What is Floorcraft:
The responsibility of each dancer to use spatial and body awareness, and movement control to navigate a shared dance floor with the goal of upholding each dancer’s right to their body autonomy and physical safety. Floorcraft is a community care mechanism through which dancers keep themselves and each other safe.
The purpose of Floorcraft:
Just as there are minimum safety requirements to drive a car on the road, there are minimum safety requirements for moving on a dance floor. Partner dance does carry physical risks that can have lasting effects on one’s well being. Floorcraft rules and guidelines are there to preserve body autonomy, prevent physical harm, and reduce the risks of dancing in a shared space with other people. Floorcraft safety requirements can vary from location to location, but should be outlined and enforced at each dance venue by your dance hosts for the protection of your body autonomy and physical safety.
Why Floorcraft Matters:
The goal of floorcraft is to enable everyone to dance as safely as possible. Dancers can show each other mutual respect and honor each other’s body autonomy by practicing good floorcraft.
Concepts for further exploration within Floorcraft include:
- Spatial Awareness
- Visually Mapping a space and other dancers
- Body Awareness
- Anticipating and Projecting Movement through space
- Moving Backwards Safely
- Line of Dance and Right of Way in moving dances
- Momentum Absorption and Redirection as navigation tools
- Stops and Freezes as “Emergency Brakes”
- Redirects
- Communicating with fellow dancers and organizers about Floorcraft