Line dance tutorial

Heel, Toe, Rodeo

Danced to Cowboy Up by Kaylee Bell.

Intermediate4 wall32 countGary O'Reilly

Predicted to play at Jaxson, Mavericks and Westwood

Tempo — start slow, build up

Run the whole dance to the music, top to bottom — full speed, no stopping. The real test.

Play to the music
Dancing to the track

Full dance, full speed, to the track. The real test.

Built for learning, not watching

Learn an 8-count, then stack it
BUILD UP
two downworking on this one

Get one 8-count down, add the next, run them together.

Loop the hard part
LOOP
full dancerepeating this bit

Pick the part you keep blowing and run it on repeat.

Keep track of what you've got
PROGRESS
3 Tequila Floor
Pieces to the Puzzle
American Kids

Every dance sits in one of three buckets. Yours to move.

Bars that play it

Every bar has its go-to setlist

Here's where this one shows up.

Jaxson
San Francisco · Thursdays & Sundays
Mavericks
Pleasanton · Tuesdays & Fridays
Westwood
San Francisco · Wednesdays & Thursdays

Also on those floors

The rest of their setlist

Heel, Toe, Rodeothis page
ToxicIntermediate
3 Tequila FloorIntermediate
Honkytonk WayIntermediate
The WolfIntermediate
Browse all dances

More on the Heel, Toe, Rodeo line dance

How to do the Heel, Toe, Rodeo line dance

Full step sheet — all counts written out+
1-8

Counts 1-8

1stomp right
2left heel forward
&3switch, touch right toe behind
&4switch, left heel forward
&5switch, step left
6rock forward right
7&8full-turn shuffle right left right over right shoulder
9-16

Counts 9-16

1rock forward left
2recover right
3-4full turn left, step left right to 12
5&6coaster step back left, right, forward left
7&8kick right, step right, step left
17-24

Counts 17-24

1point right toe out
2switch, point left
3&switch back to right point, hitch
4point right back out
5&6sailor step right behind, left, right
7&8quarter-turn sailor left to 9 o'clock
25-32

Counts 25-32

1-2step forward right, left
3&4half-turn coaster step right over right shoulder
5-6step left, right
7&8half-turn coaster step left over left shoulder
1-8

Restart

restart

After 24 counts on the 3 o'clock wall (you'll be facing 12), restart the dance from the top.

Counts written by Walls from the tutorial above. Original choreography by Gary O'Reilly.

Questions people ask

What song is the Heel, Toe, Rodeo line dance danced to?+

The Heel, Toe, Rodeo is most commonly danced to “Cowboy Up” by Kaylee Bell. Any upbeat track in a similar tempo works once you know the steps.

How many counts is the Heel, Toe, Rodeo line dance?+

32 counts across 4 walls. The same sequence repeats, rotating 90° to face a new wall each time until you're back to where you started.

Is the Heel, Toe, Rodeo a intermediate line dance?+

Yes, the Heel, Toe, Rodeo is rated intermediate. If you're new to line dancing, get comfortable with basic grapevines and triple steps first, then drill it one 8-count at a time.

Does the Heel, Toe, Rodeo have a restart?+

Yes. Restart After 24 counts on the 3 o'clock wall (you'll be facing 12), restart the dance from the top.. It's worth knowing before you dance it out on the floor, since instructors will sometimes call it.

How do I practice the Heel, Toe, Rodeo at home?+

Slow the tutorial to 70–75% speed and drill one 8-count at a time. Once each section feels automatic, chain two together, then run the whole dance to music. The player on this page lets you loop any 8-count and adjust speed without leaving the page.

What is a line dance?+

A line dance is a choreographed sequence danced solo in rows. Everyone does the same steps facing the same way, no partner needed. The Heel, Toe, Rodeo repeats the same 32-count sequence, turning to face a new wall each time through. Once the counts click, you can join in the moment the song comes on.