March 2008, 27 California dances voted Favorite Dance of ALL TIME in a survey of 452 dancers

California Dances receiving 3 votes:

Zydeco Lady - Chris Hookie (now lives in Texas) Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

California Dances receiving 2 votes:

Bella's Cha Cha - 1994 John Mulhall - Redwood City, CA. Taught at Westhope 2008, but not retained on class playlist.

Black Dresses was Michael Barr's first choreographed dance. It debuted in 1995 to a song of the same name by Steve Kolander. The best cut came off the CDX compilation (Vol. 100 January 1995). Although it is on his CD named, Steve Kolander, the CDX cut has more orchistration for a better dance cut. Black Dresses debuted at the 1995 Golden Gate Classic, this brought the 48 count 4 wall line dance to the attention of Charlotte Skeeters and Neil Hale. Charlotte decided to teach the dance downunder and it was taught in the UK which brought Michael into the world arena. View dance ranking 2000.
Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Hey Bruce 1997 Michael Barr - this 48 count 2 wall line dance hooked the dancer. The weird name, the pulsing song and the arm movements hit a spot dancers were ready for. The driving beat of the song, The Heat is On, by La Bouche (Sweet Dreams CD), got the attention of the dancer. Originally done to My Girl and then Hey Baby (name comes from the last few words on the song Hey Baby), both off the Alabama CD, "Dancin' on the Boulevard", the dance needed a true Hustle piece of music. With The Heat is On the dance took off. Bringing the Hustle count to the line dancer was the motivation. Hey Bruce garnished a number of awards in Canada and at Worlds held in Nashville, TN in 1998. Michael Barr taught Hey Bruce by request as an 'oldie' at the 2004 JG2 Marathon. Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Hot Tamales - The Up-tempo Country/Western tune "Country Down To My Soul" by Lee Roy Parnell from his "on The Road" CD, released in October 1993, provided a perfect and irresistible opportunity for Neil Hale to assure C/W purists that he had not abandoned his roots, and that he was still Country "down to his soul." The twangy, and at time searing, guitar solo provided the perfect backdrop for yet another signature Neil Hale move, the 8 count Hot Tamales' shoulder shimmies. Hot Tamales, a 64 count, two wall, up-tempo intermediate line dance was taken on tour to Australia in 1996 and to Great Britain in 1997 where it met with sweeping and instantaneous success on both continents. Hot Tamales became a regional hit the moment it was taught & remains a San Francisco Bay Area standard at the start of the new millennium. Hot Tamales is the first choreography to be listed on international top ten line dance charts 3 full years after its creation. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001. In 1998 Linedancer Magazine announced their namonations of the year ...Hot Tamales was nominated for Dance of the Year! Neil Hale continues to DJ 2008 bay area dances and will dance Hot Tamales w/us if we plead with him. Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.
A Youtube link just released March 2008 ...dancers enjoying Hot Tamales ...one of my favorites also!!!

Swingin' R's - Rob Ingenthron & Robert Royston -Louie played this dance at the 2007 Tampa Bay Dance Classic.

Under Your Spell - Bracken Ellis -Louie played this dance at the 2007 Tampa Bay Dance Classic.

California Dances receiving 1 vote

American Pop - Michele Burton -JP played this dance at the 2008 Boogie Workshop in Corning, CA

At The Hop - Carmel Hutchinson -Re taught and remained on the Westhope playlists for 2007.

Begin The Beguine (Charlotte Skeeters) was the first Friday workshop at the 1999 Desert Sands Dance Festival in Las Vegas, NV.

Boot Scooter Boogie - Rick Bowen

Bridget's Waltz - Ganean De La Grange

Candlelight - JP Potter

Cha Cha Lengua, Neil Hale's slow, stylish, intermediate level line dance was choreographed to "Un Momento Alla" from the self-titled "Rick Trevino" CD released in February, 1994. Like Hot Tamales, Cha Cha Lengua owes much of its popularity to dance stylist and choreographer, Michele Burton, who - with her dance team, "The Derringer Dancers" - paid the ultimate tribute to Neil Hale by incorporating these dances into their performances both live and on video. Cha Cha Lengua is the first internationally acclaimed choreography to be danced to a non-Country/Western song in a language other than English. View dance ranking 2000 And 2001. Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Dancin' With You - Sal Gonzalez of Reedley, CA. It is a 1 wall, 64 count beginning intermediate night club two step line dance. This dance won 1st place in the New Line Choreography at the 1996 California Country Harvest Dance Festival in Tres Piños.
This dance is done at the Saddlerack and Rodeo Club whenever nightclub 2 music is played 2008.

Doors Of Life - Michael Barr -Currently on the 2008 Worldnewsletter Weekly Survey.

