diff --git a/Docs/Changelog_sm5.txt b/Docs/Changelog_sm5.txt
index d16673b0c6..0de12ab4fa 100644
--- a/Docs/Changelog_sm5.txt
+++ b/Docs/Changelog_sm5.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ ________________________________________________________________________________
 StepMania 5.0 ????????? | 20110???
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+2011/07/21
+----------
+* [BeginnerHelper] Removed DancePadAngle metric in favor of DancePadOnCommand.
+  The same goes for PlayerAngle, rotation is now handled in PlayerP1/2OnCommand. [AJ]
+
 2011/07/20
 ----------
 * [Win32/CrashHandlerChild] Crashlog and log now open in the player's default
diff --git a/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini b/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
index e981c33167..320ffc3adc 100644
--- a/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
+++ b/Themes/_fallback/metrics.ini
@@ -230,14 +230,18 @@ ScrollSortOrder=false
 ScrollSpeedDivisor=2
 
 [BeginnerHelper]
-HelperX=SCREEN_CENTER_X+0
+HelperX=SCREEN_CENTER_X
 HelperY=SCREEN_CENTER_Y+80
+
 # All X,Y coordinates are relative to the HelperX,Y
-Player1_X=-125
-Player2_X=SCREEN_CENTER_X-195
-PlayerAngle=40
+Player1X=-125
+Player2X=195
+PlayerP1OnCommand=halign,0;rotationx,40;zoom,20
+PlayerP2OnCommand=halign,0;rotationx,40;zoom,20
+
 ShowDancePad=false
-DancePadAngle=36
+# "Pad should always be 3 units bigger in zoom than the dancer."
+DancePadOnCommand=halign,0;rotationx,36;zoom,23
 
 [BitmapText]
 # The colors in the 'roulette' text. you can have a lot!
diff --git a/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp b/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
index 63c6d7d9e4..6781aaac10 100644
--- a/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
+++ b/src/BeginnerHelper.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
 // "PLAYER_X" offsets are relative to the pad.
 // ex: Setting this to 10, and the HELPER to 300, will put the dancer at 310.
 #define PLAYER_X( px )		THEME->GetMetricF("BeginnerHelper",ssprintf("Player%dX",px+1))
-#define PLAYER_ANGLE		THEME->GetMetricF("BeginnerHelper","PlayerAngle")
-#define DANCEPAD_ANGLE		THEME->GetMetricF("BeginnerHelper","DancePadAngle")
 
 // "HELPER" offsets effect the pad/dancer as a whole.
 // Their relative Y cooridinates are hard-coded for each other.
@@ -137,12 +135,10 @@ bool BeginnerHelper::Init( int iDancePadType )
 		case 2: m_pDancePad->LoadMilkshapeAscii(GetAnimPath(ANIM_DANCE_PADS)); break;
 		}
 
-		m_pDancePad->SetHorizAlign( align_left ); // xxx: hardcoded -aj
-		m_pDancePad->SetRotationX( DANCEPAD_ANGLE );
+		m_pDancePad->SetName("DancePad");
 		m_pDancePad->SetX( HELPER_X );
 		m_pDancePad->SetY( HELPER_Y );
-		// xxx: hardcoded -aj
-		m_pDancePad->SetZoom( 23 );	// Pad should always be 3 units bigger in zoom than the dancer.
+		ActorUtil::LoadAllCommands( m_pDancePad, "BeginnerHelper" );
 	}
 
 	for( int pl=0; pl<NUM_PLAYERS; pl++ )	// Load players
@@ -155,8 +151,9 @@ bool BeginnerHelper::Init( int iDancePadType )
 		const Character *Character = GAMESTATE->m_pCurCharacters[pl];
 		ASSERT( Character != NULL );
 
+		m_pDancer[pl]->SetName( ssprintf("PlayerP%d",pl+1) );
+
 		// Load textures
-		m_pDancer[pl]->SetHorizAlign( align_left );
 		m_pDancer[pl]->LoadMilkshapeAscii( Character->GetModelPath() );
 
 		// Load needed animations
@@ -168,12 +165,11 @@ bool BeginnerHelper::Init( int iDancePadType )
 		m_pDancer[pl]->LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( "rest",		Character->GetRestAnimationPath() );
 		m_pDancer[pl]->SetDefaultAnimation( "rest" );		// Stay bouncing after a step has finished animating
 		m_pDancer[pl]->PlayAnimation( "rest" );
-		m_pDancer[pl]->SetCullMode( CULL_NONE );		// many of the models floating around have the vertex order flipped
-		// todo: remove these hardcoded commands -aj
-		m_pDancer[pl]->SetRotationX( PLAYER_ANGLE );
 		m_pDancer[pl]->SetX( HELPER_X+PLAYER_X(pl) );
 		m_pDancer[pl]->SetY( HELPER_Y+10 );
-		m_pDancer[pl]->SetZoom( 20 );
+		ActorUtil::LoadAllCommands( m_pDancer[pl], "BeginnerHelper" );
+		// many of the models floating around have the vertex order flipped, so force this.
+		m_pDancer[pl]->SetCullMode( CULL_NONE );
 	}
 
 	m_bInitialized = true;