Flawless Floorcraft
On Sunday 4th May, we will be offering the first ever ‘Flawless Floorcraft’ workshops at St Nicholas at Wade. This is something that we’ve wanted to introduce for some time and many of you have requested something similar too. These workshops will give you the tools & confidence to dance around your fellow dancers and adapt to anything that might happen.
Limited to just 4 couples in each session, this intimacy will allow for more personally focussed micro tuition.
Please don’t think you need to be accomplished dancers! Don’t worry if you are newer to dancing socially, you will not find yourselves in a session with the more advanced dancers.
To attend you need to have a basic understanding of dancing socially, by that we mean you can get up and dance at least basic steps for the waltz, foxtrot & quickstep. We may not cover all 3 dances in a workshop, but you need to be prepared to be able to do so.
The workshops will take place later in the afternoon (last session will end at 7.15pm) but the exact time will be determined by the attendees as we will be aiming to put people of a similar level in sessions together.
We don’t want anyone to feel intimidated; these workshops are aimed at increasing your confidence and making you feel comfortable to dance on a busier dancefloor & able to tackle any obstacles that occur.
Whilst these workshops are not about teaching these dances to anyone who has never covered them before in class, you only need to have simple foundation steps for all 3 dances. However, this isn’t like our Supervised Practice, so if you need some advice, just ask us.
The fee per person for this 75-minute session will be £11 per person.
Limited to just 4 couples in each session, this intimacy will allow for more personally focussed micro tuition.
Please don’t think you need to be accomplished dancers! Don’t worry if you are newer to dancing socially, you will not find yourselves in a session with the more advanced dancers.
To attend you need to have a basic understanding of dancing socially, by that we mean you can get up and dance at least basic steps for the waltz, foxtrot & quickstep. We may not cover all 3 dances in a workshop, but you need to be prepared to be able to do so.
The workshops will take place later in the afternoon (last session will end at 7.15pm) but the exact time will be determined by the attendees as we will be aiming to put people of a similar level in sessions together.
We don’t want anyone to feel intimidated; these workshops are aimed at increasing your confidence and making you feel comfortable to dance on a busier dancefloor & able to tackle any obstacles that occur.
Whilst these workshops are not about teaching these dances to anyone who has never covered them before in class, you only need to have simple foundation steps for all 3 dances. However, this isn’t like our Supervised Practice, so if you need some advice, just ask us.
The fee per person for this 75-minute session will be £11 per person.
Book In Using The Box Below or Call or Text 07759311697
timings
The workshops will take place later in the afternoon...
- 3:00pm - 4:15pm
- 4:30pm - 5:45pm
- 6:00pm - 7:15pm
VENUE
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Whilst this workshop will be 90% practical, we will also discuss:
- What Is Floorcraft
- Why Floorcraft Matters
- Promoting Safety
- Navigation and The Line of Dance
- Awareness of Others
- Adaptability
- Courtesy, Confidence, and Control
- The Dancefloor ‘Highway Code’ (Etiquette)
- Understanding Your Dance Space
- Imaginary Central Reservation
- When To Cross The ‘No Go’ Line
- Don’t Hug The Corner
What Is Floorcraft
Floorcraft is the ability to move around the dance floor with grace, awareness and respect for those dancing around you. It’s what allows multiple couples to share the same space without bumping into each other. When done well, it feels smooth, effortless and spectators will barely notice it’s happening. Yet it’s this skill that often sets experienced dancers apart from the rest.
When you first start learning ballroom dancing, most of your attention goes into getting the steps right, but as your confidence grows and you begin dancing in busier settings, you’ll soon discover another essential skill that makes all the difference, floorcraft.
If you’ve ever stood at the edge of a busy dance floor wondering how couples manage to move so quickly without crashing into each other, you’re not alone. It can feel overwhelming at first, but with a bit of knowledge and practice, you’ll soon learn how to ‘read the traffic’ and move confidently among others.
Steps matter and technique is important, but without floorcraft you're missing a key ingredient that will make dancing truly enjoyable for you, your partner and everyone around you.
In social dancing, good floorcraft keeps everyone safe and happy. It allows the floor to flow naturally and helps create a better experience for everyone involved.
Why Floorcraft Matters
Floorcraft is a vital part of ballroom dancing, especially in social settings where multiple couples share the floor. Good floorcraft helps you move with confidence, avoid collisions and make the most of the space, while showing off your partner and steps.
