While traditionally it has been up to the man to ask a woman to dance, now days it’s perfectly OK for the woman to ask the man. Either way the same general rules of etiquette apply.

1. Always accept invitations to dance unless you don’t know the dance in question, or you want to take a break and sit out a dance. If you have already declined a dance with somebody, you should not accept an invitation from another person.  You can decline if you have already promised the dance to someone else. If you do decline, it’s nice to provide a reason, remember if you knock somebody back who is nice enough to ask for a dance they may never ask again.
2. If you are not acquainted with your partner, introduce yourself when asking for a dance.
3. Avoid monopolizing partners.  If you would really like to continue dancing with the same person, be certain that the other person feels the same way.
4. Ladies, maybe you did come to the dance with your husband or partner and will dance most of the dances with them, just remember there are usually more ladies than men and if you could spare your partner for a few dances with others it would go a long way towards making the evening more enjoyable for all. This applies to the men as well.
5. Be positive when you are on the dance floor.  Enjoy yourself.  That’s what dancing is all about.  Do not feel that you need to apologize to your partner for every single mistake you THINK you make, but equally important, don’t criticise or try to correct you partner while on the floor.
6. Whether or not somebody will enjoy dancing with you has less to do with your dance skill level and more to do with attitude towards dancing and simply enjoying the moment.
7. Remember basic rules of personal hygiene.  Shower before going dancing and, if you plan to do a lot of dancing, a second or even third shirt to change into during the evening goes a long way towards insuring your partner’s comfort.
8. Follow the line of dance. Experienced and faster moving couples should stay to the outside and allow slower moving and less experienced couples dance on the inside. If you are unsure of the dance stay to the inside, that way you will avoid interfering with other couples if you muck up the dance or stop. Avoid stopping in the middle of dance traffic, this seriously inconveniences following couples. If there are no slow dancers on the inside of the circle it is perfectly OK for the experienced faster moving couples to occupy that space as well.
9. Practice good floor-craft.  Adjust arm positions or dance lines and figures to avoid hitting others.  If a collision occurs, apologize to the couple you collided with, no matter who is at fault.
10. Men should always thank their partner after the dance is over and escort her back to where she was sitting. As in life, being polite goes a long way on the dance floor.

Club dances are social occasions but dance is a physical activity so you should dress for the occasion. Smart casual is the go but avoid tight fitting clothes that might restrict movement, remember dancing is essentially stepping, walking, sometimes jumping and even occasionally running in time to music and any item of clothing that is tight or restrictive will be a distraction and should be avoided.

Footwear is extremely important to any dancer so if you plan on a long-term involvement with ballroom dancing then it would be wise to invest in a pair of good ballroom dance shoes, but for beginners or occasional dancers who don’t want to make that sort of investment or commitment a pair of enclosed, low heeled, secure fitting shoes is entirely appropriate.

We live in a tropical environment and even though we dance in air-conditioned venues expect to sweat or perspire while dancing, especially if you get up for most of the dances. A lot of men will bring a fresh shirt to change into during the night if they expect to sweat a lot. Bringing a small towel to the dance is a common practice among both men and women.

Lastly, supper is not catered, everybody usually brings a small plate of food to share during the supper break.

Please Note: Due to current COVID-19 restrictions dancers are not currently able to share food and are requested to only consume supper they have provided for themselves.  Tea and Coffee are available utilizing COVID safe practices.