The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.

The Two-Step

Millard & June McKinney
Round Dancer Magazine

The two-step is a dance step in which three steps (changes of weight or counts) are accomplished in four beats of music. The usual music is considered to be 4/4. When this type of step is accomplished in two beats of music, the term triple timing is applied. Several popular S/D rounds are in triple timing. "Hop Lips" and "Street Fair" are two.

When performing a two-step basic, the second step must be a closing step. The first step can be any direction, but the second step must close. The third step is accentuated by taking two beats of music. Thus, the rhythm pattern for the two-step is QQS; with three weight changes (counts) in four beats (one measure of 4/4 music). This rule applies to all two-step basic figures.

If the two-step if performed in a forward, sideward or backward direction, the traveled distance (or progression) of the body is equal to "two steps", thus, the name - two-step. The three changes of weight must be on the alternating feet: R, L, R, -; or L, R, L, -;

The basic two-step box is: Side left, close right, forward left, -; side right, close left, back right, -; The primary basic rule is confirmed: feet together (a closing step) on the second step in the rhythm pattern, Q, Q, S, -;

Notes:

Two side touches is not a true basic two-step. A vine 3, vine 4 or vine 8 is not. These figures do not contain closing steps on count two, and because of this, the traveled distance or progression is more than "two steps."

Walking steps, one change of weight, or one count to every other beat of music, are not "two steps", and the closing rule is not evident. Running steps, one change of weight or one count of every beat of must also fail the closing test. If one were to invert the rhythm pattern from QQS to SQQ, the rules of closure also fail to apply. However, the SQQ foxtrot is delightful rhythm using the "rule inversion" and certainly adds interesting figures to 4/4 music.

4/4 music is suitable for many other rhythm patterns, each involving the learning of a new vocabulary (like learning a foreign language).

Roundalab Journal, Fall, 1986