Dance

This'll be the first of many posts concerning the topic of dance.

When I use the term, I am defining it as partner dancing where the couple dance to music and the coordinated movements tend to reflect in some way what is going on in the music. Within this definition there will be three (3) types of dancing. Each types reflects a different set of skill required:

1) Dancing for an audience or judges. this typically involves a choreographed routine set to a specific piece of music. the figures chosen tend to be more for 'show' and are not used in 'social' situations when other dancers share the floor due to the risk of someone getting hurt. There is little to no emphasis on partnering skills, and each person focuses primarily on their own individual technique. Dancers seldom change partners.

2) Dancing for a judge, but with music and partner (within a specific genre) selected at random. This is done primarily in what is typically referred to as 'jack & jill' contests. Couples dance to exhibit their ability to interpret both the music as well as their ability to collaborate with their partners, etc. Partnering skills are a must, but there is also an arbitrary standard for posture/technique/footwork, etc. that prompts individual dancers to choose movements that bring attention to themselves.

3) Dancing for your partner. Interpreting the music is valued, but first and foremost, it's about partnering skills and using them to help your partner have the best possible experience during the dance. This category is the subset of partnered dance that interests me.

Social partnered dance observes etiquette, though specific guidelines vary from genre to genre. What follows tends to be true for all genres.

While all dancers are equal, within any partnership, one partner must assume the responsibility of choosing, suggesting & communicating the movement(s) of the partnership. This role is generally referred to as being the 'lead'. The other partner assumes a role that respects the other partner's choices, generally referred to as being a follow. While the dynamics of any partnership will vary depending on the individuals involved, in an ideal situation, the lead hears the music, notes what his partner is doing, and chooses movements/figures that reflect a sense of lyricism between the music and the movement. The lead, using partnering skills, then invites the partner to perform a movement or figure. It's considered good form for the follow to accept the lead's invitation, but it's subject to safety/discomfort and other concerns; the privileges of the lead are balanced by a responsibility to make 'good' choices. These choices generally involve:

1) how a movement fits the music;
2) the partner's technical ability to perform the selected movement;
3) floorcraft - analyzing if a selected movement or figure risks colliding with something else on the floor, animate or otherwise;
4) analyzing if the selected movement or figure is somehow likely to create a level of discomfort for their partner;

A lead whose choices reflect consideration of all these factors tends to develop a sense of trust on the part of their partners. Conversely, leads whose choices reflect a tendency to ignore these considerations lose trust, and over time, can lead to people avoiding dancing with that person.

It works both ways. Follows who over time demonstrate poor partnering skills or who routinely disregard or ignore the suggestions of the lead in a way that communicates a lack of respect for that particular lead may also find people avoiding dancing with them.

Both leading and following take time to develop, and it's considered good form to dance with people of all skill levels. Indeed, many astute dancers recognize that today's beginner often becomes a popular dancer that everyone wants to dance with - and they typically remember who was kind to them starting out. So beginners tend to be shown a great deal of goodwill and acceptance within the dance community. But that goodwill has its limits; there's also an expectation within a dance community that dancers work to improve their partnering skills to reach a certain level. When it becomes clear that a particular individual demonstrates no interest in improving their skills (all other things being equal - that is to say, not being especially attractive or having some other quality that would prompt people to ask them to dance for reasons other than dancing) the more experienced dancers will tend to avoid dancing with them.