2025 NOV 27th: THANKSGIVING

 

WESTERN FLAMENCO (Choreography)

 READ THIS ARTICLE AND THE STEP SHEET IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE BY SELECTING IT IN THE [SELECT YOUR LANGUAGE] BOX BELOW THE HORSES

This dance is a 32-wall, 4-wall, improver level line dance.

The music is: "Western Flamenco" by Eddie Grey & Sean Duf:

Step Sheet

(also available on Copperknob: 

CopperKnob - Western Flamenco - John L HITTHEROAD (FR) - January 2025

Teach Video

Although I was used to Flamenco rhythms, because Camargue¹ is "my" favorite French region and there's a tradition of Flamenco there, I really discovered and understood a little bit of what's behind Flamenco only recently, after a trip to Andalusia.

However, Camarguaise Flamenco is played by gypsies and isn't at all linked to any "far west" way of life... while the Camarguaise people are genuine cowboys still wearing jeans trousers (in French "toile de Jeanne de Nîmes" - pronounce: DeNim!) and riding their horses.

¹ I'm adding at the end of this page, a flamenco playlist and a video presenting Camargue.

===CHOREOGRAPHY========

Arms: optional
My proposal is to move arms only on Flamenco¹ steps which include:
– Flamenco tap dance steps :
The dancer could simulate "adornos": an adorno (a word used in corridas²) is the way to wave a virtual torero's cape the dancer is handling;
– Other dance steps adapted to Flamenco style.
Just imitate the gestures of toreros³.

No tag, No restart
Weight on left foot
Start when musicians are tapping on their guitars (after 16 counts)

Section 1 : Syncopated Flamenco taps step
1&2Tap right toes (1), tap right heel (&), tap right ball (2),

&3,4tap left toes (&), tap left heel (3), tap left ball (4)

Arms : Adorno on your left (wave your virtual cape on the left your left hip).
Sailor step ¼ turn right, Shuffle right, Stomp stomp [facing 3:00]
5&6Sweep right foot behind left foot while making a ¼ turn right (5), left foot near right foot (&), Right foot to the right side (6)

&7,8Left foot near right foot (&),

Section 2 : Syncopated Flamenco taps step
1&2Tap right toes (1), tap right heel (&), tap right ball (2)

&3,4Tap left toes (&), tap left heel (3), tap left ball (4)

Arms: Front adorno (wave your virtual cape in front of you).
Syncopated rocking chair step ¼ turn right, stomp, stomp [facing 6:00]
5&6Rock right foot to the side right while making a ¼ turn to the right with your body (5), recover on left foot (&), rock right foot behind left foot (6)

&7,8Recover on left foot (&), stomp right foot (7), stomp left foot (8)

Section 3 : Syncopated Flamenco taps step
1&2Tap right toes (1), tap right heel (&), tap right ball (2)

&3,4Tap left toes (&), tap left heel (3), tap left ball (4)

Arms: Right adorno (wave your virtual cape on the right of your right hip).
Hitch right foot with a ¼ turn right, pose, hitch left foot, pose, stomp, stomp [facing 9:00]
5&6Hitch right foot with a ¼ turn right (5), pose right foot (&) , hitch left foot (6)

&7,8Pose left foot (&), stomp right foot (7), stomp left foot (8)

Section 4 : Syncopated Flamenco taps step
1&2Tap right toes (1), tap right heel (&), tap right ball (2)

&3,4Tap left toes (&), tap left heel (3), tap left ball (4)

Arms: Back adorno (wave your virtual cape behind you).
Syncopated jazz box flamenco style ², stomp, stomp
5&6Cross right foot in front of left foot tapping your right toes (5), pose right foot tapping right heel down (&), while uncrossing your left foot, tap left toes left to your right heel (6)

&7,8Pose left foot tapping left heel down (&), stomp right foot (7), stomp left foot(8)

Arms: Matanza del toro²
Simultaneously,
– Hold your virtual cape with only your left hand, maintaining your left arm down,
– Raise your folded right arm, right elbow up, your right hand holding your virtual sword ready to kill the poor bull ¹.

====Notes====
¹ I love Flamenco dance.
² I hate bull fights!
³ Toreros are smart guys!

More about Flamenco

More about Camargue

(with English subtitles)

...

!E.L.V.I.S.: September 12th: Saint Elvis

 

(Courtesy: Catholic Ireland site)

SAINT ELVIS

The anglicized name of Saint Ailbe of Emly, County of Tipperary, Republic of Ireland... is:

ELVIS

He lived in the 6th Century. The Catholic Church celebrates him every year on September 12th.

Almost all media (dictionaries, AI engines, Wiki, etc. say "no connection" with Elvis Presley!  However, digging in the Irish etymology of the name Ailbe (Ailbhe in Old Irish, Ailfiw in Old Welsh) gives the hidden 🗝🔑:

— 🗝"Ail" means ROCK

— 🔑"bhe" and "fiw"  both mean ALIVE

ELVIS = A LIVING ROCK

❣️

I'M LAUNCHING TODAY: !E.L.V.I.S. Project

The name of the project is: Elvis' Life Videos In Shorts (... the vertical videos in YouTube). Of course, the project is linked to Elvis and all his environment at his time (and today as well) but also to his songs and the dances existing on his music).

