Champs Élysées is a line dance in modern/western individuals style choreographed in USA circa 1975 to the hit French song “Les Champs-Élysées” sung by American-French singer Joe Dassin (1969) with words & music by Pierre Delanoé. The song is a French-language cover of rather unsuccessful “Waterloo Road” by the English rock band Jason Crest, released the previous year. The title refers to the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, which is home to many famous theatres, cafés, and luxury shops. The name means “Field of Elysium,” which is the place in Greek mythology at the ends of the earth to which certain favored heroes were conveyed by the gods after death.
| Dance Name: | Champs Élysées |
| Pronunciation: | SHAHM ay-lee-ZAY /ʃɒ̃z ˌeɪliˈzeɪ/ |
| Translation: | The name of a famous avenue in Paris, “Field of Elysium” |
| Aliases: | Aux Champs Elysees |
| Choreographer: | “An American” |
| Year: | ca. 1975 |
| Taught in USA by: | Sunni Bloland & many others |
| Country of Origin: | USA |
| Music Genre: | French Pop |
| Dance Type: | Line Dance: Individuals in lines |
| Dance Category: | Oldies RIFD |
| Folk Status: | Recreational, Non-Ethnic |
| Skill Level: | Easy |
| Energy Intensity: | Moderate |
| Song: | Les Champs-Élysées Sung by Joe Dassin, 1969 Words & Music by Pierre Delanoé |
| Time Signature: | 12/8 (=3/8 x 4) or 4/4 with lots of triplets Swing beat |
| Pattern: | 32-Count, 4-Wall |
| Dancer Formation: | Individuals in Lines/Rows |
| Hand Hold: | Individual |
| Leads to: | R w/ R sway |
| Date Taught: | 7/2/2024 |
| Teacher: | Bill |
| Published: | June 21, 2024 |
| Updated: | June 21, 2024 |
The Hit Song, Champs Élysées: All you needed was a French translation cover to flip an English pop flop.
The plot of the song is yet another boy-meets-girl scenario. Boy goes with girl to party aux Champs-Élysées. She know some musicians playing in a bar, so they go and sing and dance all night into the morning., when an orchestra plays and little birdies sing them a love song…
There are several one-off dance choreographies on YouTube that seem to be created for school or group performances. Asian line dancing enthusiasts have also come up with a couple new choreographies. Be sure to check out some music covers of Joe Dassin’s cover of Waterloo Road. Notable and used in several videos are those of husband-and-wife duo Pomplamoose from California and French gypsy-jazz singer-songwriter Zaz.
The international folk dance (IFD) version of the dance is exceptionally simple. Sunni Bloland learned the dance in Holland from Marius Kropel, who learned it in Germany from “an American.” The sheet music is best written in 12/8, but for dancing, the beat grouping is three counts to transform to simple quadruple, aka 4 beats/bar.
- 4 Sways w/ arms: RLRL
- 4 Fwd Heel-Steps: RLRL
- R Step-behind Step-Touch; L Step-behind Step-Turn (1/4 CCW)
- repeat 3 w touch instead of turn
IFD Dancing Examples of Champs Élysées
Other Choreographies of Champs Élysées
Music: The Best Recordings of Les Champs Élysées
Original Joe Dassin Recording
French Jazz Singer-Songwriter Zaz
Pomplamoose from California, ft. John Schroeder
Music: More Les Champs Élysées recordings From Joe Dassin
Lyrics: Les Champs Élysées
Lyrics translation mainly from Genius and FrenchLearnerJe m'baladais sur l'avenue
Le cœur ouvert à l'inconnu
J'avais envie de dire "bonjour"
À n’importe qui
N'importe qui et ce fut toi
Je t'ai dit n'importe quoi
Il suffisait de te parler
Pour t'apprivoiser
CHORUS:
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie
À midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez
Aux Champs-Elysées
Tu m'as dit J'ai rendez-vous
Dans un sous-sol avec des fous
Qui vivent la guitare à la main
Du soir au matin
Alors je t'ai accompagnée
On a chanté, on a dansé
Et l'on n'a même pas pensé à s'embrasser
[CHORUS]
Hier soir deux inconnus
Et ce matin sur l'avenue
Deux amoureux tout étourdis
Par la longue nuit
Et de l'Étoile à la Concorde
Un orchestre à mille cordes
Tous les oiseaux du point du jour
Chantent l'amour
[CHORUS x3]I was walking down the avenue,
My heart open to the unknown
I wanted to say "hello"
To anyone at all
Anyone, and it was you,
I told you anything at all
It was enough to speak to you
To win you over
CHORUS:
On the Champs-Élysées, on the Champs-Élysées!
In the sun, in the rain,
At noon or midnight
Everything you could want is
On the Champs-Élysées!
You said to me, "I have a meeting
In a basement [bar] with some crazy folks
Who live with a guitar in hand
From evening to morning."
So I went with you,
We sang, we danced
And we didn't even think of kissing each other
[CHORUS]
Last night, two strangers
And this morning on the avenue
Two lovers dazzled
By the long night.
And from l'Étoile to la Concorde,
A thousand-string orchestra
All the birds at dawn
Singing love
[CHORUS x3]
The Original “Waterloo Road” by Jason Crest
Walkin' down the street today
I saw a girl across the way
I asked her where she's goin' and
She said "come with me"
She took me down this avenue
Where I met the folks she knew
And there we stopped and chatted and
We passed the time away
CHORUS:
Down Waterloo Road
Down Waterloo Road
Friday night, Saturday
Any night, or any day
You'll find what you're lookin' for
Down Waterloo Road
Goin' down the cellar where
We met this happy fella
Playin' cakewalks on his guitar
All night long
His picking sound is scratchy, but
His music was so catchy
That we all got up and joined him and
We sang this song
[CHORUS]
Now the birds are cheepin' and
We all feel kinda sleepy
The mornin' tide is rising and
The moon has gone
But still, the feeling lingers
And still, I hear the singers
As I walk along the avenue
And I sing this song
[CHORUS X3]