Will,

I'm glad you mentioned dance.

There's 2 monthly events here in Chester [UK] for folk to practice:

* playing for dancing

*calling

* dancing

One's mainly tunes & dances in the Playford style, the other's French tunes & dances.

I've been regularly attending the playford sesh & the tunes are frequently done so fast that they don't fit the dances.

To my mind, the callers should set the timings, but they all are wannabe dancers & aren't experienced enough yet to do this.

There's a self appointed 'band leader' with a loudish melodeon, who just can't seem to play anything other than at the speed of lightening!

I've also attended the French sesh, where strangely the tunes are slow - I think due to their very nature.