Ms. Poppy Chiffon — the doyenne of dance, the baroness of ballroom etiquette, the sultana of Southern hospitality — is pleased to answer your dance-related questions. Here are a few queries that Poppy deigned to extract from her mailbag this week. If you have a question that you would like Poppy Chiffon to address, please e-mail her at askpoppy@dancestationusa.com. Ms. Chiffon regrets that she cannot respond individually to questions.
Dear Poppy,
Sometimes in partner dancing the leader wants to hold me too close. How close should we get in ballroom dancing, and who determines the distance?
Too Close for Comfort
Dear Too Close,
Honey, this is one of the only times in dance when the leader should follow the follow. The follow should always be allowed to determine the distance between the partners no matter what the dance! She does this through the placement of her left hand, putting it on her partner’s right shoulder for a closer distance, or just above his bicep for a greater distance. Leaders, let your follow lead this one.
Dear Poppy,
I am afraid to ask someone to dance. I admit it — I don’t want to be turned down. How can I tell if someone would like to dance with me?
Lead Me to Your Follows
Dear Lead Me,
Sweetie, pay attention to potential partners who are sitting around the dance floor. If someone is watching other dancers and smiling and moving to the music, she wants to dance. So ask! Obviously, don’t ask someone who is sitting with her back to the floor engaged in a conversation. Someone who is watching the other dancers with a smile on her face is ready to dance, so don’t be afraid to approach her!
