Swing Your Opposite Lady

Source: Collected by Maud Karpeles, provided by George Carolin; published in English Dance & Song, April May 1953. Vol XVII. No. 5
Formation: Square

Figure

#1 Man Leads #1 Lady to the Right; Circle Left; Neighbour Swing

#1 Man Leads #2 Lady to the Right; Circle Left; Neighbour Swing

#1 Man Leads #3 Lady to the Right; Circle Left; Neighbour Swing - #1 Man is now with #4 Lady

All Promenade to the Man's Home

Break

Men Star Right Half Way; Opposite Swing

Men Star Left Half Way; Partner Swing

All Promenade to the Man's Home

Music:
Any tune - originally probably reels, and probably much faster than we dance today.

Notes:
Maud Karpeles collected this sequence in August in 1929 in the Massachusetts/Connecticut area; she called it "Lead Your Partner to the Right". Maud published it in "Some Additional Figures for Set-Running" in the Journal of the English Folk Dance Society No. 3 in 1930.

It is listed as a Kentucky Running Set figure under the name "Swing the Opposite Lady".

The "Swings" would originally have been Two Hand Turns.

Original pages from English Dance & Song, April May 1953

Back to Dance Index

I'd love to hear from you if you know anything more about this dance, its composer, its style, or its history.

Feedback is very welcome on any aspect of these dances or Web pages.

Please contact John Sweeney with your comments.