Dance Etiquette & Customs
Class & Event Etiquette
At DanceWell Ballroom we want everyone to feel comfortable, respected, and safe — whether you’re in class or at a social dance party. Please help us maintain a friendly and positive atmosphere by following these simple guidelines.
For class-specific etiquette during lessons, please also see our Group Dance Classes page.
Being Mindful
- Come with clean, comfortable clothing and good personal hygiene.
- Deodorant and breath mints are appreciated.
- Long hair should be tied back or secured so it doesn’t interfere with dancing or hit your partner.
- Remove or secure loose jewelry that could catch on clothing or your partner.
- Wash your hands before class or dancing when possible.
- If you are not feeling 100% (feeling sick, contagious, or under the weather), please stay home and rest. We appreciate your consideration for everyone’s health.
- Wear thin-soled, flexible dance shoes whenever possible. Thick-soled walking shoes, sneakers, or athletic shoes can restrict movement and may cause injury.
Dance Floor Neighborly Notes
- Line-of-Dance (LOD): Travel counter-clockwise around the room. Advanced dancers generally stay toward the outer edge; newer or slower dancers stay closer to the center. (Diagram can stay here if you have it.)
- Give others space and avoid blocking the flow of traffic.
- If you bump into someone, a quick “sorry!” and smile goes a long way.
- No aerials, lifts, or dangerous moves on a crowded social floor. Also use caution when doing dips, drops, and tricks. Make sure to have space, consent, and knowledge!
Floor Usage Note: Several different types of dance can be danced to the same piece of music. Faster traveling dances (Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, etc.) usually stay on the outside lane, while slot dances (Swing, West Coast Swing, etc.) and spot dances (Rumba, Cha Cha, etc.) are more common toward the inside.
Travel counter-clockwise around the room with advanced dancers toward the outer edge of the room; less advanced dancers closer to the center of the room.
- There is no rule about exactly where to be in the middle of the room… just not on the outside edges blocking the moving dancers.
- Outer-lane dancers should not infringe on the center floor unless trying to dance a move which “stops” for a few moments.
Person-to-Person Notes
- Both men and women commonly ask each other to dance.
- The general custom is to dance 1–2 songs with the same partner before changing (unless it’s a mixer dance).
- Smile, make eye contact, and thank your partner at the end of the dance.
- After the dance, walk with your partner off the floor or to their next partner.
- If you say “no thank you” to someone for a dance, it is courteous not to dance with anyone else during that specific song.
- “Teaching” on the social dance floor is rude. Save feedback or tips for after the dance or during class.
Partner Mindset
Try to dance at your partner’s level. Ladies, make your partners feel and look good and do your best! Leaders, focus on making your partner safe and comfortable. Good basics and being considerate goes a long way. Followers are not impressed by constant fancy patterns that are rough and difficult to follow, but are impressed with a good, smooth lead.
