Description: Phrased, Interactive, Contra Line Dance |
Formation: Begin with lines “face to face” on opposite sides approx. 3-4 ft apart. |
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Sequence: A, A, A, B, A, B, A, B, A, A, A- (A=64 cts 2 wall, B=32 cts 1 wall) |
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Begin after 32 cts w/vocals |
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PART A U CAN’T TOUCH THIS! [Clock points refer to starting at 12:00] |
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Contra lines move to face side walls, then return to start point facing new wall [6:00] |
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(1) 1-8 Right Diagonal Steps, ¼ Left Diagonal Steps {ZIG ZAG} |
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1,2,3,4 Step right fwd on right diagonal (1) Step left next to right (2) Step right fwd on right diagonal (3) Touch |
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left next to right (4) [12:00] Opposite rows will be about parallel |
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5,6,7,8 Turn ¼ left on left (5) Step right next to left (6) Step left slightly fwd left (7) Touch right toes next to |
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left heel (8) [9:00] Opposite rows move to the center of the original contra track to face each other |
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(2) 9-16 Step Out w/ Arm Pushes Repeated {GROCERY SHOPPIN} |
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1,2 Step out right, raise right arm (1) Feet apart bend both knees, pushing right arm fwd diagonally left (2) |
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3,4 Step out left, raise left arm (3) Feet apart bend both knees, pushing left arm fwd diagonally right (4) |
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5,6 Step out right, raise right arm (5) Feet apart bend both knees, pushing right arm fwd diagonally left (6) |
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7,8 Step out left, raise left arm (7) Feet apart bend both knees, pushing left arm fwd diagonally right (8) |
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[9:00] Use hips! This is not a clap, push hands diagonally toward each other w/o touching |
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(3) 17-24 Right Diagonal Steps, Left Diagonal Steps {ZIG ZAG} |
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1,2,3,4 Step right fwd on right diagonal (1) Step left next to right (2) Step right fwd on right diagonal (3) Touch |
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left next to right (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Step left fwd on left diagonal (5) Step right next to left (6) Step left fwd on left diagonal (7) Touch right |
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toes next to left heel (8) [9:00] Lines pass beside each other, then back to center to new “partner” |
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(4) 25-32 Ride Side Lunge, Left Together, Left Side Lunge, Right Together {LUNGE} |
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1,2,3,4 Step/Lunge right foot right (1) Hold or pulse (2) Slide left towards right (3) Touch left next to right (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Step/Lunge left foot out left (5) Hold or pulse (6) Slide right towards left (7) Touch right next to left (8) |
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[9:00] Add some shimmy & wiggles while stepping out and sliding foot together |
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(5) 33-40 Bumps: Fwd, Center, Back, Center, Fwd, Center, Back, Center {DISCO} |
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1,2 Press right toes fwd diagonally right while bumping right hip fwd right (1) Bring hip back to center (2) |
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3,4 Set right heel down while bumping right hip back right (3) Bring right hip back to center (4) |
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5-8 Repeat cts 1-4 (5,6,7,8) |
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[9:00] Gently connect/bump hips with person behind to your right if desired on back bumps |
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(6) 41-48 Modified ¼ Right Hinge Turns, Repeated {BOX} |
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1,2,3,4 Pivoting on right foot, Step left foot fwd out left turning ¼ right (1) Draw right foot next to left (2) |
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Pivoting on left foot, step right foot back right turning ¼ right (3) Draw left foot next to right (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Pivoting on right foot, Step left foot fwd out left turning ¼ right (5) Draw right foot next to left (6) |
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Pivoting on left foot, step right foot right turning ¼ right (7) Step left foot next to right foot (8) |
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[9:00] Dancers complete a tight box pattern by moving around each other - be sure to use foot closure |
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(7) 49-56 Right Side Basic, Modified Coaster Steps Back {RIGHT & BACK} |
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1,2,3,4 Step right on right (1) Step left next to right (2) Step right on right (3) Touch left toes next to right (4) |
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5&6 Step back on left foot (5) Step back on right foot (&) Touch left toes next to right foot (6) |
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7&8 Step back on left foot (7) Step back on right foot (&) Touch left toes next to right foot (8) |
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[9:00] Dancers should be close to their original starting position on floor on opposite start side |
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(8) 57-64 Touch Back ¼ Turn Left, Heel Swivel, Press, Shape, Press, Shape {CAN’T TOUCH THIS} |
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1,2 Touch left toes straight back (1) Turn ¼ left on right foot leaving left toes touched back(2) |
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3&4 Swivel left heel out (3) Swivel left heel to center (&) Swivel left heel out taking weight left (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Press right foot right, body angled left (5) Step right (6) Press left foot left, body angled right (7) Step |
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left (8) [6:00] Back at start position. Add upper body shaping w/ arm movement during presses |
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PART B: BREAK IT DOWN! [Clock points refer to starting at 12:00] |
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Contra lines travel in opposite direction, away from center, then return to start point |
