For the last 15 years Michael has traveled and taught throughout the United States, Canada, England, France, Australia, Japan and Korea. Some of his dances that came to be well known are, Black Dresses, What’s Your Name, Hey Bruce, Doors of Life, Rain Against My Window, etc.
2010 saw the return of Jo Thompson Szymanski to the dance scene and with that Michael has a new found energy. “We all have that one person who can truly inspire us, and Jo is that kind of person for me. Being able to work with Jo (instructing for the Dancing for the Dream seminars and other events) makes my job such a great learning experience.” As Jo takes her journey in 2011 to heal from her stem cell transplant Michael feels a strong responsibility to keep that energy going forward.
Michael comes from a show biz family. His father was a pianist and made a wonderful career playing the music he loved. His mother was a dancer and singer before the “kids” came along and put it aside to keep the home secure and nurturing. Michael’s father and mother met during the heyday of Broadway. Something rubbed off from his parents and we are glad he found the venue of line dance to spread his fun.
2011 will be the busiest year yet for Michael and his partner Michele Burton. “We are on the road a lot this year and love all the connections we have with people around the world. Now if the airlines and ‘mother nature’ will just cooperate getting us to the events that would be a plus. We have learned to expect the unexpected”.
Michael lives in Corning, California with Michele Burton and their cat Twinkle Toes (-_-).
Michael Barr has choreographed 149 dances, of which 69 have been co-choreographed. Their first published stepsheet on CopperKnob is Last Days Of Disco from October 2007, with their most recent stepsheet of Lucky In Love – Couples (p) in July 2020.
Choreographer Stepsheets
48 Count 2 Wall intermediate Music: Dance to the Music - Sly & The Family Stone
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: (For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People by Joss Stone, Soul Sessions Vol. 2 (101 bpm)
32 Count 2 Wall intermediate Music: My Give a Damn's Busted - Joe Diffie
64 Count 4 Wall Beginner Music: Light in the Winter (Line Dance Version) - Nancy Hays & The Heffernans : (CD: Light In The Winter)
32 Count 2 Wall intermediate Music: Rise And Fall - Craig David & Sting
48 Count 1 Wall beginner Music: Dance, Dance, Dance - Steve Miller
64 Count 2 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder : (iTunes or Amazon)
48 Count 4 Wall High Beginner Music: Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes - Chuck Willis : (CD: 60 Doo Wop Rock and Bobby Socks)
32 Count 2 Wall Beginner Music: Jezabel - Ricky Martin
48 Count 1 Wall Beginner waltz Music: Second Chance - Trisha Yearwood : (CD: Inside Out - fast but a lovely song)
48 Count 4 Wall Improver - ECS rhythm Music: Steppin' Out On a Saturday Night - E.C. Scott : (Album: Hard Act To Follow - 3:03)
64 Count 2 Wall Intermediate Music: Takin' Off The Edge - The Bama Band
48 Count 2 Wall advanced Music: This Woman Needs - SHeDAISY
32 Count 4 Wall Beginner Music: Honky Tonk Christmas - Alan Jackson
64 Count 2 Wall beginner/intermediate Music: Cowboys Like a Little Rock and Roll - Chris LeDoux
32 Count 4 Wall Improver Music: Lucky in Love - Ronnie Beard : (CD: Lucky In Love - 3:48)
64 Count 2 Wall Phrased Beginner / Improver Music: To Late For Goodbyes by Julian Lennon / CD: Valotte / / BPM: 122 - on iTunes & Amazon.com / Length: 3:34
32 Count 4 Wall Low Intermediate NC Music: What’s Right Is Right - Taylor Hicks : (CD: The Distance)
32 Count 4 Wall intermediate Music: Just a Matter of Time - Hil St. Soul
64 Count 1 Wall beginner/intermediate Music: All That Heaven Will Allow - The Mavericks
