Two-step (dance move)

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The two-step is a step found in various dances, including many folk dances.

A two-step consists of two steps in approximately the same direction onto the same foot, separated by a joining or uniting step with the other foot. For example, a right two-step forward is a forward step onto the right foot, a closing step with the left foot, and a forward step onto the right foot. The closing step may be done directly beside the other foot, or obliquely beside, or even crossed, as long as the closing foot does not go past the other foot.

The two-step is often confused with the country/western two-step. [2] [3]

See also

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This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those.

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The country/western two-step, often called the "Texas two-step" or simply the "two-step," is a country/western dance usually danced to country music in common time. "Traditional [Texas] two-step developed, my theory goes, because it is suited to fiddle and guitar music played two-four time with a firm beat [found in country music]. One-two, one-two, slide-shuffle." The two-step is related to the polka, the Texas waltz, and the jitterbug.

The Texas two-step is the same step known to ballroom dancers as the international fox-trot. Except for the one-step, which is just that, most Texas dances are variations of a two-step, also called a half-step, which is simply a step-close-step. The Texas two-step is generally done with two long steps and a step-close-step to two-four time. Speeded up, it's a shuffle or double shuffle, but still a two-step.

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References

  1. Strong, Jeff (2011). Drums For Dummies, p.111. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-0471794110.
  2. Casey, Betty (1985). Dance Across Texas, p.106. University of Texas. ISBN   9780292715516. "The Texas Shuffle step was formerly called a foxtrot step and has erroneously been called Texas Two-Step. This error causes confusion because this dance is entirely different from the real two-step as danced in the forward-moving section of Cotton-Eyed Joe, Cowboy Polka (Jessie Polka), and other dances."
  3. Scheff, Helene; Sprague, Marty; and McGreevy-Nichols, Susan (2010). Exploring Dance Forms and Styles: A Guide to Concert, World, Social, and Historical Dance, p.222. Human Kinetics. ISBN   9780736080231. "There are really two histories of what is called 'two step dance,' because the name jumped from one type of dance that is no longer done to another that is done, called the Texas Two-step or collegiate Fox-trot. The original Two-step was a simple dance that caught on with the public when John Philip Sousa came out with the 'Washington Post March' in 1891."