DANCE FLOOR ETIQUETTE
Personal Grooming
Dancing is an activity where two people come in close contact. Before a dance:
* Shower and use a deodorant,
* Brush teeth and use mouthwash or breath mint,
* Abstain from foods that produce strong odors, like those heavy in garlic
* The odor of cigarettes on one's breath or clothing can be very unattractive.
During a dance:
* During active dance sessions, freshen up and towel off periodically in the bathroom
* Gentlemen, you can carry an extra shirt with you to the dance, in case you need a change.
Sharing the floor:
Please consider your fellow dancers, and dance within your space! Responsible usage of the floor requires that one stays out of the way of others. If it’s crowded, keep your steps small, and before going into a back step take a quick look around you... both partners should use their peripheral vision to avoid collision. Be prepared to change the directions of your patterns, or do a different move, to avoid congested areas. If you are in danger of colliding with other dancers, either partner exerts pressure on the back of his/her partner to make them aware that they are in danger and need to change direction. This requires thinking ahead and matching your patterns to the free areas on the floor (floor-craft). While this may sound complicated to the novice dancer, it gradually becomes second nature. Stiletto’s look good but are extremely dangerous for dancers who don’t dance tight and take big back steps (their partner should warn them if they need to shorten their step). (I’ve seen some nasty accidents caused by stillettos which take MONTHS to heal and in some cases, can mean an operation to reconnect tendons, so PLEASE be careful). (And if an accident does happen, please apologise!). Avoid doing drops and throws on a crowded floor.
Sharing the floor sometimes means leaving the floor! For example, if there are too many dancers to fit on the floor, wait till someone leave the floor before you try and squeeze in. Have turns if the dance floor is too small.
