The following is meant to provide some guidelines when enjoying line dancing at any line dance class or social party.
- 1Give your fellow dancers room to move. Don’t hog floor space at their expense and don’t accidentally dance on top of them.
- If you are a beginner, tolerate experienced dancers. They may need a little more room than you might expect. For everyone else – remember, you were a beginner once.
- If you don’t know the dance, dance in another part of the floor where you are not in anyone’s way.
- If the dance floor is empty and you are starting off the dance, go to the front so that others can line up behind you.
- If the dance has already started when you arrive on the dance floor, pick up the dance at whatever point those already on the floor are at. Line dancing is all about dancing in step with everyone else, after all. Also join the end of a line, not the middle!
- Don’t be tempted to stop dancing to teach, especially if there is no room. Try to teach off the floor if you can find space. On the other hand, if you notice someone nearby who is having trouble, it is quite acceptable to call out the steps (but not too loudly), whilst continuing to dance yourself. This in fact is a good thing to do – it’s a great encouragement.
- Beginners are advised to stick to the centre of the dance floor – that way, no matter what wall you may be facing, there will be someone in front of you who (hopefully) knows the dance and whom you can follow. The reverse of this is that advanced dancers should try to stick to the sides.
- Do not chat to others on the dance floor when the instructor has started teaching or the music has started – it is distracting people around you that want to concentrate on the dance. Go outside or step off the dance floor if you have to chat!
- If the floor is crowded, take small steps, but watch out for collisions.
- If you bump into someone, it is customary to apologize whether it is your fault or not. It never hurts to be polite.
Finally, and very importantly, keep your head up,
dance with pride and joy,
smile, and enjoy yourself.