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Five-Count—
4 beats/measure, 40 measures/minute
The name "five-count" describes the "slow, slow; quick, quick,
slow;" stepping pattern in many of the two-measure figures. Round
and country dancers are also familiar with the "two-step," which steps
"quick, quick, slow; quick, quick, slow;" and the One-Step, which
dances "slow, slow;" or "quick, quick, quick, quick;" and many round
dances contain figures from all three of these rhythms.
(For additions figures, see the Two Step page.)
Figure Name, Roundalab Phase
Level, & Timing
q=quick, 1 beat
s=slow, 2 beats
&=1/2 beat; a=1/4 beat |
Steps and Actions That Make Up
the Figure
Each description focuses on the man,
with the woman's footwork in parenthesis. If a woman's step is not
given, it is the natural opposite or follow of the man's. Help: basic dance
positions and steps,
actions, directions, and abbreviations. Non-standard punctuation: a
comma separates two beats of music, a semi-colon marks the end of a
measure, and a slash (/) indicates a split beat, two things occurring
in a single beat.
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Here are some sequences to help
you visualize the figure in context.
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| Walk Two
ss;
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In any position beginning with either
foot, step fwd, -, fwd, -; |
You can walk two and a triple and then
repeat with trail foot. |
| Skate
ss;
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In open position or perhaps facing but
somewhat apart, swivel to the left (woman right) and step forward on
the lead foot, swinging the arms to the left. Swivel to the right and
step forward with the trail foot, swing the arms to the right. Mimic
the pushing and the arm and body movements of ice- or roller-skating. |
From semi-closed position, walk two apart;
two-step to face; skate two with trail feet to bjo; and scissors thru
to semi; |
| Dip
s
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Step back or to the side, relax knee, and
leave the free leg extended and toe pointed. |
In closed position, line of dance, dip
back, -, recover, -; fwd, lk, fwd, -; rock fwd, -, rec, -; bk, ld, bk,
-; |
| Recover
s
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Shift weight back to the free foot.
Normally, that free foot has not moved during the previous step. |
In Only You by the Scotts, there
i a twist vine 3 maneuver;; pivot 2 to line; dip back recover; to a
side close to sidecar and triple out;; |
| Pickup
s
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In semi, step fwd on trail feet woman
turning LF 1/2 to face man in closed position line of dance, -, |
In semi position, lead feet free, try a
forward, -, pickup, -; and a triple; forward two and a triple;; |
| Lock
q or s
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Cross free foot in front of supporting
foot and take weight a bit behind that foot so that the newly free foot
has to move back. Performed as the second step in a measure. |
In semi, walk, -, pick up, -; fwd, lock,
fwd, -; rock fwd, -, recover, -; bk, lk, bk, -; |
| Two Step or Triple
qqs;
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In any position, step, close, step. In
semi-closed position, both can dance: fwd, cl, fwd, -; One can two-step
back or to the side. |
Unchained Five Count, by the
Scotts, includes a pretty sequence: In semi, do a forward two-step;
thru with trail feet, -, flare lead feet to a facing position and
touch, -; If you blend to a banjo position, then you can wheel two and
a triple;; wheel two and a triple;; |
| Hitch Forward
qqs;
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In closed position, fwd, cl, bk, -; (woman
mirrors man) May be done in any other position; in open, man and
woman's footwork is the same. |
Hitch forward three; walk back two; hitch
back three; walk forward two; |
| Scissors
qqs;
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In closed position facing line of dance,
step sd L (W sd R) turning RF, cl, XLIF of R (W XIB) to end in sidecar
position; |
Do a scissors to sidecar; walk toward
diagonal wall two slow steps; scissors to banjo; walk in two steps; |
| Scissors Thru
qqs;
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In closed position, step sd turning RF,
woman LF, close, xif, -;
Both cross in front.
