Topmusicanswers
In music there are typically 4 counts, or beats, per measure. ... These two measures equal a total of 8 counts, which is why dancers count in sets of 8. 8 counts keep track of the beat and tempo, but break up the song into manageable sections. One set of 8 is like a sentence.
What are 4 counts?
Counting With Whole Notes
In 4/4 time, a "whole note" receives 4 counts (beats). In the example below, there is only 1 whole note in each measure. Play and hold each note for four counts (i.e. "one and two and three and four and").
What does 16 counts mean in dance?
16 counts: The "And"
By inserting an "and" in between each count – "One (and), two (and), three (and), four..." You're splitting up the 8 count into 16ths. Practice locating those "and" counts by snapping on those.
Why do musicians say 1234 and dancers 5678?
For several hundred years now, dance music has been set up to have two bars of 4/4 which dancers count them as 8. To actually answer the question, dancers usually do moves in 8 counts, 5,6,7,8 is how they count-off to start the next 8 count move.