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(9) 1-8 ¼ Right Runway Walk w/ Pose ½ Turn, Runway Walk w/ Pose ½ Turn {CATWALK} |
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1,2,3,4 Step ¼ right on right (1) Step fwd on left (2) Step fwd on right (3) Pivot ½ left on right, touching left |
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toes next to right - pose w/ attitude (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Step fwd on left (5) Step fwd on right (6) Step fwd on left (7) Pivot ½ right on left, touching right toe |
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next to left - pose w/ attitude (8) [3:00] |
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(10) 9-16 Pigeon Toes Traveling Right, Pigeon Toes Traveling Left {PIGEON TOES} |
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1,2,3&4 Moving Right: Step right toes out right as turning left toes out (1) Swivel/Turn in toes on both feet (2) |
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Swivel toes on both feet out (3) Swivel toes on both feet in (&) Swivel toes on both feet out (4) |
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5,6,7&8 Moving Left: Swivel toes on both feet in (5) Swivel toes on both feet out (6) Swivel toes on both feet in |
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(7) Swivel toes on both feet out (&) Swivel toes on both feet in/together weighted left (8) [3:00] |
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(11) 17-24 Traveling Right Crabwalk, Traveling Left Crabwalk {CRABWALK} |
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1&2&3&4 Moving Right, Rise slightly on the toes of both feet w/ bent knees: Step ball of right out right (1) Step |
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ball of left towards right (&) Step ball of right out right (2) Step ball of left towards right (&) Step ball of |
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right out right (3) Step ball of left towards right (&) Step right toes out right (4) |
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5&6&7&8 Moving Left, still over toes of both feet w/ bent knees: Step ball of left out left (5) Step ball of right |
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towards left (&) Step ball of left out left (6) Step ball of right towards left (&) Step ball of left out left |
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(7) Step ball of right towards left (&) Step ball of left out left (8) |
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[3:00] (Allow shoulders to rock w/ movement) |
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(12) 25-32 Runway Walk ¼ Turn, Step Side, “Stop” Pose, Hold, Straighten Up {HAMMERTIME} |
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1,2,3,4 Step fwd on right (1) Step fwd on left (2) Step fwd on right (3) Pivot ¼ left on right touching left toe |
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next to right foot (4) |
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5,6,7,8 Step wide left on left (5) Press right toes in w/ right bent knee while bending upper body fwd, push |
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arms out in front, “Stop” pose (6) Hold (7) Straighten up keeping weight left, rolling right knee out (8) |
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Enjoy Every Dance! |
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Additional Pattern Formation Notes: |
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Set 1: Dancers/Rows move into center of track then turn to face each other, which creates a “back to back” appearance on floor. |
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There should now only be 1 center row, with rows facing opposite. |
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Set 2: Dancers/Rows remain facing in pairs in center of track, facing side walls. |
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Set 3: Dancers/Rows move out of center track, pass along side each other, then back into track facing someone new. |
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Set 4: Dancers/Rows remain facing in pairs in center of track, facing side walls. |
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Set 5: Dancers/Rows remain in center track. When connecting during bumps (encouraged), arms should move accordingly. |
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Set 6: Dancers/Rows execute box pattern going closely around each other, to end where they started. The drawing together of the |
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non weighted foot before stepping keeps each persons feet in their own dance space. |
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Set 7: Dancers/Rows move to original contra track/row distance apart, again in 2 separate rows/lines. |
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Set 8: Dancers/Rows should be back to original floor starting row position, on opposite side facing “their” new wall. |
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Set 9: Dancers/Rows move in opposite directions, then return to their starting point after completing “Cat Walks” |
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Set 10: Dancers/Rows move in opposite directions, then return to their starting point after completing “Pigeon Toes“ |
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Set 11: Dancers/Rows move in opposite directions, then return to their starting point after completing “Crab Walks” |
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Set 12: Dancers/Rows move in opposite directions, then return to original start of dance after completing “Hammertime“ |
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Additional Choreography Notes: |
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Ÿ Suggested to teach in standard lines before moving to contra position. |
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Ÿ The steps are basic with plenty of room for styling, attitude & variations. It is far easier than it appears on paper! |
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Ÿ Part A works well to many alternate “Disco or Retro” type tracks, omit Part B when dancing to other music. |
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Ÿ Clock references are noted from original start position of 12:00. When danced contra, half of the lines face 12:00, the other half of |
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the lines are facing 6:00 - which would be “their“ 12:00. |
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Ÿ The patterns are designed to move dancers around each other, yet keep somewhat close in space positioning and interaction. |
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Dancers should be conscious of the “overall” pattern when taking steps to avoid dancing “out” of formation.
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