When I was younger, my friends and I were passionate about trying to prove who was best at “reading the road.” This is a skill of trying to figure out what other drivers were going to do.
We would look at other cars by analysing their general behaviour on the road and try to figure out if the drivers were aggressive or defensive or attentive or sloppy. The goal was to try and anticipate the next move of the other drivers to prevent a collision or dangerous manoeuvres.
On the road one day, I noticed a driver next to me, oblivious that his lane was blocked ahead. Even though I had given him chances to move over, it wasn’t until he came right up to the obstruction that it dawned on him, that his way was blocked.
I thought about how often I had seen this attitude on the dance floor. Floor craft is the skill of creating space on the dance floor. The purpose is to show off my follower as well as to be free to move, undisturbed by other dancers blocking my space.
This is as much technical skill as the footwork, frame and dynamics of dance movements. Yet it seems that a large number of leaders are so busy thinking about how to impress their audience that they’re completely forgetting about managing their space on the floor.
Different clubs have different predominant dance styles. So, when I arrive at an event, I watch the dance floor for a while to get a sense of how the dancers flow around it. Knowing the traffic pattern helps me navigate the floor better.
The more crowded the floor is, the more conservative I need to be with my space. This means reserving big moves for when I have a large clearing. It also means I will not always get a chance for long, graceful arm lines.
Making decisions as a leader is what makes dancing in a crowd exciting. The fact that I am also transporting precious cargo like my partner, can make it downright tricky. So, I equip my late model minivan with some weaponry. An arsenal of floor craft firepower can make any dance floor, or post-Apocalyptic, trek as easy as driving in a parking lot.
When you watch a sporting event, it is not necessarily the fastest player or best goal scorer who captures our excitement and makes a game fun. it’s the unexpected achievements of a player. The lone hockey forward wins his way through the defence to place himself in front of the net. It’s the Formula 1 driver that can pass car after car on corners that others can’t seem to manage.
It’s the quarterback that twists, leaps and zigzags his way around the defensive tackle to score a touchdown. We thrill to these moments, getting up from our seats and shouting encouragement in support of those victories.
Just like traffic on a busy road, the line of dance can move quite smoothly if no one passes, and each car follows the one in front. However, it only takes one car to suddenly stop or change lanes to disrupt the whole flow.
A confident dance frame is a yield sign to other drivers. Sure, this is the armour plating for your dance vehicle, and your elbows are sided impact airbags, but smashing into people is not the goal… so modify your dance frame to suit the available space.
I’ve made mistakes in reading the dance floor, and as a result, accidents have happened. There are times I can’t avoid a collision. There are times I’ll turn and be unaware that someone is behind me. But, as one teacher told me years ago, “if you crash into someone, make sure you do it together.” The message was that trust is critical.
Becoming a great navigator requires confidence. The only problem? You cannot acquire confidence unless you put yourself in situations that challenge your confidence. The greater the challenge, the bigger the rewards. The by-product is the ability to look at any dance environment, no matter how crowded, and welcome the challenge. Eventually, the crowds will make it fun. I will be hooked on the floor craft.
Occasionally we will bump into people or cause a collision of some kind. It is bound to happen on a crowded floor, especially if alcoholic beverages are involved. If we bump into another couple, it is best to apologise with a smile. Do not hold a grudge or place blame. Respect and courtesy go a long way to impress the person with whom we are dancing.
It’s a good idea to put some focus on floor craft during your social dancing. Practice on a crowded floor as much as you can, to keep dancing no matter what happens. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll improve and how much more enjoyment you’ll get out of social dancing, as well as give to others through the skill of floor craft.