WESTERN BARN DANCE

Choreographed by: Dick Matteis & Geneva Owsley
Music: Escape Club: Wild Wild West (137)
Hank Williams Jr.: Early In The Morning
Counts: 32
Type: Mixer dance

Position: Moving counterclockwise around dance floor, couples form the largest circle possible
on the floor. When danced as a non-mixer, each dancer returns to the same partner. It can be
danced by several couples on a large floor, by having the lead gentleman start the vine to the
left and then join the last lady in the line with all other gentlemen moving up one lady (This may
provoke more than a few laughs as the line gets longer). Gentleman faces outside edge of
dance floor, lady faces center of dance floor. Originally choreographed for the closed western
dance position, which would have the gentleman's right hand on the lady's left shoulder.
The lady's left arm would be under the gentleman's right arm and she would place her
left hand in the bend of his right elbow. Many North Carolina instructors teach the ballroom
dance position; gentleman's left hand holds lady's right hand in full frame at eye level;
gentleman's right hand on lady's left shoulder blade, her left hand on his right upper arm
or shoulder.
 
Steps are different for the gentleman and lady.
 
GENTLEMAN'S STEPS
1  Left foot step to the left
2  Right foot close to the left foot
3  Left foot step to the left
4  Right toe touch to close to the left foot
 
5  Right foot step to the right
6  Left foot close to the right foot
7  Right foot step to the right
8  Left toe touch to close to the right foot
 
9  Left foot step to the left-spin lady to the right-left hand leads her and right hand
  pushes lightly on her back to start, then drops to gentleman's right hip
10  Right foot close to the left foot
11  Left foot step to the left
12  Right toe touch to close to the left foot
 
13  Right foot step to the right-start spinning lady to the left back to original starting position
14  Left foot close to the right foot
15  Right foot step to the right
16  Left toe touch to close to the right foot, replace right hand on her left shoulder blade
 
FACE FORWARD TO LINE OF DANCE
17  Left foot step left 1/4 turn to the left-you will now be facing the line of dance,
  gentleman's left hand still holds lady's hand, but the handhold is now waist high,
  the gentleman's right hand goes behind the lady's back to hold her right side at the waist
18  Hop/scoot on left foot, right foot scuff into low kick in front of the left foot aimed to the left
19  Right foot step forward
20  Hop/scoot on right foot, left foot scuff into low kick in front of the right foot aimed to the
  right-touching the lady's right foot
 
21  Left foot step forward
22  Hop/scoot on left foot, right foot scuff into low kick in front of the left foot aimed to the left
23  Right foot step forward
24  Hop/scoot on right foot, left foot scuff into low kick in front of the right foot aimed to
  the right-touching the lady's right foot
 
These vines are with a slightly forward movement in the line of dance in order that the gentleman
leaves one lady and advances to the next lady forward in the line of dance.
VINE TO THE LEFT
25  Left foot step left, dropping hands
26  Right foot step behind left leg to the left
27  Left foot step to the left
28  Right foot scuff into low forward kick in front of the left foot aimed to the left and clap
 
VINE TO THE RIGHT
29  Right foot step to the right
30  Left foot step behind right leg to the right
31  Right foot step 1/4 turn to the right (face new partner and outside edge of the dance floor)
32  Left foot close-resume closed country/ballroom position with new partner who was
  one position forward in the line of dance
 
REPEAT
 
LADY'S STEPS
1  Right foot step to the right
2  Left foot close to the right foot
3  Right foot step to the right
4  Left toe touch to close to the right foot
 
5  Left foot step to the left
6  Right foot close to the left foot
7  Left foot step to the left
8  Right toe touch to close to the left foot
 
FULL TURN TO THE RIGHT
9  Right foot step to the right 1/3 turn to the right-drop left arm
10  Left foot step to the right 1/3 turn to the right
11  Right foot step to the right 1/3 turn to the right
12  Left toe touch to close to the right foot
 
FULL TURN TO THE LEFT
13  Left foot step to the left 1/3 turn to the left
14  Right foot step to the left 1/3 turn to the left
15  Left foot step to the left 1/3 turn to the left
16  Right toe touch to close to the left foot-put left hand on the gentleman's right upper
  arm or shoulder
 
FACE FORWARD TO LINE OF DANCE
17  Right foot step 1/4 turn to the right-you will now be facing the line of dance,
  gentleman's left hand still holds lady's hand, but the handhold is now waist high,
  lady's left hand goes behind gentleman's back to hold his left side at the waist
18  Hop/scoot on right foot, left foot scuff into low kick in front of the right foot aimed to the right
19  Left foot step forward
20  Hop/scoot on left foot, right foot scuff into low kick in front of the left foot aimed to
  the left-touching the gentleman's left foot
 
21  Right foot step forward
22  Hop/scoot on right foot, left foot scuff into low kick in front of the right foot aimed to the right
23  Left foot step forward
24  Hop/scoot on left foot, right foot scuff into low kick in front of the left foot aimed to
  the left-touching the gentleman's left foot
 
3/4 TURN TO THE RIGHT
25  Right foot step 1/4 turn to the right
26  Left foot step 1/4 turn to the right
27  Right foot step 1/4 turn to the right
28  Left foot hitch to 6" off the floor
 
3/4 TURN TO THE LEFT
29  Left foot step to the left-1/4 turn to the left
30  Right foot step to the left-1/4 turn to the left
31  Left foot step to the left-1/4 turn to the left
32  Right foot close to the left foot-resume closed ballroom position with next partner
 
REPEAT
 
OPTION 1
Position: dancers face each other, but holding hands at arms length.
 
OPTION 2
Gentleman lead: on counts 9 and 13 when using option 1-spin the lady using both hands in
and out of the turn
 
OPTION 3
The original choreography had the lady do a vine to the right on counts 25-28 and vine to the
left on counts 29-32. Raleigh instructors favor the lady's turns instead, so these vines dropped
to the option area
 
VINE TO THE RIGHT
25  Right foot step right
26  Left foot step behind the right leg to the right
27  Right foot step to the right
28  Left foot scuff into low forward kick
VINE TO THE LEFT WITH 1/4 TURN TO THE LEFT
29  Left foot step left
30  Right foot step behind the left leg to the left
31  Left foot step 1/4 turn to the left
32  Right toe touch to close to left foot
 
OPTION 4
Lady steps in place for the eight counts 25-32.
 
OPTION 5
Gentleman can do a full turn to the left and then 1 1/2 turns to the right instead of
his vines to the center and return for counts 25-32
 
FULL TURN TO THE LEFT
25  Left foot step to the left 1/3 turn to the left
26  Right foot step 1/3 turn to the left
27  Left foot step 1/3 turn to the left
28  Right foot scuff into low forward kick in front of the left foot aimed to the left and clap
 
1 1/2 TURNS TO THE RIGHT
29  Right foot step to the right 1/2 turn to the right
30  Left foot step 1/2 turn to the right
31  Right foot step 1/2 turn to the right (face new partner and outside edge of the dance floor)
32  Left foot close-resume closed country/ballroom position with new partner who
was one position forward in the line of dance


Also in the book 'Country Line Dance Collection 2' by Jorma Leitzinger Jr


Line Dance Archives