Matador

Music: NOTE:  This was designed for slow tempos ranging up to 136 BPM.  By the mid-1990s, many dancers have changed the style of the dance by taking the speed 40 BPM over the choreographer's top limit to 176 BPM.  Matador at 136 BPM by Sylvia—slow tempo, Boogie and Beethoven by the Gatlin Brothers—medium tempo, t.r.o.u.b.l.e. by Travis Tritt—fast tempo
Choreographer: Roy Rakestraw
Position: Individual line dance—all dancers face same direction, heels together, hands on hips
Description: The North Carolina and CTDL #L-053 versions have 36 counts, having dropped the first four counts - heel splits and has slightly stylized several steps.  The Rakestraw-Don Deyne original version has 40 counts.
Comments:  Don Deyne notes that this is a stylized form of Slapping Leather.

Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 by Ronald L. Still. Merida Business Group, 1413 Kenbrook Drive, Garner, NC 27529-4447; 919-772-2082. If the Subject is Dance Steps ... Volume I, Third Edition, January 1996. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Dominent pattern in North Carolina from 1991 to latest edit - 1996.

Standard steps for gentleman and lady are identical.

1. Right heel touch forward

2. Right foot step to close to left foot

3. Left heel touch forward

4. Left foot step to close to the right foot

5. Right heel touch forward

6. Right foot step to close to left foot

7. Left heel touch forward

8. Left foot step to close to the right foot

9. Right heel touch forward

10. Right foot stomp beside left foot

11. Right toe touch backward

12. Right foot stomp beside left foot

13. Right toe touch forward

14. Right toe touch to right side

15. Right toe touch backward

16. Right toe touch to right side

17. Right toe touch forward

18. Right toe touch to right side

19. Right leg bend at knee and right foot (toe pointed down) swings behind left leg—left hand reaches straight down and slaps right heel

20. Left foot pivot 1/4 turn CCW and right leg bends at knee and right foot (toe pointed down) swings to the right and right hand reaches down and slaps right heel and left hand is returned to left hip

Modified Vine to the Right

21. Right foot step to the right, right hand is returned to right hip

22. Left foot step behind the right leg to the right

23. Right foot step to the right

24. Hop on the right foot and raise the left leg, bending at the knee, until thigh is parallel to the floor

25. Left foot step backward

26. Right foot step backward

27. Left foot step backward

28. Hop on left foot turning 1/4 turn CCW and raise the right leg, bending at the knee, until thigh is parallel to the floor

Modified Vine to the Right with 1/2 Turn CW

29. Right foot step to the right

30. Left foot step behind the right leg to the right

31. Right foot step to the right

32. Hop on right foot 1/2 turn CW and raise the left leg, bending at the knee—thigh is parallel to the floor

Modified Vine to the Left with 1/4 Turn CCW

33. Left foot step to the left

34. Right foot step behind the left leg to the left

35. Left foot step to the left 1/4 turn CCW

36. Right foot close to left foot with a stomp

Repeat Counts 1 to 36 until the end of song.

Option 1

Don Deyne, St. Louis area, writes that the choreographer wanted heel splits to open the dance. These four counts are added before the dance starts. Since they appear before Count 1, they will be noted as 0a, 0b, 0c, and 0d. A couple of substitute counts are also listed.

0a. Pivot on toes, swinging heels apart

0b. Pivot on toes, swinging heels together

0c. Pivot on toes, swinging heels apart

0d. Pivot on toes, swinging heels together

Substitute the following counts:

13. Right heel touch forward

17. Right heel touch forward

24. Left foot kick forward beside right foot and clap

27. Right foot pivot 1/4 turn CCW and then left foot step to the left

28. Right foot kick forward beside left foot and clap

31. Left foot pivot 1/4 turn CW and then right foot step forward

32. Right toe pivot 1/4 turn CW and then left foot kick forward beside right foot

36. Right foot stomp to close to left foot and clap

Option 2

NOTE: Although this option calls for a 1/8 turn CCW to the left, you must perform Counts 29-31 as if the turn in Count 28 was a full 1/4 turn CCW to the left. At all times during this dance, floor direction movements will be based on 90/180 degree turns, there is no 45 degree angle movement.

28. Left foot pivots 1/8 turn CCW and right leg swings forward with the right foot scuffing forward into low kick and left hand is returned to left hip

Option 3

36. Right foot step to close beside left foot

Option 4

15. Right toe touch behind the left heel

Option 5

24. Left foot low forward kick

Option 6

Substitute the following two counts (no hop, lower impact):

28. Pivot on left foot 1/4 turn CCW and raise the right leg, bending the knee—thigh should be parallel to the floor

32. Pivot on right foot 1/2 turn CW and raise the left leg, bending the knee—thigh should be parallel to the floor

Option 7

Substitute the following for Counts 13, 15, and 17:

13. Right toe touch in front of left foot

15. Right toe touch behind left foot

17. Right toe touch in front of left foot

 

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