what to do when a dance is interrupted

[nycsalsero]

Here's a small aspect of floorcraft I'm not sure about: say your dance partner needs to interrupt the dance for a moment to tie her shoe, or do her hair, or say goodbye to someone.

Do you keep dancing during this brief time, or do you stop dancing completely? Does it look stupid to keep dancing until the partner is ready again?

[SalsaManiac]

Unless she physically needs my help with what she is doing, I keep on dancing unless of course, we would need to leave the floor for her to get it done. Hard to pass up a good song ... :D

--T

[yippee1999]

Are we talking about like at a social? I guess I'd keep dancing, or moving around a bit. Whatever you feel more comfortable with. But how long could it take anyway?

But more importantly, it would seem to me that 1) most people would ensure their shoes are TIGHTLY tied so that untieing will not be an issue when dancing 2) her hair should have been already fixed so that she shouldn't have had to give it a second thought and 3) who says goodbye to somebody else while they are dancing?

Are you saying that you've had women stop dancing for these reasons? I could see this maybe during dance class or practice, but at a social, this to me would seem "odd".

[sweavo]

I've had dances interrupted for my partner to have a quick "mwah mwah" with a friend who's leaving. I don't find it a problem unless it takes a while and I don't know the other person/people and no introduction is forthcoming... then you DO feel like a bit of a prune... shall I shine the rest of the song, or stand here sweaty and discarded, or force myself into the conversation like the socially-inept geek I am...?

[Jamie]

Do you keep dancing during this brief time, or do you stop dancing completely? Does it look stupid to keep dancing until the partner is ready again?

Who gives a damn what it looks like? Just do whatever you feel. That's what I do, very often I'll just keep on dancing and connecting with the music.

[yippee1999]

Maybe your socials are a bit different Sweavo, but if I were dancing w/somebody and they stopped dancing for a minute to say "goodbye" to someone, I would be quite frankly shocked. And I would also be surprised if one of my friends came over to ME, to say goodbye while I was in the middle of a dance. I just don't think that's done here, at least at the more "serious" socials. It seems to me that, at least from my own personal perspective, people are so into it when they are dancing, that any kind of interruption would be very intrusive. I know when I am dancing, I have no idea what is going on around me, because I am so focused on the dance. And conversely, I would never interrupt a friend while they were dancing, to say goodbye to them. I'd either wait until the dance was over, or else I'd just leave, and explain to them the next day that I had to leave or something.

[englezul]

I've done this and I've been faced with this. In both cases nobody seemed to mind. Friends say to friends goodbye, I do it, and I think it's nice. Yeah it's somewhat disturbing for the other party but if they're short...no biggie.

[alemana]

yippee, i'm surprised you haven't seen this at the nyc socials. it's very common, both the "hi/bye kissie kissie" and the necessary breaks to adjust laces, hair and various other wardrobe items.

as you get more relaxed in your dancing you will probably need to focus a little less intently - you say you don't even know what's going on around you, which is not a state of mind i'd encourage you to continue.

once you're in the scene a while, you'll make more and more friends and every dance will become a little bit less important to you, whereas the whole experience of a social as a SOCIAL (not just a largely wordless mambo marathon) will get bigger and richer.

[Big10]

But more importantly, it would seem to me that 1) most people would ensure their shoes are TIGHTLY tied so that untieing will not be an issue when dancing 2) her hair should have been already fixed so that she shouldn't have had to give it a second thought and 3) who says goodbye to somebody else while they are dancing?

Are you saying that you've had women stop dancing for these reasons? I could see this maybe during dance class or practice, but at a social, this to me would seem "odd".
I'd actually take the opposite view. I've seen plenty of interruptions during a social dance, but much fewer in the middle of a dance while in class or practice. If someone is paying for a finite amount of time during class, it seems much more intrusive than at a social, where time is more flexible and the point is to be.....well, "social," after all.

Along the lines of what alemana wrote, the interrupting "goodbye" is extremely common at the socials/clubs I attend (here in Texas). Plus, for people who are very close friends, I'll sometimes be disappointed if they don't at least get in my line of sight and wave a goodbye to me, if not outright interrupting.

To answer the question for this thread, I'll sometimes stop completely if my partner is interrupted, or sometimes just maintain a basic step. I'd feel a little awkward doing an all-out series of shines, since I want to be ready to start dancing again immediately when my partner is finished with the interruption.

