz using this tune is fabulous. Don't be put off by the 96 Count Advanced tag because there are a lot of holds so it isn't as difficult as first thought. The 1 and half turns flow beautifully to the music but the hinge turns can be a little nippy for some. I have taught it at all my classes and whilst it is a lovely dance some equate the song when Charlie Puth sings the word Suffer, to be like nails scratched down a chalk board. If like me you can get past this and enjoy the music and lovely waltz please give it a go. Suzi
Choreographer:Suzi Beau
I like this music and I was looking for a dance to teach and some of the dances were a little tricky for my improver class. I chose this one because I liked the steps. I thought that the diagonals and the pointing in out in steps were enough to keep my improvers engaged and not too difficult for some of my new ladies. Whilst this dance has two restarts the class soon recognised the lyrics in the song say repeat after me and they start again, so nothing too difficult there. I'm sure we will be enjoying it for some time. Sandra
DWIGHT MEESSEN dancing in a local cafe window. This sparked my interest immediately, although I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it came highly recommended by my mother who persuaded me to give it a try, and I am glad that she did. It was an instant hit with me and I couldn't wait to learn all the steps. Whilst a member of this club I met Marianna Hello, I am Dwight Schmitz who became a Meessen. I was born good friend and we went in Kerkrade, which is dancing together. We in the south of the tried several clubs and danced several times a Netherlands, and I live week. in Geleen which is also In 2012 my instructor in southern decided not to teach any more so I took my first Netherlands. class. It was from then I developed my From being 8 years old I knowledge and skills and started gymnastics and choreographed my first studied this until I was 12. dance named 'Bailando'. But dancing was my first love. Throughout my line I was 13 years old when I dance career I have been started dancing seriously, fortuante to be invited to although ever since I was a teach my dances at events child I always loved dancing in my local area, my latest and could be found doing it dance It's my life, Don't at home, school, even in the Worry! I was asked to supermarket. relase at an event by Wil It was around this time we moved house and I was out exploring the local neighbourhood with the dog when I came across a poster advertising line
Bos.
My future aspirations are for dancers to enjoy my choreography and who knows, one day in the future I could have my own Crystal Boot.
The One That Got Away Ellvie’s Escapees - Teacher & Dancer for over 20 years, she shares her passion for line dancing and finds hidden gems long since forgotten or never discovered.
This month’s “one that got away” is Solar Power, a 64 count 2 wall intermediate dance, choreographed by Gaye Teather. It was the title of the dance that caught my eye whilst looking through a pile of scripts. When I saw the track that the dance had been written to, “Working On A Tan” by Brad Paisley, I was very happy, being a big fan of Brad’s music. The music is fantastic, up-tempo country with tongue in cheek, humorous lyrics which made me smile. It is the sort of song that you want to get up and dance to so I decided to teach it to my class. Solar Power went down very well and I could tell by the smiles on their faces whilst dancing that they loved it. The steps fit extremely well to the music and the dance flows. Even though the rhythm is up tempo, you don’t feel as though you are running on a treadmill in this dance Gaye has used some interesting choreography, I especially love the first section with the ‘kick together, touch together, touch together, swivet, definitely some swish, fancy footwork. There is only one restart in this dance which always gets a big cheer from dancers.
Sadly, I never saw this dance anywhere else which is a great pity because it is so much fun and the music brilliant. I still have the track on my MP3 player and never get tired of listening to it. Perhaps you dancers out there could ask your teachers to bring it back or if you are a teacher then why not think about resurrecting it. After all, in the UK, it’s been such a dull, chilly summer it’s the only bit of Solar Power that we are likely to get! Don’t forget, if you have any suggestions for the “one that got away”, we would love to hear from you. Happy Dancing! Ellvie
LINE DANCE INSPIRED FICTION COFFEE BREAK FICTION As a writer I am always trying to find inspiration for my stories. I find that the titles of line dances help me out with this. All The Way Down by Ria Vos is one of my favourite dances at the moment and whilst dancing it one evening, a story began to form in my mind. So put the kettle on and have a nice cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the story.
