2225  Navigation in crowds

Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 01:45:34 -0800
From: H Dickinson <hyladlmp@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Navigation in crowds

I am really enjoying this recent discussion about
navigation, some very nice clear ideas, and a
wonderful emphasis on trying to get people to view
navigation as a way for the whole group to have a good
experience. I like what Rose, Robert, Evan and
Stephen (among others) have to say, and Melina's list
was great.

It is good to see input by other follows. As Sarah
says, "Just because you are a follower doesn't mean
you are a brainless, clueless zombie without
responsibility for your actions." Hear, hear! I have
found that dancing on crowded floors can be very
exciting for me as a follow--it gives me a challenge
and takes my dancing to another level. It really
helped me understand how much input we followers have
in the tango conversation and has opened up whole new
territories in the dance for me to explore.

I have felt some of the best dance connections while
dancing very small and tightly in a crowded space. It
really keeps you honest in your balance, always ready
for that unexpected change in direction that comes up
when someone takes the space your leader was planning
for. You learn to make everything count, every inch
of the journey from this step to that (or halfway to
there and back because oops, no more space). The
moment itself becomes a treasure, instead of just
blank time to get through on the way to the end of the
figure.

On a crowded floor when there is no space for big
"expressive" movement, it is a fun challenge to find
new little ways to express my love of the music and my
pleasure in connecting to so many wonderful partners.
This has caused me to find new depths and intricacies
in the music, and subtleties in the embrace. (And
even a very loving and giving relationship between my
shoes and the floor!)

There is so much a couple can do in a tiny space
without stepping on or crashing into anyone even as
the situation on the dance floor changes. If a leader
navigates well, the follower can trust, relax, and
listen to the music and the connection. If a follow
is grounded and paying attention to what the leader
really leads (ie, following well), it inspires
confidence in the leader and navigation and reaction
to the changing situation are easier. One member of
the couple can influence the other for the better, and
then both have the freedom to enjoy and listen deeply
and fully to the music and to one another. This
happens with new dancers as well as experienced ones;
unlike dramatic stage show moves, it is within reach
for us ordinary fallible human beings.

> When the floor is crowded you end up interacting
> with the couples around
> you.
> The followers don't really participate in
> this, except to make
> sure they are keeping their feet under them, and
> their boleos on the
> floor and such.

It is true that as someone who mostly follows, I don't
really get that sense of the whole floor going into a
trance at once like a school of fish. But every once
in a while I have been able to feel a sense of
something going on larger than just the connection
between my partner and I; there can be an awareness of
the connection with everyone in the room, even for a
follow with eyes closed. That does add something
excellent to the experience. And even when I am
dancing with my eyes closed, sometimes I'll get an
urge to open my eyes just in time to see an imminent
collision and implement the classic tango follower's
"danger death grip" warning signal. Who knows how we
know to look--maybe it's body heat, maybe it's the
disruptive psychic vibrations put out by those bad
navigators, or maybe it's just the tango fairy giving
just rewards for good tango karma. I like to think it
does have something to do with that sort of mystical
connection to the room.

Oh, and there's nothing quite like dancing on a
crowded floor next to Eduardo and Kikki when he breaks
out into full-voiced song, perfectly in tune and in
time and letter perfect on the lyrics. "Wow", you
think, "He really loves this music!", and then, "Gee,
come to think of it, so do I...."

Here's to beautiful, connected, open-hearted
navigation for all,
Hyla

> I kept my heels so close to the
> floor on every step and
> all boleos were low, heels parallel to the floor,
> etc. I know many a lead
> who has been aghast when the woman has been
> virtually "dancing by herself"
> or when a little change of direction was led and
> wow, there goes a high boleo out of no where.

> Leaders do need to navigate,
> but followers have
> control over their own bodies too.
>
>
> The rules are guidelines so that everyone can share
> the floor. The main
> reason we want to share the floor this way is that
> it is so much fun. I
> have had some of the very best times dancing on very
> crowded floors.
> When the floor is crowded you end up interacting
> with the couples around
> you. Leaders have to interract though,
> because they are
> sharing the space. When I see the guy ahead of me
> do something that
> needs a little more space, I give it to him. Then I
> may get the same
> from him when I need it.