This page contains the Swing and Ballroom Dance Club's Dance Etiquette Tips for the FALL QUARTER 2009.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: The Swing and Ballroom Dance Club is a SOCIAL DANCING club. Please invite someone new to dance with you!
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Common courtesy should be followed while dancing. If you bump into someone, or step on someone, you should immediately apologize, then move on.
- Social Hygiene Etiquette Tip: Even your closest friends will hesitate to discuss hygiene problems with you. So we will just tell everyone: clean up before you go to a dance. Brush your teeth, use a breath mint, use deodorant, and take a towel and perhaps a change of clothing with you.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Please do not congregate to socialize on the dance floor, while a dance is in progress. The dance floor should be used by dancers. Socializers should use the lounge areas or sitting areas to gather and talk.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Aerials (including Air Steps, Lifts, Drops, etc) are NOT APPROPRIATE for Social Dancing at ANY TIME! Besides possibly injuring yourself and your partner, you also put other dancers at risk of injury! Save these "show off" steps for other opportunities, such as "Jam Circles", performances, or competitions.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Always remember to clap for the band (or DJ, if no band) after the song. This does not require much effort on your part, and it will encourage the band to play better, (or the DJ to play better songs), once they realize that the dancers appear to be enthusiastic and appreciate their efforts.
- Social Dance Floor Etiquette Tip: For traveling dances (Waltz, Foxtrot, etc), the "Line of Dance" is Counter-Clockwise around the dance floor. If you are traveling, you should follow the line of dance. If you are stationary, you should dance in the middle/center of the dance floor, otherwise, you will end up as a "Speed Bump".
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: It is NEVER OK to accept an invitation to dance to a song after having declined a dance invitation (for any reason) to the same song by someone else! This is probably the WORST etiquette infraction that a dancer can do.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Don't be a "Dance Floor Hog". The dance floor is shared space. Be aware of how much room you are using. If the floor is always crowded, try to get by with using a smaller area. Also, it's OK not to dance every song, to give others a chance to get onto the floor.
- Social Dance Etiquette Tip: Remember to thank your partner for the dance! Whether you had the greatest dance of your life, or couldn't wait for the music to end, your partner will appreciate your dancing more by this small act of dance etiquette kindness.
This page was updated by Steve Carlan on 9/10/2009.