Figure 2: How the leader can use their body and arms to protect the follower.
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Mirror, signal, manoeuvre.
Look before you lead!
Most collisions on the dance floor are simply due to dancers not looking.
Argentine tango dancers consider floor craft as both dancing with and keeping your partner safe, and dancing with “the room” (i.e. the other couples on the floor) keeping other dancers safe and keeping the dance moving for everyone, i.e. avoiding hogging space on the dance floor with showy moves and bunching up couples behind you by dancing on the spot, when there is a large space for you to travel into.
Good dancing is not just the skill of dancing in isolation, it includes the skill of dancing sociably with everyone on the dance floor. Since space on the dance floor ebbs and flows, as dancers join the floor or move around it, the main part of floor craft is to locate free space and note the positions of obstacles, bystanders and other dancers — recognising how they are likely to be moving, and more importantly keeping a suitable distance from them, for example, leaving extra room around beginners and more “enthusiastic” (or drunk) dancers44. In extremis, leave the floor you are no longer confident of dancing safely.
Floor craft comprises not only floor safety but also floor courtesy.
Obviously, safety is an integral part of leading and following, especially on crowded dance floors — leaders must at least lead their partner safely with consideration for other dancers. In particular, every leader has a duty of care to keep their follower safe, and vice versa. Followers must also “follow safely” and considerately, e.g. avoiding large rondés on crowded dance floors and staying close to the leader when spinning.
It is possible to dance safely, yet still be too aggressive with space on the dance floor. For example, dancing safely may mean that you and another couple have stop to avoid colliding, dancing considerately means avoiding the possibility of a collision occurring. Considerate leaders won't just dance safely basing their moves on the current state of the dance floor, but will dance safely by predicting the future state of the dance floor, i.e. leading their partner so that they don't affect other dancers unduly, i.e. recognising and avoiding those currently empty areas on the dance floor about to be used by other couples, e.g. recognising and avoiding another couple's slot on the dance floor. Hence, floor courtesy means that you should lead and follow in your own dance space, without crowding or forcing yourself into other dancers' spaces45.
The more that you dance, the better you should become at predicting other dancers' movements, and the better you are at leading and following increases the time to abort and modify a move to something more suitable. Similarly, the better your technique, the less chance there will be of you requiring more room than you expected, e.g. accidentally travelling when spinning, etc.
Leaders and followers can only apply floor craft to protect their partner, if they are in arm's reach, or if there is a handhold with “tone” or other connection. Otherwise, there is no way to stop your partner, other than shout! Hence, if there is no useful handhold connection, or the leader is more than arm's length away, then followers must be responsible for their own floor craft — and vice versa.
There are five main objectives in floor craft:
keeping your partner safe.
keeping other dancers safe.
keeping yourself safe.
watching for bystanders and obstacles.
consideration for other dancers.
To test whether your floor craft is working, check that you can answer a definite “no” to the following questions:
Did your partner bump into anyone, or step on anyone's foot?
Did anyone bump into your partner, or step on them?
Did you bump into anyone, or step on anyone's foot?
Did anyone bump into you, or step on you?
A leader's floor craft should encourage their partner to feel safe and secure — relaxing them and making the lead and follow easier.
One exercise to promote floor craft and lead and follow is to use a relatively small area for dancers to move within, and get followers to keep their eyes closed. This requires followers to concentrate on the lead, and leaders to concentrate on their floor craft.
Then reverse roles, so that the original leaders now shut their eyes and try to follow and original followers try to lead.
Hopefully, this should impress on the original leaders both the responsibility that they have to keep their partners safe and the amount of trust that their followers place in them.
One exercise is for dancers to gradually learn to freestyle in small areas.
Start by dancers freestyling on the entire dance floor:
After a few minutes reduce the danceable area, e.g. by using chairs to “wall off” part of the dance floor.
Continue with dancers freestyling on the remaining part of the dance floor:
If you have any tips, or lessons, then give them to the dancers.
Alternate freestyling and shrinking the dance area, while conditions remain safe.
