Line Dancers Hit Nova Scotia, Canada for Restart 2024

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Gerard Murphy

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Jul 1, 2024, 9:48:37 AM7/1/24

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On June 21 and 22, 2024 over 200 dancers from across Canada and the USA descended on Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for the 2024 Restart Modern Line Dance Festival. The event was hosted by Gerard and Susan Murphy.

Highlights this year included:

· Feature choreographer Jonas Dahlgren (Sweden) joined Gerard Murphy as the line dance instructor team for the event. DJ Donna Laurin (Ontario) was back and also taught one workshop.

· Avan and Lisa Joudrey (Nova Scotia) kick-started the Saturday workshops with an Introduction to Clogging workshop.

· Jane Edgett (Nova Scotia) made a return visit to lead two technique workshops: Rhythmic Expression: Exploring the Timing and Character of Dances and Keeping it Safe: With Turns and Arms. Jonas also led a technique class titled: Intelligent Dancing: Protect Your Body and Keep Balanced.

· Gerard led a special Create a Dance Workshop. Sixteen (16) guests worked together over two hours to learn some basic principles of choreography and collaborate on the creation of a NEW dance! The dance is called STAY DANCIN’ and is danced to a track of the same name by DeeDee Austin. It’s a 32 count improver line dance, with no tags or restarts. It was a fantastic experience to witness such a large group managing the creative process together! Check out the step sheet here: https://www.copperknob.co.uk/stepsheets/184484/stay-dancin

· Gerard also led a special workshop that brought back some oldies from the 1990s. It was titled: Classic 1990s Country Bar Dances.

Dances taught:

Oh Carol by Jonas Dahlgren, Roy Verdonk & Jef Camps

A Northern Light by Jonas Dahlgren & Mary Bee Friedrich

The Mermaid by Gerard Murphy NEW

Lovestorm by Jonas & Johanna Dahlgren

The Last Shanty by Gary O’Reilly

Miles On It by Andrew Hayes

A Bitter Lullaby by Jonas Dahlgren, Roy Verdonk, Jo Kinser, John Kinser, Paul Snooke and Guillaume Richard

Hold Me Now by Jonas Dahlgren, Roy Hadisubroto & Raymond Sarlemijn

Eine Kline Ding Dong by Jonas Dahlgren

Rockin All Over The World by Jonas Dahlgren

Do It by Gerard Murphy

M.J. Moves by Jo Thompson Szymanski & Michele Perron

She Say by Jonas Dahlgren & Roy Verdonk

Red Red Wine by Jonas Dahlgren, Roy Hadisubroto & Raymond Sarlemijn

Cross My Heart by Karl Harry-Winson

STRAIT Down in MIA by Michele Burtin

Ti Amo by Jonas Dahlgren

Sugar & Spice by Jef Camps, Roy Verdonk & Jo Kinser

Hey Rosalie by Jonas Dahlgren

Stay Dancin’ by Mandy Doucet, Angela Spiers, Becky Bullerwell, Bertha Arseneau, Debbie Davis-Maybee, Donna Murray, Irene Ma, Joanne Kaczmarski, Judy MacLean, Karla Carter-Smith, Kris Stojic, Lisa Taylor, Natasha Cormier, Nicole LeBrun, Pattie Leblanc, Tanya Woffenden and Gerard Murphy

Plans are already started for 2025, with dates confirmed for Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24. Details to follow in the coming weeks. To be added to Gerard’s enewsletter mailing list and to receive real time updates, email your full name to Gerard at da...@trybarefoot.com with the word SUBSCRIBE.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to Nova Scotia – Canada’s Ocean Playground – in May 2025.

Cheers,

Gerard and Susan Murphy
Event Directors
Restart – Modern Line Dance Festival
Dancin’ on the Water Cruise Vacations
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada
da...@trybarefoot.com