Not sure about that, but it may depend on the age of the dancers.

When I'm calling Barley Reel (an easy strip the willow dance) the band plays it once through at a moderate speed, then gives everyone another turn one gear up.

It is fairly common practise for the caller to do a bit of the dance as you play it before calling it, to test the speed.
If it feels as if you have to be up in the air too long, it's too slow, if you are muffing the footwork, too fast.

I think maybe you'd play faster if a smooth dance-walk was called for, slower for bouncy stepping.

Maybe band players would know better.