We have a page of cuesheets on the Confidance Cloggers website here, but how do we read these cuesheets? There are many different formats of cuesheets out on the internet and they can look quite different depending on where the routines come from. Most of the routines by Australian choreographers follow the Australian Clogging Association (ACA) format and it is what I describe here.
TOP PART OF THE FIRST PAGE
The title of the routine is also the name of the song. So that's what you use to get music off Spotify or wherever you get your music. The top part of the cuesheet details the dance level (Basic, Easy Intermediate, Intermediate, Intermediate Plus or Advanced), the genre and artist of the song, who choreographed the routine, and how long it is. There is also information on what speed it is recommended to be danced at, the sequence of the parts, and how long you need to wait before starting the first step.
MAIN PART OF THE FIRST PAGE
Below all the details, we have the 'Quick Cues'. This is the routine and it's what the cuers use to call the steps out with instructions on whether to move forward, back or turn. The 'Parts' usually correspond to the verses and chorus of the songs. Each of these parts make up the "sequence" that is mentioned at the top part of the page. If a step is to be done twice, there is a bold number before it. The non-bold numbers to the left of each step are the number of beats for the step.
THE SECOND PAGE
These are all the descriptions of the steps listed on the first page. It looks like a different language but after a few goes, you'll get the idea 😉. To help beginners out, most of the abbreviations of the Level 1 steps are available here. Click on "Abbreviations"
Under each step name, you'll see 3 cryptic lines.
Line 1: This describes the movements that you do including instructions to pause and where to place your foot. This is where the Abbreviations list will come in handy - to look up things like STO (Stomp), DT (Double Toe) and XIF (Cross in front).
Line 2: L & R for the foot to use - Left or Right
Line 3: These are the beats of the steps and they lineup under the movements in the first line and the instructions on which foot to use. For example, for the Double Brush Touch, you'll do a Double Step on '&1' with your Left foot followed by a Double Toe (Back) with your Right foot on the '&' before you do a Heel with your Left foot on the '2'.
And there it is in a nutshell! So the next time you want a refresher on a routine, check out the cue sheet.
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