We dance in some of the same places.  I'd say it means both a contra set 
formation and a sashayed couple. Two meanings that perhaps accidentally use the 
same word. 

\bob
via iPhone

On Oct 9, 2011, at 15:13, Read Weaver <[email protected]> wrote:

> A question about terminology (maybe two).
> 
> Does the term "improper" mean a formation, or a position? In other words, 
> does that term mean a line of dancers that alternates gent/lady/gent/lady 
> down the right line and lady/gent/lady/gent down the left line, or does it 
> mean gent in the right line, lady in the left line (all left/right 
> designations based on facing the top of the set)?
> 
> What makes it two questions is whether there's a difference in how you, as a 
> caller, think about it, and how you think your dancers think about it.
> 
> What I really want to know is whether there's regional variation, and whether 
> it's different in English country dance and contra. And maybe whether it's 
> changed over time.
> 
> Here in Boston, I'd say dancers think of it as a formation, and there seems 
> to be variation in how callers think of it (e.g., some callers will say "end 
> improper" to mean gent/right, lady/left whatever position you're in—it comes 
> up more often in English country dance than contra, but sometimes in contra 
> too).
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