Guide to Sun Assembly’s Terminology & Customs
English Country Dance (ECD) in Durham, NC began in 1980, when Carl Wittman joined Allan Troxler in town and started the group. Carl was a gifted and charismatic dance leader who believed in the importance of community as well as beautiful dancing. At a time when gender balancing at dance camps and evenings was a concept that was generally accepted, Carl developed a different, inclusive language, called “global terminology,” to describe dance figures by the position of dancers in the set without referencing gender roles. When Carl died in 1986, Sun Assembly officially incorporated as a nonprofit, and we have continued to use this language at our weekly Thursday dances and special events.
Global Terminology is positional. Calls are typically based on the dancers’ current positions within the set. In addition to eliminating gender from the teaching vocabulary, an important goal of global terminology is to simplify calls as much as possible. For example, rather than saying “1st Man and 2nd Lady set,” we simply say “1st Diagonals set.” It’s less wordy.
Left File: Facing the music, in longways formation, the dancers who are on the left side of the set. Dancers in this file are referred to as “Lefts.” (Historically, the “men’s” line.)
Right File: Facing the music, in longways formation, the dancers who are on the right side of the set. Dancers in this file are referred to as “Rights.” (Historically, the “women’s” line.)
Identifying dancers: To identify particular dancers in a minor set, we refer to the “Top Left” (#1 Left) or “Bottom Right” (#2 Right), for example. Actives can also be identified by the files or diagonals they are currently in/on. For instance, “2nd Diagonals cross,” or “Left File (Lefts) lead through the Right File (Rights).” In a three-couple long set, we might refer to the “Tops,” “Middles,” or “Bottoms,” as well as “Ends.” Actives can also be identified by couple numbers “1s, 2s, & 3s” or relational terms like “Partners,” “Neighbors,” “Diagonals,” “Opposites,” “Corners,” etc… In circle mixers, we often number off as “1s & 2s.” In square sets, we refer to “Heads” and “Sides,” and each pair is comprised of a “Left” and “Right” dancer.
Diagonals vs. Corners: We tend to distinguish between “Diagonals” in duple minor sets, and “Corners” in triple minor or 3-couple long sets.
Forming Sets: The way we form sets has varied over time. Nowadays, dancers tend to come to the set with a partner and change partners with each new dance. Dancers do not consider gender when partnering or lining up in the set. The objective is to dance with someone new you have not already danced with during the evening. Women dance with women, men with men, and women with men. Women and men dance on both sides of the set and may alternate which side they begin on throughout the program. Moreover, rules like “Ladies on the right [of their Partner]” do not apply. As in many communities, we encourage experienced dancers to pair with those less experienced, as well as to pull in people who have been sitting out on the sidelines.
Directional cues: Instead of phrases like “man up, woman down,” we indicate direction by instructing the actives to do the figure with the couple to their left or right, or the dancers above or below. We also use up or down. For example, “Middles hey with the couple to your left, passing right-shoulder with 2nd Corner to begin;” “Actives circle with the couple to your right;” “1s star right below, then left above;” “Actives turn righthand Neighbor by the right;” or, “Tops down the middle for a mirror gypsy.” To indicate direction of poussettes or orbits, we often use clockwise/counterclockwise. Diagonals can also be used in poussettes. For example, “1st Diagonals go forward, or push, to begin,” or “2nd Diagonals draw, or back up, to begin.” When dancers face, or lead to, one side of the hall, we use “Left Wall” and “Right Wall” as directional points. Again, the orientation of Left/Right is as you face the music, or top of the hall.
Improper Dances: In a gendered context, “proper” means men and women are in their historically prescribed lines or places. When the men are in the women’s line and vice versa, or the women are to the left of their men, dancers are considered to be “improper.” In a gender-free context, we use the term “improper” to mean dancers are not on their home, or starting, side. So, from home places, after dancers hands four halfway round, all are “progressed and improper.” Because we teach longways improper dances positionally, as if they were proper, and everyone begins home, it’s rarely significant to point out to dancers that a dance was written with an improper couple. Since men and women dance on either side of the set, and dancers do not wear markers indicating which files they begin in, there is no visual advantage to having “improper” couples cross over at the beginning of the dance or when out at the ends. If dancers would like to stay on the same diagonal when they come back in, they may choose to cross over at the ends. For certain set dances, it can be useful to point out which couples begin “improper,” because when they progress to new positions, they may find themselves on the other side of the set. For example, if the 1s and 3s are “improper,” it doesn’t mean they need to cross over at the start of the dance. It just means that, when they become 2s and 4s, they will begin those rounds on the other side of the set from where they were as 1s and 3s (and vice versa).
Places vs. People: Global terminology emphasizes current position. So, when the caller says “1st Diagonals cross,” the assumption is 1st Diagonal places, not original 1st Diagonal people. Likewise, “Right File (Rights) lead through the Left File (Lefts),” means the dancers presently in the Right File perform the action, not the dancers who originally began in that line. Occasionally, when teaching a more complex dance, a caller might ensure dancers are in the correct place by referring to original positions. For example, “the original Lefts are now above, diagonally across from Partner.” Or, “the original 2nd Diagonals are now facing in the middle of a line of four, ready to pass right shoulder for a hey…”
Who crosses first? In many communities, it’s customary for the “woman” to cross first. Our dancers decide between themselves who crosses first, some preferring to alternate with each round. In some cases, a particular dancer may need to cross first (because they have a longer way to travel, or it’s vital to the choreography), in which case, the caller would indicate this. For example, “Top Left crosses in front of Partner to turn 1st Corners.”
Who turns under? In a gendered context, the man usually turns the woman under his arm. For practical reasons, we suggest the taller person turn the other under. Dancers may also decide to alternate who turns under for a more even experience.
Hand Etiquette: We do not have a strict etiquette for handholds. Typically, when one dancer presents their hands, the other person adjusts their hands accordingly.
Chain: What is known as a “Ladies’ chain” in many communities, we simply refer to as a “chain.” Like any other figure, we explain it positionally. The active dancers (i.e. “ladies”) are on the 2nd Diagonal. Therefore, the call would be: “2nd Diagonals change (or pull) by the right hand, then courtesy turn (or left-hand turn, if an open chain) the one you meet.”
How to translate? When translating dances from gendered language into global terminology, an important question to ask is: Where are the active dancers? (On the 1st Diagonal, or 2nd? In the Left File, or Right? Are they above or below? At the top, in the middle, or at the bottom? To the left, or to the right?) Also think about: Who is performing the action? (The 1s, or the 2s? Partners, Opposites, Diagonals, Corners, or Actives? New Neighbors, old Neighbors, current Neighbors?) Many times, the who depends on the where (The Lefts, or the Rights? The Heads, or the Sides? The 1st Diagonals, or the 2nd? The Tops, Bottoms, Ends, or Middles?) Finally: Which way are the actives traveling? (Clockwise or counterclockwise? To the left, or to the right? Forward or back? Up or down? To the Left Wall, or the Right Wall? In front of, behind, or around Partner/Neighbor/Diagonal/ Corner? Through the middle, out the ends, along the line, or on the outside?)