Fly Like A Bird written by Hedy McAdams to the #5 track of the same name off the 1994 "Some Change" album by blues-rock singer/songwriter Boz Scaggs. The 1995 signed step sheet chronologically lists the awards this dance has won. View ranking in 2000 And 2001. Hedy's comments conerning this dance. Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Go Greased Lightning - Michele Burton -JP played this dance at the 2008 Boogie Workshop in Corning, CA

Hooked On Country - Doug Miranda AT the 1987 Fairplex L.A. County Fair ...Doug & Cheryl Miranda (California) and their class danced Hooked On Country during their performance. Back shuffles were NEW to line dance and the music was to Albert Coleman and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra ...Just Hooked on Country AND the crowd went wild! This dance was Doug Miranda's first choreography to be seen and then taught as a dance.

Live For Today - Doug & Jackie Miranda

Love Letters - Hedy McAdams of Palo Alto, CA. It is a 2 wall, 48 count waltz line dance. Strawberry Wine, Deana Carter, recommended and preferred by her students; 120 bpm. "Love Letters", Elvis Presley recommended/inspired by; 112 bpm. "This dance is dedicated to the choreographic courage, artistry and craftsmanship of Neil Hale."
Re taught and remained on the Westhope playlists for 2007.

One Dream - Doug & Jackie Miranda

Perhaps - Chris Kumre Re taught and remained on the Sue & Kathy & Westhope playlists for 2007.

Shattered - JP Potter

Silk & Satin (Evelyn Khinoo 1995) It is a 4 wall, 32 count intermediate cha cha. "Island", Eddy Raven is preferred; 94 bpm. (The first line dance video demonstration on the Internet.) You can right click and download to your hard drive my first attempt to create an .avi file...a video clip of Evelyn Khinoo dancin' her SILK and SATIN. Right click the mouse button to copy this 5 million byte avi file to your hard drive. It takes approximately 40 minutes to download with a 28.8 modem connection. You can view the video in media player in windows. http://web.archive.org/web/19970405003723/www.linedancefun.com/dances.htm
Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Storybook Endings (Neil Hale 1999) is a 3/4 time waltz line dance done to "Someone Must Feel Like A Fool Tonight" by Kenny Rogers. It is from the somewhat hard to find - but still available - "Back Home Again" CD that was released in November, 1991. The dance is one wall, easy to learn, and conceptually simple. The appropriately entitled "Storybook Endings" represents what may be the culmination of a string of very successful line dances by Neil Hale. They have spanned the final decade of the century, and will most certainly continue being enjoyed many years into the new millenium by line dancers throughout the world.
Remains on the 2008 CQS list of oldies played every month.

Whole Lotta Peppas, true to its name, is an up-tempo, intermediated level, 48 count, two-wall line dance. It is done to a Salsa rhythm, "The Cup of Life" (Spanish Radio World Cup" Edit) by Ricky Martin from the self-titled "Ricky Martin" CD. Latin Rhythms were the rave of the dance floor at this time, and Whole Lotta Peppas, by Neil Hale (1999), represented one of many Latin line dances that provided a refreshing, much-needed, and stimulating boost to the international line dance scene.
Remains on the 2008 CQS list of classics played every month. Re taught in 2007 and remains on the 2008 request lists.

Others: "All Time Favorite" dances that were TAUGHT & remain on the San Francisco 2008 request and playlists
Poetry In Motion - Re taught and remained on the Sue & Kathy & Westhope playlists for 2008.
Razor Sharp -Re taught and remained on the Westhope playlists for 2008.
Trust Me - Re taught and remained on the Sue & Kathy playlist & BnB requestes for 2008.
The Way - Gerard Murphy -Re taught and remained on the Sue & Kathy playlists for 2008.

Others: Come Dance With Me, Islands in the Stream, Come Tomorrow, Dizzy, Suds in the Bucket, Bosa Nova, East to West, Not Like That, Tush Push, Black Horse, Caught in the Act, Hold Your Horses, Irish Stew, On The Water, Cheek to Cheek, Bicycle Waltz, J'ai du Boogie, Kill the Spiders, My New Life, Rhumba Ride, Show Me Wot You Got, Simplemente Sweet Sweet Smile, Soluna, TGIF, Uno, Dos, Titanic, Tres, and Waltz Across Texas, Walk Back to Me would fill the San Francisco bay area floors in 2008.
Chill Factor was played at Boogie 2008, I had to follow, same with Razor Sharp, I was asked to teach Razor Sharp because students saw it at Boogie, Two even remembered trying to learn it back in the day ...1998.

to be continued:

Rachael McEnaney and Simon Ward will be teaching at the 2008 LAPD event in LA April 2008 w/DJ's Louie & JP...
The ALL TIME FAVORITES seen on the dance floor at the 2008 LAPD are: