[SCA-Dance] On siding and arming

[Mary Railing]

Jane & Mark Waks <waks at comcast.net> wrote:

> Actually, the version of Queen's that we were mainly working from when we made our decision (Douce, reprinted in Patri's book) appears to go the other way:

> "A double forward & a.d. backe. 2 singles syde & a.d. rounde on your lefte hande. a.d. forwarde & a.d. backe. 2 s. syde & a.d. round on your right hande."

> That is, this one appears to be explicit about the direction of the set and turns, not the steps. So that's somewhat stronger supporting evidence.

> (Of course, playing Devil's Advocate, the fact that they're so explicit about it sometimes means that it was *not* usual. Hard to be sure with any of this.)


I thought there was better evidence in there somewhere, but skimming through I couldn't find it. (That's what comes of trying to repeat other people's arguments.)


> Starting the second double forward with the right? This is actually exactly how I usually dance ECD and Almans, and how I teach it when I'm getting into fine details. I find it extremely natural -- it means that you're doing an almost strict alternation of feet, and everything flows together nicely.

I know there are *some* SCA groups that do this, but I don't think it's done that way anywhere in the Middle, and at the few inter-kingdom events I've been at there seem to be only a small minority who use that interpretation.  So although I think it's more likely to be correct I don't push it.  (Now maybe it's catching on, and a bunch of people will start posting to say their group does it this way...)


--Urraca