ISSUE 01/ JULY 2015
DANCE ing DANCE NEWS & REVIEWS
DANCE CHART SCRIPTS TEACHERS CORNER CLUB NEWS HE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
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Dear Readers Welcome to Love 2 Line. Is it Summer? My calendar says so but as I sit here shivering in yet another layer of woollies, I’m not so sure. Anyway, our magazine will cheer you up, there is nothing like Line Dancing to chase the blues away. We have a great line up for you including line dance scripts and reviews, videos to watch and interesting articles about choreographers. There is also ‘The One That Got Away’ which highlights dances that seem to have disappeared or were never originally discovered. As a magazine dedicated to line dancing, we hope that you will let us know your views, club stories, upcoming events, dance reviews and which dances you feel should be resurrected. There is nothing more welcoming than the line dancing community and no matter where you go dancing you always meet up with someone that you know or make new friends. Enjoy our magazine. It is available to view on your computer but we hope that future editions will be compatible with your tablet and phone. Don’t be shy about letting us know your stories. Email us at love2line@writeme.com We look forward to hearing from you The Love2Line Team
NORWAY Ann-Kristin Sandberg is from Moss, a small town just outside of Oslo in Norway. She has enjoyed line dancing for many years as a dancer, a teacher and a choreogrpaher. In this profile Ann-Kristin will share her passions and triumphs and latest choreography.
GOING GLOBAL TO MEET AN INTERNATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHER
ANN-KRISTIN SANDBERG
Linedancing is very popular in Norway,but like in any town or city not everybody knows what kind of dance it is. We have workshops with well known choreographers from different parts of the world & competitions. I enjoy it so much because line dancing promotes fun, exercise and a sense of community. I have been dancing now for several years and I am as passionate and enthusiastic as the day I started. I remember several years ago I was glancing through my local paper when i stumbled across an advert for a new line dancing class. I had no idea what to expect but I was looking for something fun to do in my local area and this seemed just the ticket. I had no preconceived ideas, in fact I hadn't really given it much thought as to what the class would be like. From the moment I arrived I was hooked. Not only did I meet new people, it was good exercise, I loved the dancing and the music was so uplifting and inspiring. I joined a beginner class for six months and then progressed to Intermediate level. I think the first dance I ever learnt was Electric Slide. I wanted to learn as much as I could and it wasn't long until I was teaching.
I have been dancing for several years now and it still amazes me how Line dancing can bring people together from all over the world. For a couple of years now I have been getting out and about meeting people, taking part in events and working closely with other choreographers. I have even been fortunate emough to visit the UK to large events such as Eurodance. I have met some amazing people and cannot wait until the next trip.
About four years ago I When I choreograph a new began my first attempt at dance it is because I have stumbled across a piece of choreography. music that inspires me. I like all genre of music but the first dance I wrote was I try to find music that no“Wake Up Call� to a pop one has written a dance to. track. I felt such excitement and sense of I feel such a sense of pride achievement. I still get that now when other people ask buzz today when I have me to write dances with them and I am grateful to finished a dance. the teachers and dancers Since then my dances have who take the time to video been taught all over the demonstrations of my world and I have enjoyed dances. teaming up with other choreographers from I will be visiting the UK again early next year and hope different countries. to catch up with friends and My choreography can be attend a few dance events. found here.
Being from Norway I thought it would be difficult to be accepted on the Line Dance UK circuit but I have been made to feel really welcome by dancers and teachers alike and I look forward to some of my dancer friends and choreographers visiting me in Moss.
For the future, I intend to carry on dancing and Find my choreographing as long as here! I can. It never ceases to amaze me how big my line dance family is growing day by day.
choreography
Teaching in the
SPOTLIGHT Some of you who know me will know me as Julie Carr the linedance instructor although I started out as Julie Desponds, the little girl who loved to dance. My earliest memory is being a child of around 4 years old who had a real love and passion for dancing. I can remember watching old black and white films with my parents, usually Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on a Sunday afternoon. Well I say watching but I was usually to be found behind the settee twirling around trying to mimic their moves. I was also told they took me to see The King and I film when I was around 3 / 4years old, to their horror I went missing but was found by the usher at the front of the cinema dancing for the audience on the front row!! So I guess for me it all started there.
