Technical term for people moving side to side

[bomberswarm2]

When two people are walking together and they both move the same way, what’s this called?

[Claverhouse]

A Chorus Line.

[Mijin]

I’m guessing you mean when two people are walking on a collision course and then keep dodging the same way, so they’re still on a collision course.
I don’t think there’s a formal name for it, but some urban dictionaries mention “the pavement tango”, which I like.

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It occurs to me though that there are a number of related phenomena, and a good nomenclature should cover all. For example, when giving way (physically, or just in speaking) and both participants pause to let the other act, then both move/speak at the same time, then both pause etc.

[Kimstu]

@Mijin

I don’t think there’s a formal name for it

HERESY!!!

The Master has already pronounced on this matter.

@Cecil Adams

Worthy though these efforts may be, I can’t help thinking “shuggleftulation” doesn’t quite cut the mustard, so I’ve been trying to think up something better. The possibilities so far include sidewaltz, minueticate, and (my personal favorite) doing the concrete quadrille. No sensitive person can fail to be impressed by the poetry of these suggestions.

[TriPolar]

In Woonsocket RI this would be called swaying side by each.

[Colophon]

I’m pretty sure The Meaning of Liff covered this one.

Ah yes:

DROITWICH (n.)

A street dance. The two partners approach from opposite directions and try politely to get out of each other’s way. They step to the left, step to the right, apologise, step to the left again, apologise again, bump into each other and repeat as often as unnecessary.

[Inigo_Montoya]

“two people are walking together and they both move the same way”
Not walking at each other.

Moving side to side, as in walking to the left or right while facing forward, is commonly referred to as “strafing” in the video game world. Doing it in a military formation would be “left step/right step”.

Two people walking together and moving the same way might be called “in step” or “in unison” in general terms.

[bob_2]

@bomberswarm2

When two people are walking together and they both move the same way, what’s this called?

Harmony?

[SigMan]

Street Beat!

[Omar_Little]

“in tandem”

[Kimstu]

@The Great Sun Jester

“two people are walking together and they both move the same way”
Not walking at each other.

I don’t think the OP is clear enough to determine this conclusively one way or the other, but I’m guessing that what he meant to refer to is the “droitwich” or “sidewaltz” or “avoidancing” described in previous posts.

[Ranger_Jeff]

If they’re headed in the same direction, they’re merely in step with each other. Unless they’re carrying it to an exaggerated extreme, like during the opening credits of The Monkees television show. If they’re headed towards each other, it’s the avoidance, though some of the other names for this are equally descriptive and certainly more amusing.

[smithsb]

It’s either the oompa lumpa dance from Willy Wonka movie
- YouTube around 55 seconds in.

or most likely “The Goomba Sway”.

The elevator scene from Super Mario movie with the Goombas. Swaying starts about 2:45 in.

Google

[Shakester]

Abreast.

FFS, it’s not an obscure word, it’s standard vocabulary.

[kayaker]

Synchronicity?

[bomberswarm2]

I meant walking towards one another, sorry

[Si_Amigo]

@bomberswarm2

I meant walking towards one another, sorry

You mean like themirror scene from Duck Soup?