It’s a skill every dancer should develop. Floorcraft makes busy floors feel less intimidating and helps everyone enjoy a smoother, safer experience.
Promoting Safety
Accidents can happen when dancers aren’t paying attention. Ballroom dancing might look more elegant than football, but high heels, fast spins and sudden movements can still cause injuries. This is usually the result of poor floorcraft.
Navigation and The Line of Dance
Ballroom dancers follow a traditional flow around the room, moving in an anticlockwise direction. This is known as the line of dance. Good floorcraft means understanding this rule and following it, while also adapting, when necessary, based on the “traffic” ahead.
Awareness of Others
When you dance in a shared space, you’re not alone. You’re surrounded by other couples, each moving at their own pace, in their own style. Good floorcraft includes:
• Keeping your head up and looking ahead.
• Anticipating where other dancers are heading.
• Knowing where each figure you dance will end.
• Avoiding dangerous or inconsiderate movements.
Leaders have the main responsibility of choosing a safe and suitable path, but followers play a role too, staying alert and responsive to changes in direction.
Adaptability
You might want to try a specific figure or routine, but the floor might not allow it. This is where floorcraft becomes an art. Dancers must be able to:
• Adjust alignments.
• Adapt timing.
• Switch to a different step if the path is blocked.
• Pivot, pause or turn with control and purpose.
Great floorcraft means responding to what's happening around you without breaking rhythm—or drawing attention to the adjustment..
Courtesy, Confidence and Control
Floorcraft isn’t just about avoiding collisions. It’s about dancing with the other couples, not against them. This means:
• Avoiding reckless or risky movements.
• Taking responsibility if you bump someone, with a smile or quick apology.
• Always being mindful of your partner’s safety.
Respectful dancing creates a positive, welcoming atmosphere at for all on the dance floor.
‘Highway Code’ (Etiquette)
Floorcraft involves respecting etiquette and upholding the Dancefloor ‘Highway Code’. Most importantly it allows everyone to enjoy dancing around the room with greater ease whilst minimises collisions. On occasions, you may collide with someone; if so, simply apologise and continue to dance.
Understanding Your Dance Space
As nearly all Ballrooms are rectangular, so is our illustration. This also helps to divide the room into distinct areas: the 2 long sides, 2 short sides and 4 corners.
Floorcraft is the ability to move around the dance floor with grace, awareness and respect for those dancing around you. It’s what allows multiple couples to share the same space without bumping into each other. When done well, it feels smooth, effortless and spectators will barely notice it’s happening. Yet it’s this skill that often sets experienced dancers apart from the rest.
When you first start learning ballroom dancing, most of your attention goes into getting the steps right, but as your confidence grows and you begin dancing in busier settings, you’ll soon discover another essential skill that makes all the difference, floorcraft.
If you’ve ever stood at the edge of a busy dance floor wondering how couples manage to move so quickly without crashing into each other, you’re not alone. It can feel overwhelming at first, but with a bit of knowledge and practice, you’ll soon learn how to ‘read the traffic’ and move confidently among others.
Steps matter and technique is important, but without floorcraft you're missing a key ingredient that will make dancing truly enjoyable for you, your partner and everyone around you.
In social dancing, good floorcraft keeps everyone safe and happy. It allows the floor to flow naturally and helps create a better experience for everyone involved.
Why Floorcraft Matters
Floorcraft is a vital part of ballroom dancing, especially in social settings where multiple couples share the floor. Good floorcraft helps you move with confidence, avoid collisions and make the most of the space, while showing off your partner and steps.
It’s a skill every dancer should develop. Floorcraft makes busy floors feel less intimidating and helps everyone enjoy a smoother, safer experience.
Promoting Safety
Accidents can happen when dancers aren’t paying attention. Ballroom dancing might look more elegant than football, but high heels, fast spins and sudden movements can still cause injuries. This is usually the result of poor floorcraft.
Navigation and The Line of Dance
Ballroom dancers follow a traditional flow around the room, moving in an anticlockwise direction. This is known as the line of dance. Good floorcraft means understanding this rule and following it, while also adapting, when necessary, based on the “traffic” ahead.
Awareness of Others
When you dance in a shared space, you’re not alone. You’re surrounded by other couples, each moving at their own pace, in their own style. Good floorcraft includes:
• Keeping your head up and looking ahead.
• Anticipating where other dancers are heading.
• Knowing where each figure you dance will end.
• Avoiding dangerous or inconsiderate movements.