I was soon sent to ballet school in Manchester. I remember longing for Saturday mornings to come round so I could go to class. I wasn't a confident child suffering illness for most of my childhood, I missed a lot of schooling and spent weeks in and out of Booth Hall children's Hospital and spent two long years in a convalescent home in Cheshire, so schooling for me was always last on the list. By the time I reached around 7 years old I knew that dance was possibly one thing I was quite good at. Dance gave me the confidence I so lacked as a child. My dad was my biggest fan and whenever we had visitors, gushing with pride he would retrieve a board he had purposely made from under the stairs and placed it on the carpet so I could tap dance for his guests.
My ballet, tap and modern lessons soon went from strength to strength with extra lessons during the week. My passion and confidence grew the more medals I achieved and it wasn't long before I was in the limelight taking part in stage productions with semi professional dance parts. I would take every opportunity I could to be on stage doing what I loved. As the years passed family life took over, marriage and children being the priority and dancing took a back seat.
It wasn't until 1993when i
It was several years before I returned to dancing and it was Ballroom dancing that rekindled my interest and was yet another discipline that I strived to master. Each medal became the building blocks of the foundations of my teaching career. It wasn't until 1993 that I discovered Line Dancing and this new dance craze was an instant hit with me. But it wasn't long before I wanted to be the one on the stage, not on the back row. From humble beginnings with my sister as a partner in 1995 at The Melody Ballroom in Blackpool I started teaching my first class. I couldn't believe my eyes as it was packed every week. This class soon became two classes, then three and eventually four per week. I travelled far and wide to teach in Blackpool, Oldham, Lancaster. Preston. I consider myself old school and like many of you I certainly did my apprenticeship.
Some weeks, in the early days, I earned less than the room rent but at the time it didn't matter to me as I was doing what I absolutely loved to do, teach dance. After a few years on the road, hiring venues I had the opportunity to buy a lease on a venue. My husband and I thought long and hard (for me about five minutes) and The Dance Studio was born but that's a story for maybe a future column. I went on to do my teacher training with UKA United Kingdom Alliance in Blackpool and BWDA 2000, where I reached level 5.
I also became a qualified adjudicator as I wanted to do this right. I personally felt I couldn't earn a living teaching dance without putting every effort into it and be the best I possibly could,passing on my dance knowledge with confidence. I do feel teacher training is important for anyone wanting to teach dance. You need good training and knowledge of the dance style you decide to teach. Please write to me if you wish to tell your story in this fabulous on line Magazine or need advice on any class problems, starting out, venues, advice on where to go for teacher training , anything to ask . Speak soon everyone Ju x love2line@writeme.com
Dance Reviews Pink Stilettos
All In My Head AB
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate
32 Count 4 Wall Abolute Beginner
Music: "Two Step" by Laura Bell Bundy (Feat Colt Ford)
Music: All in My Head Alvaro Estrella
Choreographer: Rob Fowler & Daniel Whittaker
Choreographer: Suzi Beau
I was immediately drawn to this dance because of the music but when I studied the script I was unsure how my classes would cope with the three tags. I needn't have worried, it was an easy teach, the main body of the dance being 32 Counts. The first and second tags were taught and remembered easily, the third tag a little more tricky but i love how the track has little reminders in the music which the class really enjoy. Don't be put off by the tags. Ive taught it at all my classes and they all love it. June
Fab AB dance. Fits the music perfectly and flows beautifully. Feels good to dance. Taught it last night to a group of people who had not danced before and they picked it up really well. Great floor split for Alvaro. Well done Suzi. Lesley Taught this dance to my beginners class this week, it was an easy teach and they absolutely loved it. The steps flow very well and fit really nicely to the music. It's a great fun absolutely beginner dance. Well done, I'm sure we will be dancing this for a long time. Teresa
Send us your reviews love2line@writeme.com
Always 17
Party Freaks Alcohol
32 Count 4 Wall Easy Improver
64 Count 2 Wall Intermediate
Music: ‘Seventeen' by Paul Bailey
Music: Let Me Be Your Lover by Enrique Iglesias Feat. Pitbull
