I’ve noticed recently that when I’m dancing with someone, formal or informal I rarely look them in the eye. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to run into anyone or them while dancing, and I’m more paying attention to what their whole body is doing in response. I tend to slip into what Bill called ‘soft eye’ when we talked about ways of looking at others in martial arts when you need to see the whole and not the part. I tend to center the gaze on the dip of the collar bone, which, as pictures from dances have proven, looks like my eyes are glazed over staring at the other person’s rack. Or maybe it also means I’m not serious about the person I’m dancing with but about the dancing.

last modified Jan 28, 2003 at 0:37

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eye contact

flattering myself as a sort of dance know-it-all (or something)...
You:re really not supposed to look the other person in the eye. (In formal dancing. I could be wrong about informal.) Obviously, you will bump into others on the dance floor if you:re waltzing around while only having eyes on your partner. The lead should be looking out for where s/he:s going, and the follower has probably noticed that it:s a little weird staring into the eyes of someone who:s not staring back. Generally, you should be looking over your partner:s shoulder. Not only does it not look like you:re staring at his/her bosom, but it also doesn:t look you you:re staring at your feet, and thus you look more skilled. Also, unless you really really love the other person, staring into someone:s eyes for 2 1/2 minutes or however long the song is seems like a bit much.
That:s my two cents and a dollar.

52736 | posted by wilperegrine on February 3, 2003 at 3:57