823  Floorcraft in Portland Oregon

Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 18:31:39 +0000
From: Jay Rabe <jayrabe@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Floorcraft in Portland Oregon

Thanks for your comment about floorcraft in Portland, but it was a bit
over-optimistic. While we have tried very hard to educate our community
(please see Bill Alsup's excellent web page which has a FAQ on floorcraft
and other issues: https://home.europa.com/~walsup/tango/), still there is
wide lattitude in application of these "rules." And no, I don't know of
anyone who has ever been ejected from a milonga for violating floorcraft
etiquette.

We've just completed Clay Nelson's 6th annual TangoFest, 5 days of
saturation workshops and milongas and performances. Last night (Sunday) we
had our final milonga at the Viscount ballroom, and I was up on the balcony
just watching for a time.
We had been discussing the Line-of-Dance, or lack therof, because at
the Saturday night milonga (at a different location, with an odd-shaped
dancefloor) LOD just about did not exist. The floor was packed to literally
BA levels, and dancing the milonga pieces was like playing hopscotch on the
freeway. But I hasten to add that the energy level and attitudes were so
high that everyone had a grand time regardless.
But at the Viscount on Sunday an interesting phenomenon occurred.
Viewing from the balcony, you could clearly see that the floor sort of
naturally stratified into three separate areas. There was indeed a
single-file outer ring of dancers following the LOD, with no-passing
protocol. Then there was a 1 or 2-couple thick ring just inside that, with
some dancers taking more time, perhaps less experienced, and others freely
passing them. Then there was the center of the floor, filled with couples
doing more circular figures, or ones that just required more space.
But it all worked regardless. It was a natural evolution of flows.
Different styles were naturally accomodated. I personally think it's a waste
of time to be so rigid about the no-passing rule. It's not user-friendly. It
would result in a singe file around the perimeter of the floor, with no one
in the middle. As attractive as this might be to tango purists, it clearly
results in hundreds of square feet of empty and un-used floor space - for
what purpose?
I think it makes more sense to focus on those techniques that will
prevent collisions and kicks and stomped feet. While single-file dancing
does that, it just isn't practical IMHO. It makes more sense to educate new
dancers about the hazards of back steps and yes I agree on right side steps
and passing on the right too. But you cannot effectively prohibit these
things. You must simply educate and train everyone to do them with extreme
caution.
Boleos and leg swings must be carefully done too, remembering that it
is always the leaders responsibility to anticipate the arc of their
followers legs and feet, and "aim" them to an empty spot.
But another trick I use is to do frequent 360 turns, either single-axis
or rock turns. It gives me an up-do-the moment picture of my space, how big
it is and who's in it. If your style is such that those moves are not in
your preferred repertoire, then fine, stay in the outside single-file. But
don't chastise those who don't mind dancing in the middle.
One final comment about the suggestion to vigorously prevent anyone
from passing you on the right. I suggest that taking that attitude to the
extreme would be like stepping in front of a moving truck to prove your
point that a pedestrian has right-of-way. It will result in the very
collision you say you are trying to prevent. I agree passing the outside
ring on the right should be discouraged, but we should maintain congeniality
and lack of militancy throughout, and simply keep the path on our right
blocked with your body by dancing close to that boundary.

And finally, if you missed TangoFest VI, put it on your calender to get
to Portland mid-October next year for #VII. It has grown every year and this
year was just incredible. I haven't seen final numbers on attendance, but I
believe there were over 300 people at the Saturday night milonga. I'd guess
close to 600 people attended the workshops, in eighteen 1.5-hr time slots,
with 4 skill levels in separate rooms from beginner to advanced - 66
separate classes over 5 days. Milongas all 5 nights, Wed-Sun, with great
performances both Sat and Sun by several of the visiting meastros as well as
some of our locals (notably a fine number with Alex Krebs and Florencia).
The performances peaked Sun night in absolutely spectatular presentatations
by Patricio and Eva, and Hugo and Miriam. I'm still in awe.

Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 00:31:35 +0000
From: Jay Rabe <jayrabe@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Floorcraft in Portland Oregon

>> Thanks for your comment about floorcraft in
>> Portland, but it was a bit
>> over-optimistic.

> Too bad! I was ready to move...

Don't let that stop you! Portland is a beautiful city. This summer and fall
have been exquisite. Today it's 65+ and clear blue sky, with fall colors
everywhere. Of course, other years at this time it was raining constantly -
but that's what keeps it so green.

Your comments about no passing on the right are good. And while dancing
at the perimeter is surely the safest place on the floor, you just can't fit
everyone there. Plus, it's not something you can effectively make happen
anyway.
But I think it's still solving the wrong problem. I disagree completely
that dancing in the middle is the core problem. It's HOW you dance, wherever
you are, that is the issue. I've gotten stepped on and kicked in the outside
perimeter too, just because someone wasn't paying attention when they did a
back step or led a boleo.
In contrast, I visited the Tango holy-land in 1999 and was impressed at
the courtesy and respect shown on the dancefloor. There was no bumping at
all. It was very dignified and civilized. But it is very much a cultural
thing. (I suspect the Latin cultures have adopted such strictly respectful
social mores to counteract their well-known firey passions.) But you just
can't expect that same attitude to be so easily transplanted to America. Our
culture is just too cowboy and independent.
But it's clear we have to do something. Tango is growing, and without
the guidance of an established culture of respect and courtesy, chaos on the
dancefloor will increase.
So I think the solution is more education of the hazards. In many of
the beginners classes I've watched, almost nothing is said of these things
(back steps, blind right side steps, passing on the right, etc), and often
there's hardly a mention about line-of-dance. And while I've always
explained LOD in the classes I've taught, I confess that I have not
emphasized the responsibility, ultimately the leader's, for making sure all
four legs are safe to move before leading. Nor have I said anything about
the need to "drive defensively" by not entering the blind spot of another
couple.

So I suggest we all take on the task of emphasizing these risks to all
the new dancers we meet. Sooner or later we'll make some progress.

J

Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 14:39:23 -0700
From: Andrew Allison <andrew@AALLISON.COM>
Subject: Portland Oregon

Jay Rabe wrote:
" . . . . Portland is a beautiful city."
True, but visitors to the vibrant Portland Tango scene need to be very
aware of the towing scam which is endemic within the city. The owners of
(daytime) business properties have deals with towing companies who cruise
the streets at night looking for victims. I got towed within 15 minutes of
arriving at the first TangoFest Milonga, and only then found the two
roughly 8" by 6" black signs which were not legible from more than six feet
away at night. I heard from both the proprietor of the pub and the cab
driver that this is an unsavory feature of life in Portland. I'm astonished
that the City condones this practice by not requiring prominent signs.
Andrew