Why do dancers and exercise instructors say, "Five, six, seven, eight, and..."?

Question

You know what I mean? They're always like, "5, 6, 7, 8...and twist...bend..." etc.

I realize they're counting a beat or something, but can you explain it in detail. Is it a random countdown, or are they doing it in time with the music? Why isn't it "1, 2, 3, 4 and..."

Answer 1

You generally dance to counts of 8. Counting '5,6,7,8' is counting out the end of one bar, so it brings you in at the beginning of the next.

Answer 2

those numbers are easier to keep a tempo or beat to.

like, if you play an instrument, it's easier for me to think of those numbers than one two three four. Those numbers seem easier to say to me...but good question.

Answer 3

A large percentage of music is in standard time (4/4) and has a dominant measure of four counts followed by a subordinate measure of four counts. It's very normal, and goes well with the music, if a dance pattern goes with those eight beats, so it's routinely counted as 1 through 8.. But when you're starting, you don't want to waste all that time on an eight count, so you only do the last half, and the dancing and music it's danced to start on a "1" beat.

Answer 4

In 8 counts, you say 5, 6, 7, 8, is a way of counting down or saying ready, set, go... so, counting the beat or counting with the rhythm or how fast the beat is, they say 5, 6, 7, 8... which mean, will follow from count one... 5, 6, 7, 8, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...  or 5, 6, 7, 8, twist (1), and bend (and 2 - "and" is half a count or you might say that "and" is the upbeat, and then "2" is the down beat)...

In 4 counts, you might say 2, 3, 4...

Counting is never just for the sake of counting - always with what the beat of the music or the beat of the dance. Faster beat, faster count... slower beat, slower count.

Just like how the drummer call out the beat with his or her drumsticks - except he/she just go 1, 2, 3, 4 along with hitting the sticks so the other musician can hear the beat - if you know anything about that.

Answer 5

to keep rythm

Answer 6

When dancers are listening to an introduction to a piece of music they dance to, they are counting to it. Alot of the music dancers dance to can be counted in blocks of 4, or 4:4 timing.

Dancers usually count in blacks of eight, punctuating the 4 in the middle. So it would be 1, 2, 3, 4!, 5, 6 ,7, 8. Then the counting either starts again... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8 or goes to 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Then it usually starts again.

So, when a dancers counts the intro to their dance, they go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8 and so on. Whe they know they have to start dancing, to let everyone else know (like a teacher lets everyone know when to start), they coutn the first 4 of the last counts in their head (1, 2, 3, 4) then alound count 5, 6, 7, 8.! This is to let everyone know to go, to get everyone in the same timing ith the music, and because dancers just can't be bothered counting out the whole bar from 1- 8!

Answer 7

Most dances are done in an 8 count, so they count in time to the music. They count you in with the last 4 beats instead of the first to make it easier for the dancers. Like, you have to start on the one right? So they count you in with 5, 6, 7, 8 so then the dancers can go on the one. Otherwise they'd say 1, 2, 3, 4 and the dancers would go on the 5, which doesn't make any sense. Hope that helps :)

Answer 8

it hard to explain they useually say it at the start dont they i think it might be because in music they do 1,2,3,4 so dance do 5,6,7,8 because you usually have an itro before starting so the musician will say 1,2,3,4 (they start)dancers keep counting 5,6,7,8 and then they start it could be that

Answer 9

So they know when to do a move at the right time.

say it's left foot, right foot, twirl, end.

left foot would be one.

right= two.

twirl= three.

end= four.

it has a beat, so you pretty much remember it easier.

Answer 10

They do it because the beat is in 8 counts. They start at the end of the previous count before starting the actual moves. They don't say 1 2 3 4 and... because it would be more confusing.

5 6 7 and 8 is a count that allows time for the dancer to think about the steps

Answer 11

Because "1,2,3,4" doesn't have the right rhythm. Saying "5,6,7,8" has an automatic tempo to it. Try saying both out loud.

You'll find that saying "5,6,7,8" feels like it's perfectly spaced out.

Answer 12

to make sure that everyone knows the tempo/rythem. the speed he says it at is the rythem you are dancing to

Answer 13

Its just a method to keep beat. When I was dancing (years upon years ago) thats all the instructor said too.  but she occasionally used 1,2,3,4. its what she called an '8 beat'. just a way to keep every student on track and help keep beat with the music and each other.

Answer 14

Most songs that people dance to are in 4/4 time.  If you're not musical, that means for every measure, there are 4 beats.  This means if you're counting the music, you can say, "one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four" and still feel "on" the music.

Now you're thinking, "Well, they say "five, six, seven eight," that's not in 4/4."  You're right-- it isn't.  Most dancers and instructors put the music in double-time.  It has the same value, just twice as many beats; meaning it's in 8/8 time.  Technically now, you can count the music like "one two three four five six seven eight", in the same amount of time.  You just say the numbers twice as fast.

"5 6 7 8" is a continuation of the entire measure in "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8".  The reason someone would say the measure is to give the dancers the tempo they were expecting and tell the dancer when to go.  They just cut off the first four counts because they're unnecessary.  Normally four counts is enough to lead into the piece.

To answer your last question, "why isn't it '1, 2, 3, 4 and...'," they wouldn't say that because it's not appropriate.  If they said "1, 2, 3, 4," it would be off the music and technically they would be continuing from "1, 2, 3, 4," so they would be counting just like in regular time (remember my first paragraph?  "one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four"), just too fast.  The dancers would be confused and unable to get on the music properly.  Besides, "5,6,7,8" is what dancers know to listen for and they know to start on the first count after 8; anyway, "1,2,3,4" is for music (you hear bands count down their music like that).

I hope this is clear.  Feel free to contact me if you want more clarity.  Hope I helped.♥