Leaders have the main responsibility of choosing a safe and suitable path, but followers play a role too, staying alert and responsive to changes in direction.
Adaptability
You might want to try a specific figure or routine, but the floor might not allow it. This is where floorcraft becomes an art. Dancers must be able to:
• Adjust alignments.
• Adapt timing.
• Switch to a different step if the path is blocked.
• Pivot, pause or turn with control and purpose.
Great floorcraft means responding to what's happening around you without breaking rhythm—or drawing attention to the adjustment..
Courtesy, Confidence and Control
Floorcraft isn’t just about avoiding collisions. It’s about dancing with the other couples, not against them. This means:
• Avoiding reckless or risky movements.
• Taking responsibility if you bump someone, with a smile or quick apology.
• Always being mindful of your partner’s safety.
Respectful dancing creates a positive, welcoming atmosphere at for all on the dance floor.
‘Highway Code’ (Etiquette)
Floorcraft involves respecting etiquette and upholding the Dancefloor ‘Highway Code’. Most importantly it allows everyone to enjoy dancing around the room with greater ease whilst minimises collisions. On occasions, you may collide with someone; if so, simply apologise and continue to dance.
Understanding Your Dance Space
As nearly all Ballrooms are rectangular, so is our illustration. This also helps to divide the room into distinct areas: the 2 long sides, 2 short sides and 4 corners.
Imaginary Central Reservation
Imagine there is a ‘No Go’ line which divides the full length of the long side in half and is approximately two feet wide. Avoid this area to minimise collisions. This is similar to the ‘median strip’ in America or the ‘central reservation’ in Britain which divide the lanes of road traffic. As you can imagine, if you get too close to the ‘No Go Line’ in your car, best case scenario, you’ll clip mirrors whilst the same will for couples but hopefully just with their elbows!
When To Cross The ‘No Go’ Line
Imagine the long side of the floor divided into thirds, only cross the line once you’ve progressed along two-thirds of the room. The same applies to the short side.
Don’t Hug The Corner
Don’t wait until you’re only a few feet from the edge of the floor to change direction between long/short sides. You may continue onto the next Line of Dance at any point once you’ve progressed along two-thirds of your floor.
Imagine there is a ‘No Go’ line which divides the full length of the long side in half and is approximately two feet wide. Avoid this area to minimise collisions. This is similar to the ‘median strip’ in America or the ‘central reservation’ in Britain which divide the lanes of road traffic. As you can imagine, if you get too close to the ‘No Go Line’ in your car, best case scenario, you’ll clip mirrors whilst the same will for couples but hopefully just with their elbows!
When To Cross The ‘No Go’ Line
Imagine the long side of the floor divided into thirds, only cross the line once you’ve progressed along two-thirds of the room. The same applies to the short side.
Don’t Hug The Corner
Don’t wait until you’re only a few feet from the edge of the floor to change direction between long/short sides. You may continue onto the next Line of Dance at any point once you’ve progressed along two-thirds of your floor.
Ticket Booking T&Cs
- Each Workshop is £11 per person.
- Please do not arrive at a session without giving us advance notice.
- Non-refundable payment in advance is necessary to secure your place.
- Contact Maggie for bank transfer details.
(a) Please only request tickets if you know you can attend.
(b) Once tickets have been requested, payment is due within 48 hours to secure your place.
(c) Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to any other event or person(s).
(d) Payment within 48 hours is each individual's responsibility. Reminders to pay within the specified 48-hour time period will not be issued.
(e) Some individuals may unfortunately discover their tickets have been sold if they fail to pay within 48 hours*.
(f) No tickets will be issued. Names are added to an attendance list.
(g) We accept payment in person or via bank transfer.**
(h) Please do not make payment until your booking has been confirmed.
*Section (e): exceptions are made for those who contact us to inform us of a reason for delayed payment. A date for payment will then be agreed upon.
**PLEASE let Maggie know when you make a bank transfer and the bank reference you have given. She will then confirm receipt of funds with you.
- NEVER write generic references such as dance, class, practice, private etc.
- Put your first name(s) followed by the date of the event e.g. Maggie Steven 14/2
venue details
Village Hall, The Street, St Nicholas At Wade, CT7 0NP
Click Postcode For Map
What3Words Map: strictly.heightens.arrow
Click Postcode For Map
What3Words Map: strictly.heightens.arrow
parking
Parking: This venue has a very small free on-site car park but has ample free on-street parking.