Re: dancing "away"

Feel free to be curmudgeonly.   Perhaps I just didn't describe myself
clearly enough.   As you noticed, even an experienced dancer may not
WANT to do unusual moves, and some beginners are overwhelmed by new
moves, and some are tickled pink.  As an outgoing person, I prefer to
have their disposition, as well as their birthday, phone number,
favourite restaurant, and most vivid dream all before dancing.    
Opening with "how long have you been dancing" is a pretty nuetral way
of starting conversation, and avoiding a lot of other questions.

Of course, in my home town, if I'm feeling quiet, and my neighbor
knows me, I generally take hands four, and then take my left hand, and
put it on my right shoulder.  That puts my neighbors arm behind my
neck, causing us to cuddle me.  Putting my right arm on my left
shoulder, allows both women to cuddle me (leaving the opportunity for
one or both to strangle me by pulling) -- and generally the response
to that is a pretty clear indication of how open/flirty my partner is.
    But, that's kinda "a little odd" for those quiet beginners.