To add to the history that Bree offered, the last time Honor Among Thieves was posted on this most excellent list (by John McIntire), Alan Winston took it further back yet. So the whole story, as I can put it together from what everyone has said, is as follows:
Alan said that the 'chase' figure was originally found in Playford’s 1701 ed, Cheshire Rounds, a longways duple minor formation like contra. It then migrated across the sea to become incorporated into Appalachian dancing. Ted Sanella encountered the move in these old-time southern Appalachian square dances, and in the mode of artists everywhere, nabbed it to incorporate into modern American contra - the first to do so with this particular move. Then in 1986, Penn Fix took Ted's dance and added a P-Sw for all, to appeal to modern contra tastes. What an interesting dance biography! Thanks to all of you scholars. Tina
