Partner Dance Manners

1. Partner Dance Manners CRMA 4

2. Partner Dances can be a lot of fun – for the dancing itself and for social interaction. • Please remember that having that great time is completely up to you and your good attitude! • Come prepared to have fun and you will! And, of course, a class of dancing can turn a bad day into a fabulous one!

3. Social dancing requires a certain degree of physical closeness. Good hygiene before and during class shows respect and consideration for the other dancers. • Cleanliness is of prime importance at a social dance! • Deodorants: Use Them! Deodorant is a requirement – not an option. • Cologne / Perfume: Please Don’t! Many people are sensitive or even allergic to perfumes, colognes, and other heavily scented products; reactions can range from mild to very severe. Please be considerate of your dance partners’ health and safety and refrain from wearing strong scents. • Waiting to Inhale… Since we are very close to one another when we dance we’re very aware of each other’s breath. Do brush your Teeth.

4. Following dance floor etiquette helps everyone to have fun. Simply put, it means being courteous and respectful to those around you. It’s more important for a social dancer to be a considerate and thoughtful partner than to be a technically expert dancer. • Naturally some people will prefer certain partners to others, but this should not prevent them from asking or accepting an offer to dance with a new person.

5. Asking Someone to Dance • Who to Ask • Anyone can ask anyone else to dance. Leaders ask followers, followers ask leaders, experienced dancers ask • beginners, beginners ask experienced dancers… you get the idea. • Some people can find it challenging at first but pushing through the initial fear is so worth it! In a very short time you’ll become very good at asking Note: People have a tendency to dance more with people they already know; it’s easier and it reduces their fear of rejection. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re clique-ish, stuck-up, or that they don’t want to dance with you; often it means they’re a little shy or stuck in a rut. Remember – asking someone to dance is paying them a compliment.

6. What does it mean when someone asks you to dance? They are paying you a compliment. There are lots of people they could ask. They are taking a big risk, because you might say no. They would like to spend 3 minutes dancing with you. It DOES NOT mean any of these things That they are asking you to marry them. That they want to be your boyfriend or girlfriend. That they want you to spend the rest of the evening with them.

7. How to Ask • "Would you like to dance?" is perfect, but anything similar is fine. When asking someone to dance, make eye contact, extend your hand invitingly, and ask in a clear voice. • If you partner says yes, extend your hand to them and lead (or follow) them onto the dance floor. • Be specific - always ask one particular person to dance. Do not go up to 2 people standing together and ask,"Would either of you care to dance?" The result will be that each of them will hesitate and defer politely to the other, but you'll experience it as rejection.

8. Turn to a partner • We will now practice how to ask someone if they would like to dance • Be mature • Make eye contact • Respect EACH OTHER • Firm Handshake • Loud, Clear Voice ;)

9. Accepting a Dance (or not • Say Yes! If someone asks you to dance, it’s nearly always appropriate to say yes. In a social dance environment it’s expected that you’ll dance with a variety of people and to say “yes” when someone asks you. And remember –every time you agree to dance with someone else you help foster a friendly thriving dance community! • However, social dances are not endurance events where you must dance until you drop. Nor must you dance if you are only interested in watching the other dancers. It’s important to take care of yourself and dance as much or as little as is appropriate for you.

10. Say No... (if you must) • There are several good reasons for saying no when asked to dance. It’s absolutely correct and appropriate to say no if you are physically exhausted, if you need to get water or use the restroom, if you are injured, or if you’ve already promised that dance to someone else. If you decline someone for one of these reasons you should seek that person out later and ask him/her to dance. • However, keep in mind that if you do turn someone down it's considered very rude to then accept an invitation to dance from someone else while that same song is playing. Not only is this poor dance etiquette, it is inconsiderate and cruel and will dampen the evening for the rejected partner. • It is never acceptable to say “no” because you don't think the partner is good enough for you, or because you are hoping someone “better” will ask you. • In order for social dancing to be a fun and joyous activity dancers must be supportive of and kind to each other at all skill levels. How to Say No • If you do say no, etiquette explicitly says that you do not have to give reasons – although you may, if you like. • Something like, "No thank you, not just now; perhaps later" works fine. Add a smile to minimize the rejection.

11. During the dance • Be Aware of Your Partner • Smile and make eye contact with your partner (but don’t stare). • Always remain focused on your partner while you’re dancing; be aware of how they’re moving and what they’re doing. Not only is this great dance technique, but it makes the dance more fun for both of you. It’s a real drag to dance with a partner who seems unaware to you. • Dance Level Always dance at your partner’s level. If you are unfamiliar with your partner, start basic and work up. The goals are for both individuals to have fun and to dance together – not outdo anyone or to show off how much you know.

12. Personal space You may see some dancers use a very close dance position – particularly for Balboa or blues dancing. Be aware that not everyone is comfortable dancing close to someone he or she might not know. • As a general rule, the dancer who needs the most personal space should set the distance in closed position. • Since experienced dancers are usually more comfortable with a variety of dance positions, they must pay particular attention to giving less experienced dancers enough space. • When leading, you should try to sense how much space your partner needs; if you try to lead your partner into

13. Dance floor • In order for a social dance to be enjoyable for all the participants, it’s crucial to be considerate and aware in your floor craft. You should be aware of where the other couples are around you, and do your best to avoid them. Leaders have some extra responsibility when it comes to floor craft. You must always look where you’re going – especially when moving backwards; check first to make sure that the area is clear. You’re also responsible for protecting your partners and always placing or leading them into safe space. • Collisions When a collision does occur everyone involved should stop and apologize, regardless of whose “fault” the collision was. If someone has been stepped on or hurt, you should make certain that person is okay before you continue dancing. Sometimes people are not okay; in that case it’s very nice to help them off the floor and offer to get them ice or a drink of water. • Crowded Floor Dance to fit the conditions. Show concern for others. Crowded floors require that both leaders and followers use controlled moves and small steps

14. Never criticize • Please don’t criticize your dance partner • We all learn at different speeds and each of us has our own quirks and weaknesses; we need to remain supportive of one another. • Know that your partner is doing the best that they can, and try to make their dance as enjoyable as possible. • And don’t forget –it’s possible that the mistake was yours… • However, if your partner is physically hurting you, you should let them know – as tactfully as possible

15. Dancing With Someone LESS Skilled Than You Be gracious - stick to stuff she or he can handle, and then, when you are comfortable with each other's dancing. Never over-dance your partner's capabilities. Always try to make your partner look and feel like a terrific dancer. • Dancing With Someone MORE Skilled Than You First, take a deep breath and relax as much as possible; this will make everything easier. Concentrate, smile, and do your best. Suppress the urge to apologize. Don't worry if you mess up things – even the best dancers make mistakes – just smile and move on. It’ll get easier every time! Remember, every advanced dancer has been exactly where you are now and each of them was helped along by dancers more skilled than themselves.

16. Saying Thanking You • Everyone likes to be appreciated so don't forget to smile and thank your dance partner for a nice dance – after every dance. • Technically speaking, the person who asked the other to dance should thank his or her partner for the pleasure – but it’s completely appropriate for the asked party to say "thank you," or "that was fun" or something similarly appreciative. It is always good manners to make another person feel comfortable

17. How Did I Do? • To truly measure the level of your success ask yourself the following questions: • Was my dance partner smiling? • Did she (or he) have a good time? • Did I have a good time? • Did the two of us look like we were dancing *together*? • If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you are truly a successful dancer and you’ll never lack willing • partners!