Sometimes, you can be talking to someone for hours, and it feels like only a few minutes. You natter and natter without ever having to think of what to say or cringe through any awkward silence. There's a gentle sway to things - you listen, they speak, they listen, you speak. The chat dances to the easy and comfortable rhythm of the conversational tide.
Not necessarily because of the flowing bottles of wine and the second and third helpings of dessert - though those are great - but because of the chatter around the table. The unexpected personal connections. The shared laughter, heated debates, thinly veiled gossip, spontaneous moments of revelry. The ideal dinner party is all about the company; not just how they contribute to the vibe, but also how each guest embraces the opportunity to meet new people.
The most basic structural rule of conversation is taking turns, with a corollary that conversational turns should be similar in length. If someone is dominating a conversation, then they are violating this basic structural rule.