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
32 Count 4 Wall intermediate Music: Live, Laugh, Love - Clay Walker
64 Count 0 Wall Music: Poor Boy Shuffle - The Tractors
16 Count 2 Wall beginner/intermediate Music: Rompin' Stompin' Blues - The Judds
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: I Can't Stand the Rain - Seal : (CD: Soul)
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: Give It to Me Right - Melanie Fiona : (CD: The Bridge)
32 Count 4 Wall intermediate Music: Basic Goodbye - Neal McCoy
48 Count 2 Wall Intermediate - NC2 Music: Stuck On You (feat. Darius Rucker) - Lionel Richie
64 Count 4 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: Baby (You've Got What It Takes) by Michael Bublé feat. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. CD: Crazy Love (128 bpm)
48 Count 2 Wall Improver waltz Music: Love Me or Leave Me Alone by Dustin Lynch ( feat. Karen Fairchild) CD: Current Mood / 102 bpm: 4:04 or 4:05
48 Count 4 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: Here Comes the Rain Itsy - Genius + Love : (CD: Jazz & Swing for Kids)
32 Count 2 Wall Beginner Music: Dancing Feet - Dave Sheriff
32 Count 4 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: Everytime I Roll the Dice - Delbert McClinton : (CD: Never Been Rocked Enough)
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: Fallin' for You - Heather Headley : (CD: This Is Who I Am)
32 Count 0 Wall Music: Jezabel - Ricky Martin
64 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: Valentino - Diane Birch : (CD: Bible Belt)
32 Count 4 Wall Improver Couples Music: Lucky in Love - Ronnie Beard : (CD: Lucky In Love - 3:48)
32 Count 2 Wall Intermediate NC Music: Tell Your Heart to Beat Again - Danny Gokey : (CD: Hope In Front Of Me - iTunes or Amazon)
64 Count 2 Wall Intermediate Music: Fools - Diane Birch : (CD: Bible Belt)
32 Count 2 Wall Intermediate Music: It's Amazing - Jem : (CD: Down to Earth)
32 Count 2 Wall Beginner Music: Put a Little Love In Your Heart - Scooter Lee : (CD: Home To Louisiana)
