April was a slightly quieter month on the line dancing front… though “quiet” is always relative in this world!
One of the highlights was having Pauline Gilroy come down from Gisborne’s Rhythm ’n Lines to teach us not one, not two, but five new dances. Pauline always brings such great energy to the floor, and I love how each dance she choregraphs has a story. I absolutely fell in love with Frankie (She Don’t Dance for Free). There’s just something about that song and dance combination that instantly hooks you in - see link at bottom for stepsheet.
April also became a big choreography month for me, with not one but two new line dances taking shape.
The first was the Easy Improver She’s Country and She Knows It - by Luke Bryan. The song came on, while I was driving to the dentist (go figure), and that was it… instant obsession. I had it on repeat for days.
I was really fortunate to lean on the support and expertise of others in the line dance world while working through the step sheet and trying to get the tricky little “hook” right - something Simon Ward had talked about back in February during the choreography workshop. It’s amazing how much thought goes into creating dances that both feel good and flow naturally with the music.
Then came the Beginner Gone Gone Gone by Casey Barnes.
The Christchurch competition team and I had been throwing around ideas for our upcoming team dance and theme when this song came up. There were already some fantastic dances to it… but they were all pretty (very very) challenging. So I thought, why not create a beginner dance instead?
Well… turns out creating a beginner dance that’s still fun, memorable, and flows naturally is actually really hard! Simpler definitely doesn’t mean easier when it comes to choreography. But that story really belongs to May…
I got to share both dances at Clive Bootscootin after Emily’s fabulous Wednesday classes, and it was so awesome seeing people's enthusiasm as they enjoyed them on the floor for the first time.
Our Friday night party theme for April was Easter, which naturally meant dressing up as a bunny. There were a lot of Easter bunnies hopping around the dance floor that night, and even an egg (IYKYK) and as always, it was full of laughs, music, and good company.
All in all, April felt like a nice pause before what’s shaping up to be a very full-on few months ahead, with preparations underway for our Christchurch Team and Duo competition events in August.
Reflection
April reminded me that creativity takes patience. Sometimes the best ideas arrive unexpectedly - on a car ride, during a conversation, or while listening to a song for the hundredth time.
I’m learning there’s a real art to choreography. It’s not just about counting steps - it’s about creating something people can feel, enjoy, and connect with together on the dance floor.
And honestly… if you can do that dressed as an Easter bunny, even better.
🎶 Songs of the Month
Frankie (She Don’t Dance for Free)
Stomp 234 AB
