THE DANCE FLOOR ETIQUETTE

 

NEVER

 

Never...carry food, drinks, glasses, cans or lighted cigarettes onto the dance floor

Never...walk through a line of dancers to cross the floor - always walk around or wait

Never...stand on the floor to talk - if music is playing, go off the dance floor to chat

Never...start a different dance unless there is plenty of room and you sense it is acceptable

Never...hog the dance floor to 'perform'. If the floor is full, take small steps and watch for collisions

Never...stop in the middle of a dance to teach, as you'll be in the way. Go off the floor to teach

Never...even if you know the dance being taught and the person next to you is struggling, talk over                the instructor. It is confusing to the learner and irritating to those around you, not to mention              the instructor. There should be only one person teaching a specific dance at any one time

Never...let your feet, knees, arms or elbows become dangerous weapons on the dance floor

Never...show off. Crazed variations, turbo spins, high kicks and jumps just put people off - YOU!

Never...if you bring along a child, should you let them run around or across the dance floor - it's both              irritating and dangerous

 

 

ALWAYS

 

Always... listen to the DJ. It is customary for a DJ to designate the dance and to 'count you in'

Always... encourage and support beginners. It only takes a few kind words to make you a new friend

Always... go to the front when starting off a dance. Others can then line up behind you

Always... clear the dance floor area after a dance ends and before the next dance begins if you're                       having a conversation with a friend. If you don't need the floor space for dancing, others do.

Always... be gracious and apologise when caught in a 'bump' even if it was not your fault

Always... replace any drinks you accidentally knock over and be sure to say sorry

Always... leave the outside edge of the dance floor clear for partner and couple dances

Always... give way to dancers around the edge of the floor

Always... dance with the flow. The Line Of Dance (LOD) is anti-clockwise

Always... keep the noise levels down when instruction or announcements are taking place

Always... show appreciation. Applaud live acts, instructors and DJ's - they work hard for you

 

                   Reproduced from an amalgam of an article in Linedancer magazine,
                                  personal experience and various other sources.