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 154 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 Nashville TN in September 2024.
Choreographer Stepsheets
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate NC rhythm Music: Good As You - Kane Brown : (CD: Experiment - 3:13)
32 Count 4 Wall Improver Music: Can't Sleep Love - Pentatonix : (Album: Pentatonix or Delux Version - 2:53)
32 Count 4 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: Beautiful Goodbye - Maroon 5 : (CD: Overexposed - 4:18)
32 Count 4 Wall High Beginner - Slow WCS Music: You Should Probably Leave - Chris Stapleton
64 Count 2 Wall High Beginner Music: If the Devil Danced In Empty Pockets - Joe Diffie : (CD: 16 Biggest Hits)
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: Spending Every Minute In Love - Neal McCoy
32 Count 4 Wall Improver Music: Angel - Eric Clapton : (Album: Old Stock)
32 Count 2 Wall Intermediate NC Music: Tell Your Heart to Beat Again - Danny Gokey : (CD: Hope In Front Of Me - iTunes or Amazon)
32 Count 4 Wall Improver Music: Lucky in Love - Ronnie Beard : (CD: Lucky In Love - 3:48)
32 Count 4 Wall Intermediate Music: I Can't Stand the Rain - Seal : (CD: Soul)
64 Count 2 Wall Intermediate Music: Sweet Talkin' Man - Delbert McClinton : (iTunes or Amazon - Single)
32 Count 4 Wall High Beginner Music: I Ain't Never - Scooter Lee : (CD: Midnight Hauler)
32 Count 4 Wall Beginner Music: Take These Chains - Scooter Lee : (CD: I'm Gonna Love You Forever)
48 Count 2 Wall Improver Music: Juke Joint Jumpin' - Barbara Carr
32 Count 4 Wall High Beginner Music: To Love Somebody - Michael Bublé
32 Count 2 Wall Beginner Music: Jezabel - Ricky Martin
48 Count 2 Wall Intermediate / Advanced Music: A Door of the Life - Mariya Takeuchi : (CD: Denimu, Warner Music Japan)
48 Count 1 Wall Beginner waltz Music: Second Chance - Trisha Yearwood : (CD: Inside Out - fast but a lovely song)
32 Count 4 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: Everytime I Roll the Dice - Delbert McClinton : (CD: Never Been Rocked Enough)
64 Count 2 Wall Easy Intermediate Music: For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder : (iTunes or Amazon)
