On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 1:55 PM, Aaron Redfern <aaron.redfern(a)gmail.com> wrote:
  Comfort aside, the nice thing about a symmetrical
swing like the Galway for
 same-gender-role swinging is that you don't have to worry about who takes
 which position.  If you spend four counts of an eight-count swing fumbling
 over whose hand goes where, it rather detracts from the dance.
 Women seem to handle this better than men, and I've always been curious
 about how to communicate who takes the "lead" role in a swing between two
 gents or two ladies.
 
What works well is if the more experienced dancer takes the less
familiar position.  Just position your hands to indicate that you're
ok taking the less customary role, and if the other person is faster
to do so, go with that instead.
Jeff