[BugBear]

Around here there is no "hi/bye kissie kissie" - I like the way that sounds BTW :) - usually just a wave, wink or a smile is enough. And if our dance is interupted in any of the afore mentioned ways I just do the basic or something simple to stay on the beat and be able to resume dancing as soon as possible.

[Sagitta]

It depends. If I notice someone trying to say bye to my partner I will bring it to her attention. As a leader I often am looking around to make sure I know where my space is. I have said bye/hi with my eyes, or a short wave of my hand and have had the same done to me. Now if the follower's eyes are wandering around I just bring them back to the dance by putting on one of my tricky moves...:twisted:

I also have had people stop in the middle of a dance to do this meet/greet thing. That is fine depending on how it is done. Often a follower will say, "my friend is leaving"...taking both of our attention to a new focus and I find that an easy segue into her doing her thing and us resuming the dance, as one example. But, suddenly stopping dancing and running off the floor? I wouldn't ask that person to dance again.

[yippee1999]

yeah, you could be right alemana. I do tend to see every individual dance as a chance to learn, or excel... another potential notch in my post so to speak :-) ... especially if it's with someone dancing in style I'm not used to, or someone who's alot more advanced than I. I suppose if I were at a laid-back social, or one where I didn't put so much pressure on myself, I'd be more relaxed, ergo more aware of my surroundings. Although I still think it would be sorta hard to interrupt people dancing salsa, just due to the fast pace of the dance, and if the place is really crowded. I mean, you could end up getting knocked out (accidentally of course), trying to say goodbye to someone dancing in the middle of say a Jimmy's dance.

[kayak]

If the lady or I have to stop and talk to friends for a moment - like when they are leaving - I think the other person generally stops as well. It is accepted that the two of you are together for the moment. Otherwise, one of us ends up looking a like dorky. Besides, just a brief introduction makes for more dance partners the next time.

[OneCentSalsero]

I break out into the robot till my partner is ready to continue

[noobster]

I mean, you could end up getting knocked out (accidentally of course), trying to say goodbye to someone dancing in the middle of say a Jimmy's dance.Yeah, I avoid saying goodbye to people on the floor for this reason. On the other hand I have had people be like "why didn't you say bye when you left?" so maybe I shouldn't be so shy. I don't want to get an eye poked out though.

I am definitely guilty of the hair-fix/lace-fix issue. I still haven't figured out how to make a bun stay in place while dancing (guess I should ask my ballet friends for their secrets), and I have also had my jazz shoes untied by people stepping on my feet. Usually the guy just shines or does a basic while I do my thing. I think it would be kind of weird if he stopped dead actually; I find it very difficult not to move to the music when it is on, especially if I was already dancing to begin with.

[nycsalsero]

Not hearing much of a consensus on this issue. Maybe stop dead if someone is saying goodbye, but keep dancing if they are fixing their hair? I like that idea of doing the robot while waiting, maybe that's the best answer :)

[Bradamant]

It's actually never even entered my mind to keep dancing when a partner had to stop for a moment.

Huh.

Epiphany.

Not full on dancing, at least.

[Tony_Salvi]

I break out into the robot till my partner is ready to continue


:uplaugh:

How about saying "Freeze...Hammertime!" and striking a pose?

[sweavo]

Maybe your socials are a bit different Sweavo, but if I were dancing w/somebody and they stopped dancing for a minute to say "goodbye" to someone, I would be quite frankly shocked.

I have been surprised in the past, but even from one town to the next, one school to the next, the customs vary. Personally I think it's not sane to get into a social dancing scene and then place the dancing above the socialising. The whole salsa thing gets a bit aspergers sometimes.

[Sabor]

in those instances i check if my fly is open..

[englezul]

:uplaugh:

How about saying "Freeze...Hammertime!" and striking a pose?


I'm soo gonna do it!

[alemana]

definitely, dance cultures vary.

here in new york, the salsa scene is still dominated by the behavior patterns of latin people, and latin people definitely make a point to say hello and goodbye and "wha happen," etc, usually with kisses (when it's two women or a woman and a man.) it's taken me some time to get used to this on the floor, but i like it.

[Sabor]

or.. just take the closest salsera dancing next to u and continue with her.. giving a huge smile to the guy she was dancing with .. lol