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.