Quote Originally Posted by spindr
It's a bit wierd why MJ is so asymmetric -- in salsa turns and spins are led from all hand/hand combinations.
I believe that it's due to Jive's descent from early forms of formal ballroom dance. If a man dances in dress uniform, his sword hangs from his left hip (to be drawn in the right hand.) Therefore the only side to which he could draw his partner without getting her gown caught up on the sword is his right.

As an aside, have you ever wondered why almost every form of dance has an equivalent of the under-arm turn? I've read one website that suggests it's because it's a good way of giving the woman a good whiff of the pheremones emanating from the man's left arm-pit.

(What a lovely thought.)