Finally, revert to dancing on the entire dance floor.
Keeping the number of couples constant and shrinking the dance area, should motivate dancers to modify their dancing (gradually), and to gain some insights into freestyling in crowded conditions. When the dance area is finally increased back to its original size the available area should seem greatly increased, due to “over training” by dancing in smaller areas.
The protective part of floor craft is shared between both partners, for example, tell your partner if you notice that their shoelace is undone. The catching role switches between partners — especially if the spinning partner is off-balance or “out of control”. If a partner is out of control, or likely to collide, then the conventional concepts of subtle lead and follow should be ignored. For example, if you have a handhold, lean or step backwards to eliminate any “slack” so that the tension acts as a “brake”.
Collision avoidance is an excellent reason to watch your partner's expression — as in my experience, my partner's eyes usually widen and then wince, just before I collide.
Similarly, leaders can indicate a potential collision area to their follower with a glance or slight nod — especially after an unexpectedly curtailed lead due to an obstacle on the dance floor.
One useful option is for the leader to show potential obstacles to their follower, e.g. if there is an obstacle behind a follower, then the leader can show it to the follower by leading a Basket or similar style move. Similarly, if the “leader” is moving backwards, or is otherwise unaware of obstacles, then the “follower” should also help prevent collisions, by watching behind the leader and indicating to them if a collision is about to occur.
Followers should keep their maximum separation from the leader consistent with the lead, so that the leader can reduce the space both partners occupy, as the dance floor fills. For example, followers should take their lead from the leader how far to step, e.g. when doing a back-rock — since the leader is usually looking past the follower and can see the room behind them, and vice versa.
Experienced dancers should keep their own balance under all normal circumstances, i.e. all non-acrobatic moves. However, for safety's sake catching is the leader's responsibility when dancing with a “less-experienced” follower, — if both partners spin, then the leader should ideally finish spinning before the follower, so that they are stable when catching their follower. If the follower is not spinning, or if the follower finishes spinning cleanly (and the leader does not), then the follower should also be prepared to catch the leader.
Travelling and walking moves forwards can be used to keep a dance flowing, while moving you and your partner into areas where space has become available.
Obviously small steps in any direction are safest — there is less scope for collisions. The only space behind you that you can assume to be “safe” without looking, is the area on the dance floor in the shadow of your body (and in particular the shadow of your backside). If you take a high step, bringing your toe off the ground, and then commit your weight on to the back foot as it lands, then there is little scope to take any avoiding action. Hence, when you step backwards, keep the moving toe on the floor and keep your weight forwards on your stationary leg — if your right foot touches anything, then close the rear foot to the stationary front foot. Once your toe is backwards, then transfer weight onto it gradually — if you feel a toe under your rear heel as it drops, then move your weight back to the front foot and close the rear foot to it. If you keep your centre of gravity forwards, then it should take little effort to move your weight from your rear foot to your front foot.
Loose “stylish” arm movements can become unstylish “near decapitations” on a crowded floor. If you want to make dramatic gestures, then the only space that you can assume to be “safe” without looking, is the area on the dance floor in the shadow of your body. Hence, the only safe way to style your hands or arms is to take them close in to your body and then raise them vertically into the air.
Alternatively, make sure that you keep the hand and arm in sight, or at least within your peripheral vision — looking at the moving hand can also help make the gesture seem more connected with your dancing. Obviously, arm lines should take time to make a dramatic shape — but for safety's sake you must be prepared to bring the hand back in to your body quickly, as you would with a foot when taking a step.
While tempting, to show off your supposed “leading prowess”, leaders should not lead their partners into small, temporary gaps between other dancers (“threading the needle”) — the probability is that someone will eventually be injured.
A less refined technique, when hands are not free, is to “stick your backside out” so that any collision will be against your gluteus maximus, rather than some more fragile part.
If another dancer is moving (backwards) towards your partner, or yourself, you can indicate your presence, by placing your hand lightly on their back — obviously, this shouldn't be the social dance equivalent of a rugby handoff.
