The Five Step York

The Five Step York, created by Indianapolis dancing master D. B. Brenneke, is yet another of the myriad variations for the York, one of the more durable and popular redowa/mazurka waltz variations of the late nineteenth century.  It builds directly on Brenneke's own New York sequence.  While it is not a regular part of my "York set", the Five Step York is an easy little variation to add to one's York repertoire.

I am aware of only two published descriptions of the Five Step York: in English, in M. B. Gilbert's Round Dancing (Portland, Maine, 1890), and in French, in [George] Washington Lopp's La Danse (Paris, 1903), where it is listed as "Le York à 5 Pas".  Gilbert puts it under redowa/mazurka variations, and Lopp lists it as a mazurka.  Much of Lopp is simply a translation of Gilbert, but he differs just enough to add either clarity or confusion to some of the descriptions.  In this case, I believe that both Gilbert and Lopp have flaws in their descriptions, but I can make two reasonable guesses as to what the actual sequence should be.

Gilbert describes an eight-bar sequence consisting of a two-bar sequence traveling sideways along the line of dance without turning, which is repeated, followed by the four bars of Brenneke's New York, which make a complete turn and leave the dancers in original positions and again with the first foot free.  The first four bars are danced with the couple facing and holding both hands.  The second half is done in standard waltz position.  There is one notable ambiguity in the description of the second part:

New York (Brenneke), four measures.  Repeat all of the above, beginning with right foot.  Recommence at first part.

"Repeat all of the above, beginning with right foot" simply doesn't work here.  At the end of the New York sequence, the gentleman will be ready to commence again with the left foot, not the right.  And it is redundant with "Recommence at first part."

Lopp's description has even more problems.  He gives a two-bar first part, not repeating, followed by the four bars of the New York, then repeats all of that for a total of twelve bars awkwardly divided six and six.  That seems very unlikely.  And on top of this poor musical phrasing, he also directs the gentleman to repeat leading with the right foot, which is just as impossible here as in Gilbert's sequence.  Possibly he meant to split the New York section in half, which would make the repeat work, allow for the repeat with the right foot lead, and make the full dance a much better phrased eight-bar sequence.

So there are two possible interpretations of the Five Step York:

1. (Gilbert?) Opening two-bar sequence, repeated (4b), followed by the full New York (4b)
2. (Lopp?) Opening two-bar sequence (2b), followed by half of the New York (2b); repeat all starting on second foot and "over elbows" (4b)

The two possible sequences (which can be expressed as AABB and ABAB) parallel two other variations of the era: the Gavotte Glide (AABB) and Le Metropole (ABAB) as well as two other York sequences, the Yale University York (AABB) and the original York (ABAB).  With the problems in the Gilbert and Lopp instructions and period examples of both general patterns, it's impossible to be completely certain which was intended, or whether Gilbert and Lopp actually had different understandings of the dance.  But assuming that Gilbert had better access to Brenneke's original instructions than Lopp, I think the first version is more likely.

Now, for the sequence itself, in both versions.  The music is in 3/4 time and should have a mazurka accent.  Lopp gives a metronome count of 144.  Steps are given for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.

First, the presumed Gilbert version:

Part One, four measures (facing, holding hands, gentleman's left side to line of dance)
1       Step left to second position along line of dance
2       Cross right to 4th behind
3       Step left to second again
4       Cross right to 4th in front
5       Point left in second position (no weight)
6       Pause
Repeat all of the above

Part Two, four measures (take standard waltz position)     
1       Slide left foot sideways (second position) along line of dance
&2    Close right to left (first position) and once again slide left sideways (second position)
(making a quarter-turn clockwise to place the gentleman's back to line of dance)
3       Close right to left
456   Run straight backward left-right-left
(making a quarter-turn clockwise to leave the lady facing the wall and the gentleman the center, proceeding "over elbows")
1       Slide right foot sideways (second position) along line of dance
&2    Close left to right (first position) and once again slide right sideways (second position)
(making a quarter-turn clockwise to place the lady's back to line of dance)
3       Close left to right
456   Three running steps straight forward, right-left-right
(end with a quarter-turn clockwise to leave the dancers in original positions, opening up to take two hands)

Now, the possible Lopp version:

Part One, two measures (facing, holding hands, gentleman's left side to line of dance)
1       Step left to second position along line of dance
2       Cross right to 4th in front
3       Step left to second again
4       Cross right to 4th in front again
5       Point left in second position (no weight)
6       Pause

