Ballroom Dance Etiquette: Guide to Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom dancing is a hobby that is different from many others in that you generally do it with a partner-sometimes someone you have never even met-and many dancing couples share one crowded ballroom dance floor all at the same time. Due to the social aspects and space limitations of ballroom dancing, etiquette is an important thing to learn. Using proper dance etiquette does not mean you cannot have fun! Just the opposite: following a few very reasonable rules makes things more fun for everyone.

Dance Etiquette: Asking and Getting Asked to Dance

The only way to get out on the floor at a ballroom dance is to ask someone to dance, or for them to ask you. If you have a regular partner, this part of dancing is easy. However, if you are alone, you may find it difficult at first to ask other people to dance.

Fifty years ago, it was expected that men would always ask women to dance and not the other way around. However, things have changed. At modern ballroom dances, men and women freely ask each other to dance-and it is also not uncommon for couples who arrive together to dance with other people as well as each other.

If you do not know who to ask for a dance, or you are feeling shy and want to wait for someone to ask you, stand near the dance floor and look relaxed and happy-like you want to dance. Sitting in a corner and looking sulky is no way to get asked to dance.

If you are brave enough to ask someone, all you have to do is walk up to them and say, "Hi, would you like to dance?"

It is considered bad dance etiquette to decline an invitation to dance. A song only lasts for around three minutes, so unless the person asking you is somehow painful or upsetting to dance with, you should accept-or avoid them subtly before they approach you so you do not to hurt their feelings. Declining invitations from beginners simply because they are boring to dance with is not very nice-everyone has to start somewhere, and later on they may become a very desirable partner.

If you see an advanced dancer at a social dance, do not be intimidated by them. They are probably there to dance. As long as they look like they want to dance, you should feel free to ask. However, do not ask for a critique or free lesson-that is very poor dance etiquette.

Dance Etiquette on the Ballroom Floor

Because ballroom dance floors can be very crowded, dancers need to use good floorcraft-moving around the dance floor without crashing into anyone or cutting them off. Floorcraft is the leader's job, but if the follower can see her partner is about to back into somebody, she can squeeze his shoulder to stop the crash from happening.

Dancers move in a counter-clockwise direction. Faster dancers should stay toward the outer edge of the track while slower dancers stay toward the inside, although there is usually some zig-zagging. If you are not traveling very much at all, you should stay in the center of the floor where you will not disrupt traffic. If you want to stop and do a picture line like an oversway or dip, you should do this either deep in the corner or in the center of the floor where you will not be in anyone's way.

Ballroom dancing is a fun hobby where you can meet other people and get some exercise. It is most enjoyable when everyone uses good dance etiquette.