Expert: David Lynch - 10/24/2006

Question
Why is the line of dance counterclockwise instead of clockwise?  Where did it come from?

Answer
This is a complex issue and much of it is shrouded in past  mystery. I have read and heard different versions of this. I will give you an over all picture of the evolving customs from the past.  I list the top 10 reasons here.   We need to look at the old fashioned chauvinistic macho life in Europe.
    In the middle ages the dancing was very formal and very strict. The peasants and lower classes (serfs,) either did not dance or did the local folk dances. The Kings court (or the duke or count or powerful leaders,) held regular parties, daily, nightly,  weekly, and especially on holidays. There were teachers to train new people in  correct formal manners, etiquette, and  proper dancing. There were strict codes on dress, speech, where to stand, how to bow, or curtsy. If you wore a certain type flower that meant one thing, a certain color flower meant another thing. Where you wore something meant something else. This has come down to us as a ring wore on a certain finger means you are married. One type ring means friendship, another  means you are engaged. A King may have made an arbitrary ruling and that stuck.
    1 Many military men were invited to court and had to be taught all these things. When they learned it was with their right brain. Scientists have since found out,  covers  simple logic, linear, intelligent  thinking,  not emotional creative flexible thinking.  To keep dance training simple trainers needed a simple rule. The King got the center of the room and the lessor mortals had increasing circles out to the outside nearest the onlookers, which was for commoners or private soldiers.    Men were used to using their right arm to hold a bow. and shake hands, and usually their first punch in a fight was with the right stronger arm. If a strange man reached out to grab his lady or even touch her, he could fend off the pervert with his right arm.  
     2 Soldiers had  fancy dress uniforms and wore  large curved swords .
Most men were right handed. Therefore they wore their swords in scabbards on the left.
Women could not dance on the left side  because they would be bumping sword handles and the swords would be tangled  between  the woman legs or in the large ball gowns women wore.  
    3 The right side was the power position. For example to sit on the right side of the King was an honor.  The Queen sat on his right. Jesus ( in the bible) sits on the right side of Gods throne. A man's  oldest son sat on the fathers  right side etc. clocks and watches of that period were man- made ands do could be clockwise, but natural things from God were cc.
Women tended to be in front of the man so they could look in each others eyes  and follow.  Women were taught to be subservient and obedient to their men.   Often, she would be on his right. This is  called the banjo position.
    4  This CC L O D.  allowed the men, king, other rulers, and men in general to see the females face, bodice, waist, etc better. Women had their waists laced tight with corset type dresses to show slim waistlines and hourglass shapes.       She was on the outside of the man closer to the audience who ringed the court floor. No man wanted to see the men, very much, of course.
     If line of dance was clockwise, the larger male  bodies would block the audience view of the female  dancers who were celebrities.
 Just like today, the  counter clockwise l.o.d. gave men  more  opportunities to see females better. The women liked to see what other women were wearing just like today. Men liked to show off their trophy partners just like today and this gave them the best chance.
     5 The men had an opportunity to put his arm around her waist  and sometimes accidently brush her bodice or breast with his right fore arm.and she had an opportunity to look into his eyes and feel his stronger right arm, since he usually had strong arms from waving the swords around in training.        The old equivalent to modern swing aerials was a  wild  shocking shocking move when  a strong man  would  pick up his partner and rest her on his right hip with his strong right arm and back and those watchers around the room could see her up in the air.
     Men liked to show off their trophy partners just like today and this gave them the best chance.
    6. When a man took a woman to the court dance floor, he held out his right and he led her to the dance floor so he was usually 5-6 feet into the floor and she ended up at about 3 feet in giving her room for her big dress.  

   7. Remember in those days women needed the protection of men and so outside the castle, on the roads and streets and alleys  and in the cities the men walked closest to the street so water and mud from the dirty streets and horse feces too, would not splash on the ladies nice clothes. Therefore the lady was always on the mans right inside position.
   8.  Remember the carriages were lined up so the lady could enter the carriage nearest the house or castle so the man sat on the left. This is just like our cars today have the man on the left and the lady on the right and so when she comes out to enter the car, it is on the right side of the car.   
    9 Remember too, that when 2 carriages, or coaches met on the road the 2 drivers would talk and exchange info on the weather, road conditions, gossip, etc from the left side of the drivers seat.  The horses could rest and the women would not be expected to talk to anyone.
    10 In the northern hemisphere the water goes counter clockwise around the drain. It is the same in the toilet bowl. If you change it and get your tub draining clockwise as soon as you stop the water switches back to counter clockwise.  Scientists probably still do not know why. In the middle ages it was considered to be natural. Preordained. planned that way by God. the Right way.  Like the Gulf stream ocean currents or C.C. in the Atlantic.
# 2,3 4, and 10 seem the most likely.