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Facing wall, do a scissors thru to
reverse; walk two; scissors thru to line; walk, -, pick up, -; dip
back, -, recover, -; |
| Progressive Scissors
qqs;
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In closed position facing line of dance,
step side, turning a little right face, close, and cross in front
(woman in back) to sidecar, -; |
In Yakkity Sax by the Libertis,
there is a fwd two step with the trail feet; progressive scissors to
sidecar; walk 2; prog scissors to banjo; walk check; whaletail;; |
| Traveling Scissors
qqs; ss; qqs; ss;
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In brief, this is a scissors to sidecar;
walk out two; scissors to banjo; walk in two;
In closed position facing line of dance, step side L (W
sd R) turning a little right face, close, cross in front (woman in
back) to sidecar position, -; step fwd R (W bk L) moving DLW, -, fwd L,
-; step sd R (W sd L) turning 1/4 LF, close, XRIF of L (W XLIB), -;
step fwd L (W bk R) moving DLC, -, fwd R, -;
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In Goody Goody by the Rumbles,
there are 2 fwd two steps beginning with the trail feet;; rock fwd
recover; back hitch 3; traveling scissors;;;; 2 turning two steps;;
In What A Merry Christmas This Could Be by the
Hichmans, there is two fwd two steps;; traveling scissors checking;;;;
fishtail; walk face; slow open vine 4;;
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| Lace
qqs;
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With lead hands joined, step fwd, cl, fwd,
-; the man turning to the right and passing on a diagonal path behind
the woman and the woman turning to the left and passing in front of the
man, under his lead arm. The man moves from the inside of the circle to
the outside. |
Lace out; walk two; lace back; walk two; |
| Forward Lock Forward
qqs;
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Step forward, cross the free foot behind
the supporting foot and take weight, step forward again, -; |
In Chances Are
by Lawson, there is a twisty vine 4 maneuvering; pivot 2 dip bk rec;
walk 2 to BJO fwd/lk fwd; walk 2 to SCAR fwd/lk fwd; rock fwd rec side
cross to BJO; fishtail;
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| Face to Face and Back to Back
qqs; qqs;
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In butterfly position facing wall, step
sd, cl, sd turn away half, -; sd, cl, sd turn to face, -; |
Do a face to face; and in the back to back
position rock side, -, recover, -; do the back to back; rock side
recover again; |
| Wheel Two
and a Triple
ss; qqs;
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In bjo step fwd turning CW, -, fwd
turning, -; fwd, cl, fwd, - ; (full turn) |
Repeat;; |
| Box
qqs; qqs;
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In closed position, step sd, cl, fwd, -;
sd, cl, bk, -; |
In Nite Nite by the Moores, we
begin with a side sway left and recover; half box fwd; walk 2; half box
fwd; walk to banjo check; fishtail; |
| Broken Box
qqs; ss; qqs; ss;
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In closed position, step sd, cl, fwd, -;
rock fwd, -, rec, -; sd, cl, bk, -; rock bk, -, rec, -; |
Follow with a traveling box;;;; |
| Traveling Box
qqs; ss; qqs; ss;
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In closed position, step sd, cl, fwd, -;
walk two to reverse in reverse semi; turn to face sd, cl, bk, -; walk
two to line in semi; |
Follow with a basketball turn;; |
| Circle
Away Two and a Two-Step;; Together Two and a Two-Step;;
ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In semi, turn away from each other and
step fwd, -, fwd, -; fwd, cl, fwd, -; lunge on trail feet and turn LF
woman RF, -, fwd back toward partner, -; fwd, cl, fwd to closed, -; |
Then do a strolling vine;;;; |
| Figure 8
ss; qqs; ss; qqs; ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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This is a circle away two and a two step;;
together two and a two step;; (see above) Notice that the "circle" is
CCW for the man and CW for the woman. You then pass right shoulders as
the man crosses to the other side of the circle, and you again circle
away two and a two step;; together two and a two step;; This time the
man will circle CW and the woman CCW (to make the "figure 8" shape). |
In Yakkity Sax by the Libertis,
there is a twirl vine 2; walk 2 to open position; figure 8 to face
center;;;;;;;; to slow charleston crosses;;;; |
| Sand Steps
ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In bfly point lead big toe to trail
instep, -, place lead heel to trail instep, -; xif, sd, xif, -; now
with trail feet toe, -, heel, -; xif, sd, xif, -; |
In As She's Walking Away by Dodge we circle away 4; strut tog 4; sand step 2X;; prog rock 4; twirl 2 walk 2;
Note that this dance was written in a kind of half-time (qqq&q;) rather than the faster tempo (ss; qqs;).
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| Sliding Door
ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In open both rock side away from each
other, -, rec, -; xif woman passing in front of man, sd, xif to left
open, -; rock side, -, rec, -; xif, sd, xif back to open, -; |
Do a sliding door;;;; walk, -, pickup, -;
scissors to sidecar; walk toward diagonal wall two slow steps; scissors
to banjo; walk in two steps; |
| Traveling
Door
ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In bfly both rock side, -, rec, -; xif,
sd, xif remain facing, -; rock side, -, rec, -; xif, sd, xif bfly wall,
-; |
Follow with a strolling vine;;;;
In the Scotts' Only You, part A starts with a
traveling door twice to closed position;;;; twist vine 3 and manuver
(four slows);; to a pivot 2 to line; dip back and recover;
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| Strolling Vine
phase III
ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In closed position, line of dance, step sd
turning RF to scar diag wall, -, XIB woman XIF turning LF back to line,
-; sd turning LF, cl, sd to diag cntr, -; sd, -, XIB, -; sd, cl, sd
turning back to diag wall, -; |
Do a strolling vine to banjo diag wall;;;;
rk fwd, -, rec, -; back triple; slow rock four;;
In the Woodruffs' Around the Christmas Tree,
there is a strolling vine to semi;;;; traveling box;;;; broken box to
banjo;;;; to two forward two-steps;;
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| Strolling Box
ss; qqs; ss; qqs; ss; qqs; ss; qqs;
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In closed position, line of dance, do a
strolling vine one-half to face center;; step side, -, XIB (woman XIF),
-; back chasse to face reverse; strolling vine half to face wall;; and
again twisty vine two and back chasse to face line again;;
It's a four-part figure over 8 measures, each part
turning 1/4 LF. In the first part, do a twisty vine two and a turning
chasse. Then a twisty vine two and a back chasse. Repeat.
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This is not a standard, round dance
figure, but it comes from the classic, Apres L'Entreinte, by
Hank & Mary Dahl (1979). Thanks to Dick and Pat Winter for showing
us the smooth, boxy organization of an otherwise challenging sequence
(Dick likes to call it an "Aggravation Box"); and thanks to Anne Gupton
for the more positive figure name (notice that it is "Anne" with an
"e," like the Queen). |
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