Etiquette

This article is adapted from tips4me.com. You can find the original here.

The way you conduct yourself on the dance floor tells a lot about the kind of person you are. Here are few tips for enjoyable, respectful social dancing:

• Always introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. Ask politely, “Would you like to dance?” Avoid grabbing a partner and pulling them onto the dance floor.
• Treat your partner the way you would wish to be treated
• While dancing it’s a common courtesy, if you bump into someone, or step onto someone’s feet, to apologize before you move on.
• Air steps, lifts, drops, etc are not considered appropriate for social dancing at any time. You could put your partner in danger, yourself, as well as other dancers at the risk of an injury. You can showcase these “show off” steps for performances and competitions or “Jam Circles”.
• Typically swing dancers live by the rule of "never refuse a dance". Very occasionally the rule is broken when the askee is tired, feels unsafe, or isn't in a great mood. When you wish to decline a dance, be polite: smile and say “No, thank you.” If there is a reason why you can’t dance to that song, give the person a reason.
• It is considered the worst possible etiquette to accept an invitation to dance to a song after declining an invitation to the same song by someone else.
• Do not stare at your partner, make proper eye contact. It shows you are paying attention.
• While dancing focus on your partner, make him/her feel good. If you know for a fact that your partner has less experience than you, then dance to their level.
• It isn't appropriate to criticize or teach your partner on the dance floor. If a follow can't get a move, try it a second or third time, but don't keep doing it over-and-over, or try to teach them it. Unless they ask.
• Remember for traveling dances like the Foxtrot, Waltz, etc, the “Line of Dance” is Counter-Clockwise around the dance floor and should make an effort to follow the line of dance. If you are stationary, such as in Lindy Hop, Balboa, Jive, Charleston, or otherwise, you should dance in the center of the dance floor, otherwise, you will end up as an obstruction to others.
• Don’t forget simple courteous statements like a ‘Thank-You’ after finishing a dance.

Thanks to our friends at Red Hot Swing and Swing Dance Calgary for finding such an articulate, complete article about an important topic.

Other items of courtesy are needed in various situations at dances and classes:

• Interrupting an instructor in front of a class is usually never good. If you wish to bring up a point that may help the instructor convey a message to the class, bring it up at a transition point, one-on-one, or raise your hand.
• During class, do not contradict the instructor's teachings to other students. Bring up your disagreement with the instructor one-on-one as soon as appropriate.
• It's OK to request songs for a DJ to play! However, trust that your DJ is experienced and has a reason to every song they play. If your song doesn't get played, don't be offended! The request might have come late, or it doesn't flow with their set, or truth be told, maybe they just don't dig it.
• It's easy to forget about the people playing the music. Clap for the musicians, especially when they nail a solo or create a masterful performance!
• Aerials can be very dangerous. Learn them with a partner who's willing to do them and trusts that you'll keep them safe. Aerials are not done during social dancing with just anyone - they are done for performances, competitions, and sometimes jam circles