fordevelopment Offset is a relational understanding used in varying degrees in every partner dance. We use Offset as a relational understanding differing from a perfect central alignment. This prevents some of the connective incompatibility of knees, noses, and other body parts to being directly in line with eachother. Another large reason why there is always at least some Offset is that eye contact can be oppressive especially at close range.
There are 6 main offset positions:
Outside Partner Left(a move in many dances namely Argentine Tango and Quickstep):
Allows knees to pass fully offset from your partners, Stretches the Frame a bit
Interlocking Offset Left(Most partner dances):
Allows knees to pass each other comfortably interlocked while aligning your center align with your partner's shoulders
Slight offset Left(Latin and Micro)
Avoids eye contact while aligning a majority of the body
Dead Center for Reference
Slight offset Right(rarely used)
Somtimes used in slow dances when the other side gets tired.
Interlocking Offset Right (Reverse pivots, Rarely Used)
allows inversions of dynamic ideas when needed
Outside Partner Right “Wing Position” (Sometimes Used)
Often an inversion of the other outside partner
As you can see we have a left bias. This is entirely arbitrary and every dance could be inverted if it weren’t so engrained. This is evidence that all modern partner dances are related at least in some way to each other though it could also be related to left brain vs right brain thinking.
It can be really hard on people doing especially the slight offset right and interlocking offset right as these fundamentally reshape all aspects of the dance while still keeping all components. This often leads to confusion in the dysphoric, twisted way similar but fundamentally different things sometimes become.
Ideas for Further Consideration: Body Awareness Association Alignment Eye Contact