Choreographer: Kate Sala
Nice little easy dance to another great track by Paul Bailey. Im sure this dance will be a winner. The dance was a speedy teach and everyone enjoyed it. Danced it twice tonight. Mike I am sure that this dance will be very popular around all the line dance clubs. The steps fit beautifully to the music and there are no tags or restarts to catch anyone out. The music, “Seventeen” by Paul Bailey is a lovely laid back, easy listening song with a slight Latin feel. It is the kind of song that dancers will find themselves unable to stop humming. A lovely, straight forward dance, with no tricks. A winner. Eloise
Choreographer: Kim Ray
I was looking for a dance to teach my intermediate class and was scouring the internet for something new and catchy and then I cam across Kim's new dance. The music was catchy and I knew it would be a hit with my classes. I found the dance relatively easy to learn. There are 2 easy restarts with a step change which the class found ok, the only part that tripped them up was the last 8 counts and more specifically the last 4 counts or the directional aspect of them. Now these turns are my favourite bit and I particularly enjoy section 2. I think this dance has some unusual steps and it fits really well to the music. Suzi
SUZI DOES SOCIALS I have a real passion for Line dancing which started several years ago when I tentatively joined my father's line dance class to make up the numbers. I couldn't believe it! For as long as I can remember I had imagined the rows of cowboys lined up in tight jeans, gaping checked shirts, rugged boots, donning their cowboy hats which were tipped in salutation. Now imagine my complete disappointment visiting my first class hehe. It could not be further from the truth because what confronted me was not lines of tanned hunks in formation like skittles but in reality I was faced with a church hall full of ladies dressed in casual attire gliding round the floor with grace and elegance. Had I come to the right place? Is this line dancing? Line? Dancing? (that was my Peter Kay impression). Anyway what ensued was one of the best couple of hours of my life.
Clearly I didn't get out much! So much for my preconceived ideas. I guess they were similar to the rest of the population, but what I actually became part of is a dance style that is so varied and almost organic as it is ever evolving. Its safe to say that prior to discovering line dancing I didn't really go out and most of my spare time in the early days was spent dancing at classes and practicing at home. I had a few years of catching up to do. I remember learning Into The Arena and Maybe I Could from scripts in the kitchen. My point of reference for 12:00 and 6:00 being the fridge and cooker. I love dancing and as I child I used to attend modern dance classes and take part in stage performances but this was different. I could learn a dance and go out and dance that same routine at venues across the country, even across the world. How spectacular is that? It wasn't long before I was accumulating dance medals and I loved every minute of it, the preparation, learning routines, perfecting styling. The whole build up to medal testing days I found exhilarating. On the day of the medal testing, class members could be found practicing on the car park next their cars, sound blasting out from the stereo. People frantic at the looming exam. Not me! From start to finish I was like a child in a sweet shop.
I started teaching mainly because my father wanted a holiday and he asked me to cover his classes. I was just going to put the music on but then some of the ladies wanted to step through one of the dances they had been learning. I found that teaching came naturally to me and I was automatically able to call the steps. I even suprised myself because I had never thought about teaching I was still enjoying dancing. As the months passed I did aspire to gaining my professional qualification and my father kindly started training me against the syllabus for UKA (United Kingdom Alliance for Professional Teachers of Dance) and in October 2005 I passed my teaching examination and gained my Associate membership of which I am still very proud and will be celebrating 10 years teaching on 2nd October this year with a special dance at my club with guest singer Lainey West. I pride myself in my teaching skills and always pay particular attention to the Health & Safety and Dance Etiquette. I strive to keep myself up to date not only teaching the latest choreography but I feel that to offer my dancers the best line dance experience I need to keep evolving so I do not become stale and stuck in my ways doing the same thing week in week out. Any line dance teacher or choreographer will tell you, you have to be a performer.
