[Tango-L] BsAs Floorcraft - How is it really?

[Trini y Sean (PATangoS)]

Hi all,

We just finished up some workshops with Daniel Trenner and navigation was one of the issues we covered.  He got into it a little bit last year, but this year he was more specific. It made me think that the dance-only-in-your-lane was an artificial construct that relies too much on people obeying the rules (which assumes that everyone knows and follows the rules).  Rather the real problem is the leaders not paying attention to what's happening on the dance floor.

Daniel describes navigating the floor as being like a chess game, with the men trying to find the space on the floor.  However, key to this is the men watching and signaling each other.  For example, if you and another car are at an intersection, you and the other driver might interact with each other to figure out who goes first.  The other driver might signal for you to go first.  (BTW, it is a common thing here to for a driver going straight to let a driver make a left turn first at an intersection).  At a milonga, the same thing applies.  A man might signal to another "go ahead and take that space".  

If you watch demos of Tete & Silvia dancing with other couples, what invariably happens is that Tete and the other male dancers start playing each other, switching partners, etc.  I'm sure the switching of partners is all just part of the demo, but Tete, Oscar Casas, and Maxi Gluzman are all quite comfortable with this type of interaction.  Daniel relates stories of playing this game with other men while in BsAs.  But it's not something he finds when he dances at he festivals (not surprising given the dance-only-in-your-lane rules).

To me, this makes sense.  It also give more meaning to the phrase that you're dancing with everyone else in the room.

Comments?  Perhaps those currently in BsAs can give this aspect of navigation a try at the milongas?

Trini de Pittsburgh