Leaders should lead their partner (and themselves) to avoid obstacles around the edge of the dance floor, e.g. stairs or stages. Special care must be taken to avoid obstacles on the dance floor, e.g. pillars. One avoidance technique is for the leader to keep themselves between any obstacle and their partner — this can be used to protect a partner from more “enthusiastic” dancers. A more active technique is for the leader to “use” the obstacle — providing that they don't endanger their partner — for example, bouncing off and away from the obstacle puts it at arm's length, and shows that you are aware of it.
Make the most of the opportunity — when it gets crowded, you can slow down and get your breath back.
Never do acrobatic moves
Throws and lifts have no place on a crowded social dance floor — the potential for injury to the performers [Cheerleading Can Kill: Official] [Negligent Dancing Lawsuit], or bystanders is too great46. Deep dips and drops are also dangerous on crowded dance floors — the lowered partner's head will be close to the floor, risking an accidental knee, or kick to the face from a neighbouring dancer.
Don't take up excessive space, and minimise dancing large travelling moves when the dance floor is crowded — meandering aimlessly can cause problems on a crowded dance floor. If you have to travel, then look around and check for obstacles — especially when moving backwards. Be aware that other people may be intending to use the space you have just moved into, and may not be expecting your presence — especially if you have travelled a large distance. Don't take large steps where you can't see (behind you) — drop the heel gradually as you step backwards, this may keep your full weight from squashing other people.
Don't show your shoe leather, i.e. the sole of your shoe should not be visible when kicking.
Kicks should be small and directed into the floor.
Large moves do not work well on a crowded dance floor — dance defensively and be compact. Leaders should only lead well-practised moves, experimental moves will obviously require more space — resist the temptation to show off. Make sure that you use lead and follow, and floor craft, rather than dancing fixed routines that cannot be adjusted easily to take account of the crowded conditions. Keep arms and legs close to the body, don't let them flail out, keep elbows in to the body with your arms bent to keep tension in the handhold. It may be better to drop, or release, the handhold in a closed dance position, rather than risking a collision by keeping the hands high with the elbows out.
Choose moves likely to succeed, or have an “escape route”, rather than relying on luck. Moves are safer and more controllable if:
both partners stay in-place, e.g. wiggling in a Comb or Cuddles position.
both partners move in their own dance space, without swapping places, e.g. bounces and pat-a-cake moves, or moves such as John's Move.
both partners move in their own dance space, e.g. Change Of Places.
both partners move in a small slotted area, e.g. Basket Whip.
both partners move in a small circular area, e.g. Walking Basket.
Double-handed moves are more controllable than single-handed moves, and turns with a handhold are safer and more controllable than spins. Turns and spins in-place are safer than travelling versions — leaders should check that their is enough space for followers when leading travelling turns or spins, especially if the follower will be travelling into an area currently unoccupied by either partner, e.g. Hatchbacks. Travelling moves are safer if they follow the general flow of dancers on the dance floor.
Leaders can “show” the space that they wish their follower to move into by lightly sweeping their arm out at waist height, so that any collision will be against their arm, rather than their follower — this supplements the normal lead and also makes it easier to stop the follower if a collision is likely, as the free hand is already available to act as a brake.
Figure 2: How the leader can use their body and arms to protect the follower.
Similarly, in constrained situations leave the releasing hand near to the follower's waist longer, in case you need an “emergency brake”, e.g. a First Move, or Basket Whip exit.
Be considerate. Walk around the edge of the floor, unless this is impossible. Walk between the nearby dancers rather than through the middle — if you walk on or off quickly, those dancing won't realise that you are in their way. Make sure that there is a enough space to dance in — watch the gap for a couple of beats to check that it is there.
Progressive dance styles travel along “the line of dance” — a notional continuous circuit around the (edge of the) dance floor. Dancers will travel anticlockwise along this line of dance — the single choice of direction means that dancers are less likely to run into each other, than they would were they to select a direction at random. Obviously, since there is an expectation of travelling along the line of dance it can be dangerous to move back along it, e.g. by a leader stepping backwards (when facing forwards along the line of dance). Both leaders and followers need to be be especially careful when dancing against the line of dance — followers should be prepared to indicate if the leader is about to collide when stepping backwards, and leaders should take small steps (if not actually stepping in-place).
