Hi Diane,

              Your reference to home sides is not just relevant to modern “improper” dances.  It also applies to ancient and traditional ones.  The concept of “First Couples Improper” goes way back; the earliest dance I know is “Old Simon the King” from 1679!  “First man being on his wo. side”. :-)

http://playforddances.com/dances/old-simon-the-king/

              I tend to say, “YOUR side” rather than “home side”.  The concept is especially useful when the man does both a neighbour swing and a partner swing on their own side.

            Happy dancing,

                   John                                  

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574                         

http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs                       

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs

From: Diane Silver via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: 04 March 2020 14:02
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Re: First composition! Has it been written?

I have always referred to the two sides of the set in terms of the starting position ("home side") for each partner, in a given dance.

In a traditional "proper" dance, all ladies have the same home side, as do all the gents; thus there is a ladies' line and gents' line.

In a modern "improper" dance, with 1s crossed over, each partner has a home side.  There is no ladies' or gents' line, but when you swing with your partner, it's either on the gents' home side or the ladies' home side, from your perspective as a couple.   The same is true for "indecent" formation; each partner has their own home side.

In Becket formation, both partners have the same home side.  I often emphasize to dancers to really notice that "this is OUR home side."  It remains your home side all the way up or down the set, but then switches to the other side when you reach the end of the line, wait out, and then begin progressing the other direction up or down the line.

- Diane