ALL THE WAY DOWN A wave of vertigo made Alice sway violently. Her vision faded and a mass of black dots swam in front of her eyes like a swarm of angry ants. Sitting back in the chair, gripping the arms tightly, she waited for her rapid heartbeat to subside. After a minute, she apprehensively leant forward, peeping over the edge of the balcony. Staring at the marble floor far below, she shuddered. How long would it take to fall from this height? What would it feel like to see the ground coming towards you? She leant back again, panic beginning to overwhelm her. This was all her husband, Len’s idea. He told her it was an anniversary present. What on earth was he playing at? She didn’t even like opera and why had he booked a private box high up in the Gods? Len was well aware that she had a phobia of heights. Alice felt a surge of anger. ‘I bet it was “her” idea, his fancy woman, an opera lover. Didn’t he meet her through that operatic society he’s always raving about?’
She glanced sideways at her husband who was rustling a programme. He turned towards her. “I love this opera, Tosca. It’s a tragedy but very moving, especially when Tosca hurls herself over a parapet to her death.” Alice gasped. Was he being deliberately provocative? Making her sit up here in the balcony, bringing her to an opera where someone falls to their death? Doubts began to creep in. Had he brought her here just to be cruel or had he got other, more sinister, motives?
A chill ran through her as she remembered that they had both taken out life insurance policies just two months ago. It had been Len’s idea. He had convinced Alice that he was only thinking of her wellbeing. At the time it had seemed sensible, but that was before she had found out about his ‘bit on the side’. Perhaps he wanted her out of the way. Start a new life with his new fancy piece! The lights dimmed and the curtain went up. Alice tried to close her ears to the screeching voices as the opera started. All sorts of thoughts were going through her head. Was it his intention to kill her? One sharp push and she would fall over that balcony. She could just picture him now as the grieving widower, shedding crocodile tears as people tried to console him.
“What a dreadful accident.” They would say. “She never did liked heights, poor thing. Perhaps she panicked and slipped. You must be brave, she wouldn’t want you to be unhappy.” For the next fifteen minutes Alice sat there frozen. When would he make his move? She wanted to bolt for the door and run for it but her legs were like jelly and she couldn’t stand. The music was getting louder and the voices seemed to echo in her head. Suddenly Len stood up and turned towards her. Was this it? Fear kicked in and she stood up quickly to face him. With the speed of lightning Alice pushed him. He tottered at the edge of the balcony, a puzzled look on his face. Then he fell, his scream blotted out by the shrill singing. She counted 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 then a thud. Five seconds, that’s how long it took him to fall all the way down.
Send in your favourite line dance for Ellvie to write about.
TOP 10 CHART Over the last month we have been suprised the dance suggestions people have given us for the top 10. So this month we can reveal a new chart. this is the DANCERS TOP 10
1. Roads - Maggie Gallagher 2. The Bomp - Kim Ray 3. Black Magic - Alison & Peter 4. Alvaro - Robbie McGowan Hickie 5. Your Place or mine -Karl-Harry, Ria, Rob 6. Quicksand -Francien Sittrop 7. Pop n Drop - Dee Musk & Ria Vos 8. Slam goes the door - Nev & Julie 9. Get up get down - Karl-Harry & Ria Vos 10. The Real Deal - Heather Barton & Willie Brown Bubbling under 11 - Skip the line - Kate Sala 12. Party Freaks & Alcohol - Kim Ray
As with all new ventures it is a case of trial and error and ironing out teething problems. We hope that our magazine will entertain you and help maintain your passion for line dancing.
This magazine is for you so don’t be shy, we would love to hear from you.
We would love to hear from you about your line dancing experiences. Tell us how you got started. How do your family and friends feel about your dancing or do they share it with you? Have you been on any dancing holidays and would like to share your memories and adventures? Have you any questions that other line dancers may be able to help with?
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