Stepping Here, Stepping There: the Informal School

Abstract

Lurking in the interstices of the official school is the informal school, with its possibilities, alternatives, tensions and pressures. The official steps and movements become diversified. Various exchanges take place in order to negotiate where and how to step — though the alterations also follow from silent interaction, implicit understandings, where small signals are sent, received and interpreted — and joint action results. Perhaps some loner or soloist has not joined in, or has not been encouraged to or allowed to, and hence observes the movements of the others from a marginal position. Such a retreat may also have more to do with stepping aside with thoughts on different tunes, different movements and different partners — even a different dance floor. Among those who are dancing, a range of verbal, physical and other contacts are taking place. They are making contact — moving in unison, stepping in tune with others, all searching for similar rhythms. They may be developing their own steps, making a difference, constructing a display, making a mockery of the expected steps, or moving round lazily, not wanting to make the effort to learn the proper steps, or moving around clumsily, finding the correct steps difficult or impossible. Whether they are dancing according to the rules, using official, formal, or informal, altered steps, they may at any given moment be feeling energetic or tired, happy or sad, excited or frustrated, in tune with others or lonely and in discord.

We thank Mary Kehily for suggestions on this chapter.