You may have had the day from hell but from the moment someone enters your venue you begin your leading role. You are the host with the most, you meet and greet, you entertain and when you get on that stage to teach you give an award winning performance, hopefully you have cracked a few knockout jokes and you have built them up into a crescendo of excitement so when you finish the teach they can't help but applaud your Oscar worthy moments. Joking aside, it is the entertainment business and that is what people are buying into, myself included. I love nothing more than to kick back get out and about and enjoy someone elses' show and that is what this column is about because when I'm not teaching at my own line dance club, choreographing dances or hosting events I like to visit different clubs, meet new people attend workshops and live music events and holidays and here I will share my experiences with you all. Dances, playlists, floor splits, photographs and a lot of fun. If you have an upcoming event that you would like featured in the magazine drop us a line. love2line@writeme.com
Classes Blackburn, Bamber Bridge, Hyndburn
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.
I have been line dancing since the mid 1990's and couldn't possibly estimate how many dances I have learnt since then. All I can say is, that if I had a pound for every dance I have learnt, I would be a millionaire now, living in some tropical paradise.
Walk. Choreographers also realised the potential of chart music and so we found ourselves dancing to popular groups such as S Club 7 and the Back Street Boys. So many good dances have been lost with the passage of time. Some were popular but just seemed to fade away and never danced again. There were also some excellent dances which, for some inexplicable reason, never became popular or reached the charts, thus falling into oblivion.
With this in mind I thought it would be a good idea to resurrect some of these When I first started line dances and breathe life dancing, the music was into them once more. My mainly country. choice is Mardi-Gras Choreographers then Mambo, a 48 count 4 wall latched on to the dance choreographed by popularity of Riverdance Chris Hodgson, written to which resulted in some Mambo No 5 by Lou Bega. amazing dances being written to Irish music, such Of course right from the start the music drew me as Pot Of Gold, Razor Sharp and Dancing Violins. in. I mean who cannot fail to tap their feet to this Then Latin music became song? popular and again some stunning dances emerged, like Cha Cha Lengua, Hot Summer Fun and Mucara
The choreography lends itself so well to the mambo style rhythm and obviously Chris uses some mambo steps. The dance flows beautifully and because of the rhythm, lends itself to dancers using Latin hip movements. There are no tags or restarts which many dancers will breathe a sigh of relief for and being a 48 count dance means it is achievable for most dancers. The music is so cheerful and bouncy that I remember everyone smiling when they danced it. It seems a shame that this dance is one that seems to have gone to the “Bermuda Triangle� of dances. Perhaps you could persuade your teachers to rekindle Mardi-Gras Mambo and give it the kiss of life once again. Happy dancing.
TOP 10 CHART The team at Love2Line absolutely love all things line dancing. We have all been dancers and teachers for many years and we want to share that passion with other dancers and teachers across the world, but we are in our infancy and to get our first ever Line Dance Chart we have polled some teachers and dancers using our websites online poll.
These results have been collated and the following Line Dance Favourites Top 10 is listed below. For future issues we invite readers to take the poll. We also need you to nominate your favourite dances to be included in the poll for people to vote on.
1. Alvaro - Robbie McGowan Hickie 2. Roads - Maggie Gallagher 3. Darling hold my hand -Neville & Julie 4. And get it on -Daniel Trepat & Jose Miguel Belloque Vane 5. The Bomp - Kim Ray 6. Your Place or mine -Karl-Harry, Ria, Rob 7. Tribal Heartbeat -Maggie Gallagher 8. Tell the world - Robbie Mcgowan Hickie 9. Modern Romance -Kate Sala 10. Girl Crush -Alison Johnstone , Rachael McEnaney Bubbling under at number 11 is Heavenly Cha by Dee Musk
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. 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?
This magazine is for you so don’t be shy, we would love to hear from you.