!E.L.V.I.S.: ALL SAINTS PARADE (CHOREOGRAPHY)

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

In 1965 Elvis recorded the following rendition of  "The Saints":

When The Saints Go Marching In (1965)

Elvis recorded it previously in 1956:

1956 : When the Saints Go Marching in

However, the very first time he recorded this traditional song was in 1953. 

I wrote a choreography for this gospel, 

CHOREOGRAPHY OF ALL SAINTS PARADE

Choreography: DJ JackCounts: 32 Walls: 4 Level: Absolute BeginnerMusic: When the Saints Go Marching In - Elvis Presley
Description of the dance steps

Tag: 8 counts at end of wall 3 (according to song versions)
Optional finale: 2 counts

Abbreviations: R=right L=left

Weight on left foot.
Start with lyrics.

Section 1: Marche Forth x 8
1, 2, 3, 4March (x4) : RLRL

5, 6, 7, 8March (x4) : RLRL

Section 2: Marche Back x 8
1, 2, 3, 4Back (x4) : RLRL

5, 6, 7, 8Back (x4) : RLRL

Section 3: Hitch ¼ turn, pose, hitch, pose; Vine to L
1, 2, 3, 4Hitch R ¼ turn to R, pose, Hitch L pose

5, 6, 7, 8Vine to R, together - Facing 3:00

Section 4 Hitch ¼ turn, pose, hitch, pose; Vine to L
1, 2, 3, 4Hitch R ¼ turn to R, pose, Hitch L pose

5, 6, 7, 8Vine to R, together - Facing 6:00

Tag (only if your version of the song has it)
At end of wall 3, facing 6:00 (when the chorus sings "Go, Go, Go,...")
Stomp R, Stomp L, Stomp R, pause
Stomp R, Stomp L, Stomp R, pause

Restart
Wall 4, Wall 5, Wall 6

At the end of Wall 6 your will be facing 12:00

Optional finale: full turn (on the last syllable of the lyrics: iiiiiin)
1step R foot ½ turn left

2step L foot back ½ turn left

Lyrics (of Elvis Presley’s rendition): click

It is  also published on Copperknob: All Saints Parade

Stepsheet of All Saints Parade

Actually, the multiple versions of Elvis' renditions are not all the same:

• there could be between 4 and 7 verses (even 8 when the quartet made a final instrumental ending), 
• their lyrics are not identical, etc.
• some verses could be separated by an instrumental or vocal (chorus) break
• etc.

 The original and official version included, in the middle of the song,  an instrumental break finishing by the words "Go, Go, Go, ...!" which induces a tag. It's why the tag is optional.

Moreover the number of walls will be varying according to the record you choose. But, as this choreography is a two-wall march (parade), according to the number of verses (odd or even) your dance will finish either at the 12:00-wall or at the 6:00-wall. For those who finish at the 6 o'clock-wall, I included an optional finale section.

Here's the  teach video:

All Saints Parade Walkthru Video

Me, in NOLA (2024)

What a song! What a road! What a World!

Nashville Skyline (personal photo)

Elvis or Not Elvis?

A part of this blog will host the step-sheets I wrote.

Those written for Elvis Presley's songs are marked !ELVIS

All the others are marked: !FW

However, anyway: always on the roads!

Another part will host pictures I've made in "new worlds".

The posts will be labelled: !G

 

And some stuffs concerning

cities having the name of a Saint:

!H

for

(usa)     (can)

¹ GU: not confined… i.e. free!

² "I" is, of course me…

³ … this guy is me❣

!E.L.V.I.S.: ELVIS' THANKSGIVING (CHOREOGRAPHY)

 

CHOREOGRAPHER: DJ Jack

TITLE: ELVIS' THANKSGIVING

MUSIC: HOW GREAT THOU ART by ELVIS PRESLEY

Video Song

Video Teach

 Walls: 4  counts: 32

Level:Improver

Abbreviations:
- LF: left foot
- RF: right foot

Intro: 8 counts with arms motions
Outro: 8 counts with arms motions

Weight on LF

Intro : the chorus is singing “Ha Ha Ha Há Hà Há Ha Haa”
1, 2, 3, 4RF forward rocking chair with arms up and down

5, 6Side rock right (open arms), recover on LF (arms remained opened)

7, 8Side rock right (arms embracing), recover on LF (arms down)

Start wall 1 with lyrics.

