Floorcraft - A Lost Art? By Anthony Hurley

With recent discussions around standards in competitive ballroom, floorcraft has once again become a hot topic.

Ballroom legend Anthony Hurley shares his thoughts on what he sees happening on today’s competition floors, particularly amongst younger couples, and why this essential skill may be at risk of being overlooked.

Drawing on his experience, Anthony revisits an article he originally wrote on floorcraft, with updated reflections that feel more relevant than ever.

For dancers at every level, this is a timely reminder of the importance of awareness, adaptability, and respect for fellow competitors on the floor.

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Further to my thoughts and comments on the Ballroom events, I feel I must make reference to the bad floor craft presented by many couples especially in the Under 21 and Rising Star Amateur events. I think the Elite Amateurs and Professionals can be excluded from my critique.

With this in mind I include an article I wrote some years ago on the subject of Floorcraft with a few up to date modifications.

It is particularly essential to understand this very important aspect of competitive dancing especially when large heats are necessary.

It is quite obvious to me that fixed routines with couples placing their chosen choreography in the exact same place on the floor in every round. The complex selection of figures, plus an attitude by the competitors that the adjudicators expect everyone to be moving at maximum speed and circumnavigating the floor as many times as possible, are I believe to be the main reasons for bad collisions and the lack of respect for ones fellow competitors, not to mention the poor adjudicators standing on the perimeter of the floor.

Furthermore, I wonder if younger coaches are approaching the subject in lessons. Surely it should be part of sensible coaching to point out to students this aspect of competitive dancing. Personally, I often tried to include and impress on couples the importance of a sound knowledge of the basic and standard figures in each dance so that they could be attractively included to have the ability to change direction and seek alternative space to continue ones chosen and rehearsed choreography.

It certainly does not help the performance of a couple or their immediate rivals if they keep colliding on the floor sometimes with considerable force. The adjudicators are more likely to be impressed to see good floorcraft when assessing a couple’s performance. This is a quality that must be addressed before someone is badly hurt.

Therefore, what are the essential ingredients for creating good floorcraft.

1. Good eyesight and awareness from both Gentleman & Lady.

2. A reasonable knowledge of the basic and standard figures.

3. Correct posture engaging a good weight connection enabling the Lady to react to the Mans directional changes to avoid a collision. This may be a sudden change of direction or perhaps a hover action for example. Danced correctly it will not detract from a fine performance or musicality.

4. The art of hesitation to avoid another couple. Use these moments to relax and listen to the music before you set off in your new direction. Perfect these attributes and you will naturally recommence in phrase with the music.

5. The ability to anticipate other couples direction of movement on the floor.

6. Understand what is meant by the Line Of Dance. Line of Dance is an imaginary line with the wall always on the Mans right side. Generally, we should always be travelling in an anticlockwise direction, although there are some acceptable exceptions.

The qualities listed above should be uppermost in ones mind even when practising at your local school or club, especially when the other teachers and couples are sharing the floor.

Perhaps today’s competitors are at a disadvantage in that they do not have the opportunity of practising in my parents studio, my father used to slide chairs at us so that we could develop the art of directional change (Floorcraft) without losing our performance. Believe me it was worth the effort.