In the next few days, I will add pages for this project. For the moment, I've only started a playlist, which will grow:

!E.L.V.I.S. - YouTube

QB ELVIS (CHOREOGRAPHY)

 

QB ELVIS

READ THIS ARTICLE AND THE STEP SHEET IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE BY SELECTING IT IN THE [SELECT YOUR LANGUAGE] BOX BELOW THE HORSES

This dance is a 1-wall, 16-count, no-tag, no-restart  dance for Absolute Beginners.

Here's the Choreography:

Musics (bpm: 120-140)

 - "NFL on Fox Theme" by Scott Schreer

- "NFL on CBS Theme" by E. S. Posthumus

VIDEO-DECRYPTION

16 Counts    4-wall    Level : AB

 

Preliminary instructions:

Measure 1: "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &"

(strong hits on 1 and 3).
Measure 2: Continues same pattern, with big accent on beat 1.

 

RF: Right Foot — Weight on right foot: [RF]

LF: Left Foot — Weight on left foot: [LF]

 

Start Weight on Left Foot [LF]

 

SECTION 1 :

 "TAKING THE SNAPS": Receive the  ball

(Optional: Catch the ball with 2 hands, then run)

1 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

2 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

3 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

 

"HANDOFF": Pass the ball

(Optional: Hands throw the ball)

4 Kick RF [LF]

5 Pose Right foot on right diagonal [RF]

& Skate Left foot to the left [LF]

6 Skate Right foot to the right [RF]

& Skate Left foot to the left [LF]

7 Skate Right foot to the right [RF]

& Skate Left foot to the left with a ¼ turn left [LF] — facing 9:00
8 Stomp RF [RF]

& Stomp LF [LF]

 

SECTION 2 :

  "TAKING THE SNAPS": Receive the ball

(Optional: Catch the ball with 2 hands, then run)

1 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

2 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

3 Run : RF forward [RF]

& Run : LF forward [LF]

4 Run : RF forward [RF]

 

"PUMP FAKES": QB fakes passes

(Optional Hands fake throwing the ball to the left)

& LF forward crossing RF [LF]

5 RF step backward [RF]

& Stomp LF [LF] near RF

6 RF forward crossing LF [RF]

& LF step backward [LF]

7 Stomp RF near LF [RF]

(Hands fake drop the ball)

& Kick LF [RF]

8 Stomp LF [LF]

Continue dancing (Section 1 Section 2 Section 1 etc.) until the end of the music.

TRI MARTOLOD ROND' BOURREE (CHOREOGRAPHY)

TRI MARTOLOD ROND' BOURREE

(CHOREOGRAPHY)

TRI MARTOLOD ROND' BOURREE

READ THIS ARTICLE AND THE STEP SHEET IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE BY SELECTING IT IN THE [SELECT YOUR LANGUAGE] BOX BELOW THE HORSES

This dance is a Celtic Style dance in circle. The Rond' Bourree is typical to Brittany, which is one of the  Gaelic regions of France, which was named Gaule in the ancient times. This choreography is my Codification of a Folkloric Gaelic Dance in circle, for line dances. It is a 1-wall, 16-count, no-tag, no-restart  dance for Absolute Beginners.

Here's the Choreography:

TRI MARTOLOD ROND' BOURREE

 

Line Dance in circle, facing, the center of the circle. Each dancer touches his little fingers with the dancers at his left and his right.

 Music: Tri Martolod by Alan Stivell

https://youtu.be/Xjpaiztaa-0?si=jz-wILFWd_Im3ZH0

 1 wall – 16-count dance – No tag no restart – Level: Absolute Beginner

Weight on right foot at start: [RF]

 Start with the music

 SECTION 1: Slow travelling to the left

&1: Slide back left foot slightly to left (&)

       Right foot near left foot (1) [RF]

2 :  Step left foot in place [LF]

&3: Slide right foot before the left (&)

       Left foot near right foot (3)[LF]

4 :  Step Right foot in place [RF]

 Steps [ &5 6 &7 8] identical to [ &1 2 &3 4]

SECTION 2: Radial travelling back an forth

&1: Slide left foot backward (&)[LF]

       Right foot near left foot (1)[RF]

2 :  Step left foot in place [LF]

&3: Slide right foot forward to the center (&)

       Left foot near right foot (3)[LF]

4 :  Step Right foot in place [RF]

 Steps [ &5 6 &7 8] identical to [ &1 2 &3 4]

 Continue dancing until the end of music

Here's a démo

Here's a Video Decryption of the Choreography

Saint Louis, MO on August 25ᵗʰ

Saint Louis, MO Skyline (Public Domain)

Saint Louis is celebrated on August 25th

Fireworks over Saint Louis, MO

Drone Video over Saint Louis  MO

Below: Livecam on the Arch

The name of Saint Louis was given by the first French settlers to honor King Louis XIVᵗʰ of France in the late 17ᵗʰ Century. Actually, it is his ancestor, King Louis IXᵗʰ of France who is Saint Louis! The relief of Saint Louis (i.e. King Louis IXᵗʰ of France) is carved in one of the walls of the Capitol of Washington, DC.

St Louis IX, King of France, Capitole, Washington, DC, USA

 

Saint Mary on August 15ᵗʰ

 AUG 15TH : ST MARY

Aerial view of the bridge (Public Domain)

Sault-Sainte-Marie

Sault Sainte Mary Bridge

Video effects on a Public Domain Photo

On August 15th we celebrate Saint Mary. This bridge links Sault Sainte Mary, Ontario, Canada to its twin sister in Michigan, USA.

Drone Video view

Below Soo Locks Livecam