Dance: The Hardest Word
Music: Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word - Blue & Elton John
                  [One Love], slowish b/m
Choreography & copyright: Michael Vera-Lobos; 2/2003
            http://www.zip.com.au/~strictly
Level: Intermediate
Walls: 4
Count: 32
Bridge/restart: no
Start: Feet together, weight on right foot

Note that the dance ends with a sailor (8&1), the last count of which
is the first count of the next wall. After completing the sailor & 1/4L
(32&1) you then do the cross-samba (2&3). Technically the dance could
be written starting with the samba (count 2), ending on count 33
and with an extra 1 count 'tag' before the start of the first wall.

* (Side), Cross-samba, cross-samba & 1/2L, rock, recover,
                    shuffle & spin:
    1 Step LEFT to LEFT side & drag RIGHT toe towards LEFT foot,
 2& 3 Cross-rock/step RIGHT over LEFT, recover weight onto LEFT,
      step RIGHT to RIGHT side & drag LEFT toe towards RIGHT foot,
 4& 5 Cross LEFT over RIGHT, step RIGHT to RIGHT side & 1/4 turn LEFT,
      make 1/4 turn LEFT & step LEFT to LEFT & drag RIGHT towards LEFT,
 6- 7 Cross-rock/step RIGHT over LEFT, recover weight onto LEFT,
 8& 9 Step RIGHT to RIGHT side & 1/4 turn RIGHT,
      make 1/2 turn RIGHT & step onto LEFT,
      make 1/4 turn RIGHT & step RIGHT to RIGHT side
             & drag LEFT toe together, **

* Cross-samba & 1/4L, shuffle fwd & spin, rock, recover, coaster:
10&11 Cross-rock/step LEFT over RIGHT, recover weight onto RIGHT,
      make 1/4 turn LEFT & step onto LEFT,
12&13 Shuffle forward (R,L,R) & full turn LEFT,
14-15 Rock/step LEFT forward & drag RIGHT slightly towards LEFT,
      recover weight onto RIGHT & drag LEFT towards RIGHT,
16&17 Step LEFT back, step RIGHT together, step LEFT forward,

* Step-1/4Lpivot-cross, side-shuffle & 1/4L, rock, recover,
                   shuffle back & spin:
18&19 Step RIGHT forward, 1/4 pivot turn LEFT (on &),
      cross RIGHT over LEFT & drag LEFT toe towards RIGHT,
20&21 Step LEFT to LEFT side, cross RIGHT behind LEFT,
      make 1/4 turn LEFT & step LEFT forward,
22-23 Rock RIGHT forward & drag LEFT slightly towards RIGHT,
      recover weight onto LEFT & drag RIGHT towards LEFT,
24&25 Make 1/2 turn RIGHT & step RIGHT forward,
      make 1/2 turn RIGHT & step onto LEFT, step RIGHT back,

* Coaster, sweep & step, sweep & step, step-1/2Lpivot-1/4L,
                     sailor & 1/4L:
26&27 Step LEFT back, step RIGHT together, step LEFT forward,
28-29 Step RIGHT forward sweeping to cross over LEFT,
      step LEFT forward sweeping to cross over RIGHT,
30&31 Step RIGHT forward, 1/2 pivot turn LEFT (on &),
      make 1/4 turn LEFT & step RIGHT to RIGHT side
            & drag LEFT towards RIGHT,
32& 1 Cross LEFT behind RIGHT, 1/4 turn LEFT & step onto RIGHT,
      step LEFT to LEFT side & drag RIGHT towards LEFT.

Repeat
******

Choreographer's Note: This is a slow dance done to a great classic
song. Due to the dance only being 32 counts there are a lot of
opportunities to add styling. When the song slows at the end carry on
as normal. Enjoy. MVL


** The original sheet is ambigious as to the direction of this
shuffle. A conventional reading of the original step sheet would
have the shuffle moving backwards, however I was taught the dance
with a side shuffle & full turn. Others who have learnt the dance
from the choreographer comfirm this. Other turns in the dance
clearly indicate that when, for example, the original sheet says:
"make 1/4 turn R & step R to R" the direction of the step (in this
case to the R side) is the direction prior to the turn. I have
reworded the above version of the dance along more conventional
lines. I suggest you check the original on the choreographer's
website and make up your own mind. I have, however, had the benifit
of being able to clarify the steps from those who learnt from MVL.
The original sheet has, for counts 8&9: "Make 1/4 turn R & step R to R,
1/2 turn R & step onto L, 1/4 turn R & step R to R side"

Transcribed: David Powell, 13th May, 2003.
http://triode.net.au/~dragon/ldance