The Original Five Step was introduced in 1849. The "New Five Step" was introduced in about 1905. The accent will be seen under the music. A very agreeable change called the "New Five Step" was made by making two slides at the first and second motions, and at the third a change instead of the hop. This dance was a curious illustration of the effect of education or habit.
If the music is placed before a musician, who may be a very thorough one, he would very likely exclaim, at first seeing it, "that the time was unnatural," and would probably have some difficulty in playing it; yet children, even of four or five years of age, are said to have learned the dance and its rhythm's as easily as the Galop or Polka. Dodsworth says "Surely, the unnaturalness cannot be in the children."
The Original was a peculiar dance in five/four time, for which it had but few musical compositions. It consisted of the mazurka with a leap and hop. The turn was made at the leap; hop (fourth and fifth motions), two bars being required for one revolution. At the moment of making the last hop (fifth motion of each bar), the disengaged foot was to be brought to the first position, so that the heels would touch simultaneously with the hop.
It was re-introduced in 1927 by John Murray Anderson at the Robert Milton school of Theater and Dance in order to teach the Five Step in the studio for 2 hours each day. Harland Dixon and Mae Clarke did the Ballroom version in George White's "Manhattan Mary," play in New York.
There was also a Five Step Waltz (see Waltz), as well as the Italian Galliard (17th Century) originally was a lively five-step dance in a rhythm based on either a count of three, or multiples of two.
5 Step Waltz
Half and Half
Mazurka
Polka
Waltz
Boston
Foxtrot
Newport
Two Step
Yorke
Basic Position is Ballroom hold (arm outstretched parallel to floor, Side by side or Glide position). Variations are 6 and 8 counts (Dbl Bend and Straighten in knees for 8 count) count 1) Cross RT. foot over LT. (Slow). count 2) Bring Rt foot back to LT. (Slow). count 3) Bend both knees without moving feet. (Quick). count 4) Straighten Knees (Quick). (see Pics)
Ballrooms