Ballroom Guide

Floorcraft is one of the most important skills to possess. If you find yourself on the competition floor and somebody is blocking you from continuing your routine, having a plan of how to adjust will keep you looking smooth and graceful. On the other hand, if you get flustered, freeze up, or get into a collision, the judges will all look somewhere else, and you may lose your spot in the next round. In a previous BGBB article, we talked about some basic figures in each dance that could be used to avoid collisions (called dodgers), but today we are going to go in depth into Tango and give you Syllabus-legal dodgers for every situation you could find yourself in.

Also, check out Syllabus Waltz Dodgers, and Syllabus Foxtrot Dodgers.

What are Dodgers

When an obstacle on the floor interrupts your routine, the best course of action is to curve your routine to avoid it, without changing the routine itself, however, sometimes that is impossible. In this situation, the routine must change to avoid colliding with the obstacle. A dodger is a single figure or short combination of figures that you can use at a point in your routine to avoid collision, which then returns you to that same point in your routine. Dodgers should be practiced so that when the Man uses one all of a sudden, the Lady is familiar enough with the pattern that she can follow it without hesitation.

You should have a dodger for each of the following situations, which are the most common:

Natural Figures Moving Forward
1) Forward on the RF, facing DW
2) Forward on the RF, facing DC

Reverse Figures Moving Forward
3) Forward on the LF, facing DW
4) Forward on the LF, facing DC

Natural Figures Moving Back
5) Back on the LF, backing LOD
6) Back on the LF, backing LOD, Lady OP

Reverse Figures Moving Back
7) Back on the RF, backing LOD

Figures Commenced in PP
8) In PP moving DW
9) In PP moving DC

Below you will find multiple options of what to do next for each of the 9 situations listed. Choose only one and practice it, so you can fall back on it without thinking when the time comes.

Ballroom Guide's Choice: Top 3 Tango Dodgers

You may will notice many of the same figures being used over and over. These figures are invaluable for floorcraft, due to their versatility, and being comfortable with them will allow you to get out of any situation. Because in Tango, unlike in the other dances, it is not uncharacteristic for the dancers to stop and start abruptly, simply waiting until the path is clear is always a reliable course of action, and often the best one. That said, as far as figures go, become familiar with the LF Rock and RF Rock, the Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn, and the Contra Check.

1. Forward on the RF, facing DW

You have just danced a LF Walk, and would like to dance a Rock Turn, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (PreBronze): If possible, curve the LF Walk to the left to avoid the obstacle.

Option 3 (PreBronze): Turn the LF Walk you have just danced into step 1 of the Progressive Link, then follow with a Closed Promenade, and recommence from the LF Walk.

Option 4 (Bronze): Dance a RF Rock, followed by a LF Rock, then continue with the following figure.

22. Forward on the RF, facing DC

This instance does not occur in Syllabus Tango

3. Forward on the LF, facing DW

You have just danced an Closed Promenade, and would like to dance a Four Step, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (PreBronze): If there is enough space, dance a Progressive Link, then continue with what would have followed the Four Step.

Option 3 (PreBronze): Dance a Back Corte, then continue with the following figure.

Option 4 (Bronze): Dance a LF Rock, followed by a RF Rock, then continue with the following figure.

Option 5 (Bronze): If it is possible to curve past the left of the obstacle, dance a Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn (overturning the first three steps drastically to reach the correct alignment), then continue with the following figure.

Option 6 (Silver): If it is possible to curve past the left of the obstacle, dance a Brush Tap, followed by any Reverse Turn, then continue with the following figure.

Option 7 (Silver): If instead of a Closed Promenade, this had been an Open Promenade (or any Open Finish), dance an Outside Swivel to give the obstacle time to move, then continue with the following figure.

Option 8 (Gold): Dance a Contra Check,, followed by a Closed Promenade, then continue with the following figure.

4. Forward on the LF, facing DC

You have just danced a RF Walk, and would like to dance an Open Reverse Turn, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (Bronze): Dance a Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn in place of the Open Reverse Turn, allowing you to curve against LOD and finish at the same alignment.

Option 3 (Bronze): Dance a LF Rock, followed by a RF Rock, then continue with the following figure.

Option 4 (Gold): Dance a Contra Check, followed by a Closed Promenade, then continue with the following figure.

5. Back on the LF, backing LOD

You have just danced 1-2 of an Open Reverse Turn, Lady in Line, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (Bronze): Change the Open Reverse Turn into a Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn, then continue with the following figure.

Option 3 (Gold): Cross the LF in front of the RF to change the Open Reverse Turn into a Basic Reverse Turn, then if the obstacle has moved, continue with steps 4-6 of the Reverse Turn.

6. Back on the LF, backing LOD, Lady OP

You have just danced 1-2 of an Open Reverse Turn, Lady Outside, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (Bronze): Change the Open Reverse Turn into a Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn, then continue with the following figure.

Option 3 (Silver): Rather than taking a long step back, cross the LF behind the RF and change the Open Reverse Turn into a Reverse Outside Swivel, follow with a Promenade Link, then continue with what would have followed the Open Reverse Turn.

Option 4 (Gold): Cross the LF in front of the RF to change the Open Reverse Turn into a Basic Reverse Turn, then if the obstacle has moved, continue with steps 4-6 of the Reverse Turn.

7. Back on the RF, backing LOD

You have just danced 1-3 of a Basic Reverse Turn, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (Bronze): Dance steps 4-10 of the Progressive Side Step Reverse Turn, then continue with the following figure.

8. In PP moving DW

You have just danced a Progressive Link, and would like to dance a Closed Promenade, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (PreBronze): Turn the Progressive Link to the left, so you end up ready to move DC instead.

9. In PP moving DC

You have just danced a Progressive Link, and would like to dance a Closed Promenade, but there is an obstacle in your way.

Option 1 (PreBronze): Wait until the obstacle moves, then continue with the following figure.

Option 2 (PreBronze): Turn the Progressive Link to the right, so you end up ready to move DW instead.