First time line dance choreography

Once you’ve been dancing a while it definitely impacts the way you listen to music. You hear possible steps, moves you might want to do to it. But I’ve never choreographed a line dance before…until now. Line dance choreography doesn’t have to be complicated, so anyone can try it.

You can find my beginner line dance Honky Tonk Angels stepsheet here 

In modern jive and Ceroc, salsa, west coast swing, it’s improvised (unless you’re competing), all done on the fly. As a child in dancing lessons I hated when we were told to just dance to the music. I found it the same when having to improvise in my swing band I played in – way too embarrassing and too much pressure and expectation to get it right.  

Writing my line dance

Choreographing a line dance is a less pressure. I’m just trying out some choreography I worked out while driving and hearing a song on the radio. And I wanted to record it as my own even if noone else ever dances it.

Of course it then took ages to find which song I was listening to afterwards, but I did write down the steps as soon as I got home. The next day I tried it out, and checked out the phrasing and counts so it would work as a straight dance with no tags/restarts needed.

I also tried to search online and see if there was anything jumping out as the same steps. Quite an impossible task given how many dances are out there, and how differently people write up their steps.

Once I’d decided on my steps for the dance, then it was time to write a stepsheet for it.

Writing stepsheets

I used a fairly standard outline used by Copperknob, and just created my own Word document with my steps. Adding the information about walls, counts, intro, and level.  Choosing the level was one of the hard parts.

My line dance choreography is a basic 32 count, there’s no tags or restarts needed, and it finishes neatly on the final wall. Nothing complicated, no awkward turns or directions. But one of the steps I think is a bit awkward to move into. So I put it as Beginner, although it might qualify for Absolute Beginner instead. I’ll see what I think down the line and can amend it if needed..

Then it was a case of testing it out to the music again using the stepsheet. I checked in on some of the popular ways to write certain steps, but there are multiple ways steps are described, so used one of the more popular words. 

While some people are oblivious to stepsheets, most teachers will use them. A stepsheet means the steps used are standardised. Visit a different venue and dance the same dance by the same choreographer, and you’ll all be dancing the same. Otherwise it could be carnage on the dancefoor.

I prefer learning in class, but will use a stepsheet to note down the steps in my own notebooks of dances I know. 

Stepsheets are also useful when I’m revising and practising dances I’ve learnt. Especially where I’ve struggled in class or am trying to pick up dances they’re running through without a teach. Yes, videos are good for tutorials, but having a stepsheet to hand also helps steps sink in for me. Or they can act as a quick reminder.

Stepsheet done, then to upload it. I decided Copperknob was one website as it’s my go to when looking for dances. As well as Bootstepper.  Submitting to both was straightforward. It’s just a case of waiting to see if my stepsheet is added now.

• Copperknob – simply upload a pdf, word or similar doc and await review.
• Bootstepper – it’s clever and scans your stepsheet for all the details, you complete the rest of the form, then it gets reviewed.

I also tried another website, but you have to be profiled as a choreographer on there and I’m not. So I decided to see how the other 2 go.

I’m quite happy just trying out a few steps and maybe writing a few more dances if anything piques my interest. Usually I think of steps in the car, then don’t get chance to remember or write them down. So we’ll see if I get any more inspiration. 

I’m unlikely to do anything with them other than uploading them to Copperknob or similar line dance websites. I doubt I’ll ever video a demo of them and push them out further. But it’s good to claim a choreographed number by adding them online.

If you fancy trying it, you can find my line dance Honky Tonk Angels stepsheet here, to music (a cover) by Ella Langley.  It’s a bit scary putting it out there, but I don’t have anything to lose. Let me know what you think.

Have you choreographed your own dances?  If so, what tips have you got for others wanting to do the same.