Part Two, two measures (take standard waltz position)     
1       Slide left foot sideways (second position) along line of dance
&2    Close right to left (first position) and once again slide left sideways (second position)
(making a quarter-turn clockwise to place the gentleman's back to line of dance)
3       Close right to left
456   Run straight backward left-right-left
(making a quarter-turn clockwise to leave the lady facing the wall and the gentleman the center, proceeding "over elbows")

Repeat ALL of the above (Parts One and Two) leading with the right foot and moving "over elbows" for the first three measures and running straight forward right-left-right on the last, making a quarter turn at the end to get back to original positions.

More detail on Part Two can be found in my earlier post on the New York.

The only ambiguity in the steps themselves is that Gilbert describes the first cross as "4th behind over" and the second as "4th over", which suggests a true grapevine sequence (side/behind/side/front) while Lopp specifies that both crosses are in front.  I've followed Gilbert in the first version above and Lopp in the second.  Neither writer says whether the lady does the same crosses as the gentleman (both in front or both behind) or the opposite ones.  With a two-hand hold, either way works nicely.  My personal aesthetic preference is for the grapevine version (gentleman crosses behind then in front) with the lady dancing opposite (crossing in front then behind), but I suspect that having both partners cross in front twice may have been what Brenneke intended; the twisting of the grapevine is not as graceful in the corsetry of this era as it would be in the fashions of the 1910s.  Short of finding Brenneke's original description, it is left to the dancers' judgment.

Putting this variation in context, note that Part One is a primitive hesitation waltz, and that the "five step" element consists of the four-steps-point-and-pause of Part One only.  Like other five-movement dances, it is not actually done in 5/4 time.

Comments

[Curious one]

First part matches the "Waltz-Mazurka" dance invented in Russia in the late 20th century.
It has 4 part (16 bars) though.

I don't know if it has any relation to Gilbert's manual.
Rostik might have more infomation.

[Susan de Guardiola]

In the late 20th century? Did you mean to say 20th?

[Curious one]

Yes, there is no mistake.
We have some pseudo-historical dances (remember about Fabio), this is one of them.

[Susan de Guardiola]

Well, it might have been based on bits from Gilbert. His book has been easily available for many years. Maybe someone can find me the exact choreography of the Russian dance.

[Curious one]

Here it is. Please, don't hesitate asking me for translation, if you find it difficult for understanding.

Вальс-мазурка (Ранди)

- Две дорожки по линии танца: 4 такта.
- Два правых вальсовых поворота. 4 такта.
- Три мазурочных шага-подскока по линии танца. 3 такта.
- Первая половина правого вальсового поворота. 1 такт.
- Три мазурочных шага-подскока по линии танца. 3 такта.
- Вторая половина правого вальсового поворота. 1 такт

Дорожка:
Шаги дамы: Правой ногой носком по полу скользящий шаг вправо ("1"), левая нога ставится на носок впереди вскрест с вырастанием на правой ноге ("2"), маленький шаг правой ногой на носок вправо("3"), левая нога ставится на носок сзади вскрест ("4"), правая нога выносится на левой без переноса веса("6") (это одна "дорожка")
Шаги кавалера: Левой ногой носком по полу скользящий шаг влево ("1"), правая нога ставится на носок сзади вскрест с вырастанием на левой ноге ("2"), маленький шаг левой ногой на носок вправо("3"), правая нога ставится на носок впереди вскрест ("4"), левая нога выносится на носок во вторую позицию без переноса веса ("5"), носок левой ноги приставляется к пятке правой без переноса веса("6")
Шаг-подскок (упрощенная версия голубца):
Исходно ноги в III позиции.
На "и" скользящий шаг по линии танца при этом опорная (левая) нога слегка сгибается в колене (небольшое плие), рабочая нога (правая) выносится во II позицию.
На "раз" перенос веса на правую ногу. Левая нога выпрямляется в колене. Взъем вытянут.
На "два" выбиваем правую ноги из- под корпуса: левая нога опскается сверху, дновлеменно правая нова выходит во II позицию и поднимается вверх (jetes).
На "три" небольшой прыжок верх на левой ноге, при этом правая нога сгибается в колене так, что пятка касается голени опорной ноги. Носок сильно сокращен.

Постановка: Гурова Анастасия (Ранди)
г. Москва