Section I: Night club step on diagonal, raise heels with 1/8 turn to the left, heels down; Shuffle forward, shuffle left
1Slide RF on right diagonal [facing 10:30]

2Drag LF near RF

3Raise heels (stand on toes) while making a 1/8 turn to the left [facing 9:00]

4Heels down

5&6Shuffle forward R, L, R

7&8Shuffle left (LF to the left, RF near LF, LF to the left) Weight on LF

Section II: Slide, drag, Heels up, heels down; Shuffle backward twice
1Slide RF to the right

2Drag LF near RF

3Raise heels (stand on toes)

4Heels down

5&6Shuffle back R, L, R

7&8Shuflle back L, R, L

Section III: Vine ¼ turn left; toes heel stomp RF, toe heel stomp LF
1RF to the right

2LF behind the RF with a ¼ turn left

3RF to the right

4LF near the right

5&6Tap right toes, tap right heel, stomp RF

7&8Tap left toes, tap lef heel, stomp LF

Section IV: Marche RF, F, side RF, LF; Shuffle back R, L, R, side shuffle left
1Marche right

2Marche left

3RF to the right

4LF near RF

5&6Shuffle backward RF, LF, RF

7&8Side shuffle LF, RF, LF

The end of Wall 3 is also the end of verse 3, [facing 6:00]
After verse 3, the chorus sings the outro twice: “How great Thou art”

Outro:
1Slide RF forward raising both arms

2Bend right knee forward keeping your LF etended while pivoting on your left toes with a ¼ turn to the left

3Drag RF backward near LF while straightening both legs

4Pause while lowering your arms

5, 6, 7, 8repeat 1, 2, 3, 4 [facing 12:00]

Lyrics (of Elvis Presley’s rendition):

Step sheet on Copperknob

!E.L.V.I.S.: WILD IN THE COUNTRY (CHOREOGRAPHY)

The song "Wild in the Country" was recorded in 1960 (and again in 1961 for his musical-drama which shared the same title with this song).

Here's this song:

Here's my video teach

Wild in the Country Step Sheet (Choreographer : DJ Jack).

Here's the step sheet

-you can read it in your own  language by clicking on the drop-box, just below the six horses above-

WILD IN THE COUNTRY

Choreographer: DJ Jack

Music: Wild in the Country, Elvis Presley (style: Country Folk)

Phrased - 2 walls: Phrase A (16 counts, 2 walls) – Phrase B (16 counts, 1 wall)

1 Tag (2 counts) – a finale (4 counts)

Level: improver

Abbreviations: LF (left foot), RF (right foot)

Weight on LF, start with the lyrics.

PHRASING: A – Tag – A – B – A – Tag – A – B – Finale

Important : the tag is always on the ‘’as the sky’’ sung by the chorus

PHRASE A : 16 counts, 2 walls

Section 1: Side touch, forward, touch; side touch, backward, touch [remain facing 12:00]

1,2: RF side right, LF touch RF,

3,4: LF side to left, RF touches LF

5,6: RF forward, LF touch RF

7,8: RF backward, LF touches RF

Section 2: two rumba boxes with ¼ turn to the right [finish at 6:00]

1,2: RF to the right with a ¼ turn right, LF touch RF [facing 3:00]

3,4, RF back, LF touches RF

5,6: RF to the right with a ¼ turn right, LF touch LF [facing 6:00]

7,8: RF forward, LF touches RF

PHRASE B: 16 counts, 1 wall

(Important: Phrase B always starts facing 6 :00 pm)

Section 1: Twinkle on the right diagonal; Pivot 3/8 turn to the left, drag RF right, touch [finish at 12:00]

1,2: RF slides on the right diagonal, drag RF near LF [facing 7:30]

3,4: Heels up, heels down (weight on LF)

5,6: RF Cross LF, heels up with 3/8 pivot turn to the left, weight on RF [facing 12:00]

7,8: Slide RF to the right, drag LF near RF

Section 2: Twinkle on the right diagonal; Pivot 3/8 turn to the left, drag RF right, touch [finish at 6:00]

1,2: RF slides on the right diagonal, drag RF near LF [facing 10:30]

3,4: Heels up, heels down (weight on LF)

5,6: RF Cross LF, heels up to pivot on toes 3/8 turn to the left, weight on RF [facing 6:00]

7,8: Slide RF to the right, drag LF near RF

The tag: Hip bumps

When the chorus repeat after Elvis: “in the sky”:

1&2: (1) Hip bump right (&) Hip bump left (2) hold

The finale: four paddle 1/8 turns left

It’s the lyrics (last 2 words :”am I”): dance on the music

1,2,3,4 : Four paddle 1/8 turn step to the left

Option for the final: Raise hands on the last 4 musical beats

Make it easier, matching the phrases with the lyrics:

There are 3 stanzas in the lyrics, 4 lines (verses) each,

1st Stanza: it’s all Phrase-A with the tag in the Middle (A-Tag-A)

2nd Stanza: the first 2 lines are Phrase A, the rest is B

Tag

3rd Stanza: AB

WILD IN THE COUNTRY (MOVIE)

IN MEMORIAM JACK

 

For his centennial, in memory of 

Jack (Feb. 20ᵗʰ, 1925 - Sep. 20ᵗʰ, 1998)

My dad in 1943