Dance Floor Etiquette and Safety
Following dance floor etiquette helps everyone to have fun. As Sundance Saloon gets more crowded, it becomes even more important to be courteous and respectful of those around you. Beginners and experienced dancers alike can all benefit from reviewing these guidelines. Basically, just remember to be courteous and respectful of others around you:
Dance counterclockwise around the floor. Don’t back up, but if you have to for some reason, look behind you first.
Leaders - look where you are going, and be prepared for the unexpected (like the couple in front of you who didn’t look before they backed up). Leaders are responsible for protecting their partners. (Remember, it’s always the leader’s fault.)
Slower dancers should move towards the inside of the dance floor, allowing faster dancers to pass them on the outside. If there’s a large space between you and the couple in front, either move to the inside, or speed up to close the gap. Faster dancers should not move faster than they can safely go, regardless which lane you are in.
When doing complicated moves that don’t travel forward, move towards the inside of the dance floor, or alternatively one of the four corners of the floor.
West coast swing dancers should leave room at the ends of the dance floor for other dancers to get by. And we request you don’t do swing dances on the main floor during line dances. Similarly, shadow, shuffle and two-step dancers should pay attention to dance clear of the west coast swing slot.
If you bump into someone, smile and apologize. If someone bumps into you, smile and apologize. If you find yourself apologizing all the time, maybe the problem isn’t just everybody else. If you find yourself smiling all the time, well, good.
If you are not dancing, don’t stand on the dance floor. Stand close to the wall so we don’t experience the incredible shrinking dance floor.
Don't carry drinks onto the dance floor. Report spills immediately.
Finally, there is no excuse for “road rage” on the dance floor. If you see someone breaking the rules, let it go. Maybe he isn’t aware of the rules, maybe she’s trying her best, but it’s unlikely he really is a jerk who simply enjoys getting in your way. We all make mistakes. Getting angry isn’t going to solve anything. Smile, and apologize.
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Weekly Etiquette Hints
Each week at Sundance Saloon we make a brief special announcement to remind folks about dance etiquette and safety, followed by a "no-bump" dance where we challenge you to dance without bumping into any other dancers. We review some of the highlights of these announcements here:
March 6 = West coast swing dancers - please leave enough room at either end for the shadow dancers to dance through. Shadow dancers - please watch carefully for the line of west coast swing dancers, especially when backing up.
February 27 = Leaders - please look where you are going and control your follower to avoid bumps. Followers - let your leader know if he is being too reckless.
February 20 = Bigger dancers - please be aware of the impact you have when you collide with smaller dancers. You may cause injuries without realizing it.
February 13 = We have an obligation to each other as a community to create a safe and respectful environment for dancing.