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Squared Set Centers vs. Ends Positions Within Pairs Summary |
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1.2: BOYS AND GIRLS
At the start of a tip, each couple consists of one Boy and one Girl, with the Boy on the left and the Girl on the right.
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The terms "Man" and "Gentleman" are standard synomyms for "Boy". The terms "Woman" and "Lady" are standard synonyms for "Girl". These terms may be used interchangably. Sometimes one fits better into the wording of a singing call. Some callers simply prefer one or the other.
Note that these are labels for a role that a dancer is performing within the square. They do not necessarily correspond with either the dancer's actual gender or what he or she may be wearing. It is common in some clubs for the Boy part to be danced exclusively by male dancers and the Girl part to be danced by female dancers, and common in some places for dancers to wear some sort of distinctive clothing if they are dancing a particular part, but this is not essential. Whichever dancers square up as the left half of each couple are the Boys, and whichever dancers square up as the right half of each couple are the Girls, no matter what they look like.
Occasionally callers will use other, non-standard, terms which they expect will be understood in the same way, perhaps with humorous intent or because they relate to the theme of a singing call (e.g., "roosters", "princesses"); usually the caller's intent will obvious enough. (Exception: "Beau" and "Belle" are not synonyms for Boy and Girl -- they have a different meaning, explained in Section 3.1.)
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