Dance Floor Etiquette and Safety
DC Rawhides is excited to bring you Town & Country every other Saturday (typically) night at Town Dance in Washington, DC. Whether you are an experience dancer with medals and ribbons on your wall or a beginner who hasn’t stepped foot on a dance floor since Prom night, please take a moment to read through some basic safety and floor etiquette that will help ensure everyone has a good time:
Dance counterclockwise around the floor. Try not to go backwards. We don’t have beeps that warn people behind us. If you are going to backtrack, please pay attention.
Leaders – you are in charge, so pay attention to what is going on around you. Your Follow is in your hands. But, Followers you can help too. Everyone should be vigilant while on the floor.
Speed is important. Be aware of your speed and the speed of your fellow dancers. If you are dancing slower or you are learning your left foot and right foot, please stay toward the center of the circle. If you are a Beginner or you are a coaching a Beginner, the best place to be is in the center of the floor.
Our dance floor is pretty large, so we should have room for all. Check out this handy-dandy graphic:
West coast swing dancers have a dedicated area on the stage. If space allows, please feel free to spread out to the main floor, but we do ask you don’t block the line of dance for line dances, especially those that move around the floor a lot. Similarly, shadow, shuffle and two-step dancers should pay attention to dance clear of the west coast swing area.
Please, no drinks on the dance floor. The floor can be crowded and your drink doesn’t really get the joy of waltzing around the dance floor. It won’t mind waiting on the side until you get back. If you spill or see a spill, please alert someone with a DC Rawhides name tag.
Avoid the shrinking floor monster. If you are standing along the boxes or waiting along the floor edges for your next dance, please be aware of dance traffic. If you are sitting on the edge of the stage, please keep your hands, legs, and feet close to you, as you may have dancers in front and behind you.
If you bump into someone, smile and apologize. We aren’t here to play bumper cars, so if you bump someone say you’re sorry and smile.
This is a country night, but it’s not a free-for-all 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. We all make mistakes. If you are having an issue, please alert someone with a DC Rawhides name tag.