Dancing Etiquette
Ways to conduct yourself at dances to ensure a positive experience for all
Download Dancing Etiquette File
- Whether in class or in a social setting, dance with a variety of partners.
- Both men and women should feel free to ask anyone to dance. If you intend to dance a particular dance, it is courteous to accept the first person to ask you; it is impolite to decline and wait for a “better offer.”
- In forming sets, always join at the bottom; do not cut in above couples who already have joined.
- Listen quietly and attentively to instructions.
- Give eye contact to your partner and other dancers. Smile!
- When assisting less experienced dancers, keep verbal directions to a minimum; use eye contact and appropriate gestures (such as offering the correct hand or shoulder); and never shout or scowl at, or push or pull, another dancer. Be kind!
- Be willing to sacrifice your own technique as necessary to assist an elderly or impaired dancer.
- At a ball or other non-teaching event, do not stand up for a dance unless you know it; or, unless you are familiar with all of the figures in the dance and can dance it from a brief.
- Remember that everyone, including experienced dancers, makes mistakes. If a dance breaks down, stay calm and prepare for the next phrase or repetition.
- Thank your partner and the set at the end of each dance.