Floor Craft
by Daniel Boardman CCIM - Maintain a lane.
When
danced socially, tango is danced in strict circular lanes with couples
advancing around the room in a counterclockwise direction (called
“line-of-dance”). There may be one or more concentric lanes moving
simultaneously. Once in a lane, avoid changing lanes during the dance. - Look before backing up.
Never
step backwards against traffic blindly. Likewise, avoid other movements
that cause you or your partner to suddenly occupy space behind you in
line-of-dance because the dancer behind you may have already begun
advancing into that space. - Avoid passing.
Tango
is not a race. If the dancer in front of you is advancing more slowly
than you would like, alter your dance so that it is more circular and
less linear. Learn to dance well and happily without much forward
advancement. - No parking.
Standing
and chatting with your partner between songs is fine, but keep an
awareness of when the couples around you start dancing again and move
accordingly. If the other dancers have begun to dance and you wish to
continue your conversation, simply step off the floor so you don’t
obstruct them. - Never zigzag.
Cutting
in and out of line-of-dance is very poor form and disturbing to the
dancers you are cutting in front of. If you choose to dance in the
center of the room, remain there throughout the song. If you dance in a
given lane, finish the dance in that same lane. - Don’t monopolize the space.
There
are many styles of tango. Some require a relatively large amount of
floor space; some require a minimal amount of floor space. All styles
are fine under the right conditions. If a floor is crowded, dance small,
not taking up any more space than any of your fellow dancers. If the
floor is not crowded, and you are so inclined, dance large. - Avoid dangerous moves.
Certain moves, such as high in-line boleos, can be dangerous on a crowded floor. Save them for less crowded conditions. - Don’t talk, dance!
Talking
while dancing is bad form, reveals the dancer’s lack of presence in the
moment, and is distracting to other dancers. Save the conversation for
when the music stops. Teaching or correcting your partner is
particularly inappropriate at a milonga. Save it for a practica. - Dance with the room.
Endeavor
to dance with an awareness of all of the dancers around you. Do not
allow gaps in the line-of-dance in front of you to form as this will
cause a pileup of dancers behind you. When the music begins, start
dancing when the majority of other dancers do. - Ask before merging.
Before
stepping onto a crowded dance floor, if you are a leader, make eye
contact with the leader whom you wish to enter the floor in front of.
The leader should understand your request and indicate his assent with a
nod or wink, and you may then enter line-of-dance.
|
|