It seems that no matter where I've danced, no one is able to follow a line of dance and not avoid collision or near collision with the other couples and it seems like some people dance with no regard to who is around them.

Has anyone had a different experience?

"Wherever you go, you represent the team. You will talk like, you will look like and you will act like the most dignified professional in your hometown" - Vince Lombardi to his players.

Keh, as I probably didn't quite make clear in my post, there are two ways that it's done in the UK. Some ladies will pull back, others will apply pressure on (as in "squeeze hard" *passion*) the man's shoulder.