Modern Jivers occasionally mix with progressive dancers, e.g. mixing with ballroom dancers at a 1940's event — where big band numbers such as foxtrots and quicksteps can be suitable for Modern Jive Progressive dancers typically travel anticlockwise around the dance floor, with slower dancers near the centre of the dance floor and faster dancers nearer the edges of the dance floor.
Figure 3: Diagram showing the “normal” direction of dance taken by ballroom dancers.
The most complicated steps will naturally occur when progressive dancers change direction, i.e. at the corners of the dance floor, where it is may be harder to avoid static dancers — hence, considerate Modern Jivers might avoid dancing in the corners of the dance floor. Similarly, travelling Modern Jive moves should also go anticlockwise in the same direction as the progressive dancers, reducing the risk of collision.
Acrobatic moves are even less suitable when progressive dancers are on the floor, as there can be no guarantee that any “landing area” will not be occupied by a progressive dancer travelling into it.
Modern Jivers can sometimes mix with West Coast Swing dancers — slower Modern Jive music can often be suitable for West Coast Swing . The main issue for Modern Jivers is to be aware of the slot that West Coast Swing dancers will be dancing in, since the only evading action that a West Coast Swing leader can employ is to curtail a move, or pause — the dance cannot be turned to avoid another couple dancing on the slot. Ideally West Coast Swing dancers will dance in the same area on the floor, and with slots oriented in the same direction, so that they “pack together” well on the floor — some American dance halls will specify the slot direction that West Coast Swing dancers should dance.
Other dance styles have different issues, for example, partners may dance apart from each other (Lindy Hop dancers may “breakaway” and salsa dancers may dance “shines”), which can make it more difficult to infer which partners are dancing together.
There are a number of simple options that can improve your floor craft when dancing a progressive dance style.
Slow down, it will give you, and the dancers around you, more thinking time.
Make room. If you are catching up with other dancers, but there is a gap behind you, then dance a move that requires less travel, e.g. a rotation on the spot, which may give the dancers ahead of you time to create a gap for you to travel into.
A slow, deliberate lowering of the left-to-right handhold to below waist height can be a great way to slowly “fade out” the end of a dance — especially if you both lower heads as well!
Make yourself smaller by dropping the left-to-right handhold, the leader's right hand on the follower's left shoulder blade (back) should be enough to lead and follow.
If there is enough space, but there is a slight possibility of a collision, then the leader should dance through first so that they protect their follower.
If there is any doubt that there is enough space, then simply stop travelling and keep the beat on the spot, e.g. by rocking from foot to foot keeping time.
Milonga's (formal tango dances) have their own particular etiquette, above and beyond the normal floor craft and safety issues:
Entering the floor is like joining a motorway — you must immediately start to move with the flow of traffic (other dancers). If you loiter when you enter the floor, then you will hold up the couples dancing behind you.
Always travel anticlockwise around the floor, following the line of dance.
Don't back up — if you must dance a basic eight, then make the “step back” a “step in place”.
There are two concentric lanes on the dancefloor:
The outside lane is the faster lane — you shouldn't stop in the outside lane. Don't be selfish; allow all the dancers to dance — if you pause too long you will start to create a traffic jam behind you. Keep the whole room dancing — if the person in front is static too long, then you may politely “tap them on the shoulder”.
The inside lane is the slower lane — you may pause briefly in the inside lane.
Ganchos, boleos and other kicks or flicks require space — if the dance floor is crowded then these moves shouldn't be danced. Similarly, no ballroom tango, and no tango fantasia.
44If other dancers are giving you a wide berth on the dance floor, consider whether you are hogging too much space.
45In dances and classes, everyone pays a similar amount for entry and so should be entitled to an equal amount of space on the dance floor.
46In 1996, an American swing dancer died attempting to perform an aerial.
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