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