This was the normal position for a scabbard, as it enabled the sword to be drawn more easily with the right hand than if the sword were worn on the right hip. Thus in an Allemande, the lady would normally be on the man's right to avoid tripping over the scabbard, and it would be reasonable to progress anticlockwise, putting the man inside the circle, to avoid hitting the legs of the audience with the scabbard also. The ability to recognize an acoustic sequence when repeated in time but not when reflected carries over into dance. Many Classical Ballets, particularly those from the 19th Century, have sequences of steps repeated four times. Usually the fourth repetition is modified as an introduction to the next sequence.
Repetition is very important in learning dance and other movements.
A symmetric shape of a human figure has been equated with an emotional feeling of security and repose. Symmetry plays a large part in dance teaching because pupils find it easiest to copy and learn movements while standing behind the teacher. This teaching situation has the problem that the teacher cannot then watch the progress of the pupils. This problem can be rectified by having the teacher face a large wall mirror. Thus many dance studios have mirrors not only for the pupils to see and assess their own movements, but also for a teacher to see the pupils while demonstrating facing away from the class.