Dancing With Carri Fox
You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart!
Dance Floor Etiquette
Etiquette, one aspect of decorum, is a
code that governs the expectations of social behavior, according to the
conventional norm within a society, social class, or group. Usually unwritten,
it may be codified in written form. Etiquette usually reflects formulas of
conduct in which society or tradition have invested. An etiquette may reflect an
underlying ethical code, or in may grow more as a fashion, as in eighteenth
century Britain where apparently pointless acts like the manner in which a tea
cup was held became important as indicators of upper class status. Like
"culture", it is a word that has gradually grown plural, especially in a
multi-ethnic society with many clashing expectations. Thus, it is now possible
to refer to "an etiquette" or "a culture", realizing that these may not be
universal. In Britain, though, the word etiquette has its roots in the
eighteenth century, becoming a universal force in the nineteenth century to the
extent that it has been described as the one word that aptly describes life
during the reign of Queen Victoria.
How To’s and How Do’s of Ballroom Dance
While traditional etiquette stipulates that the man asks the woman for
a dance, it is becoming increasingly common for women to ask men. People
who ballroom dance are there to do one thing: ballroom dance. In other words,
you don’t need to feel pressured into doing anything more than dancing.
Tired of those silly one-liners? Well, in ballroom dancing there’s only
one one-liner, and it never gets old. The only pick-up line in ballroom
dancing is “May I have this dance?” And ladies, you can ask the men to dance
with this same one-liner. Pretty easy, isn’t it?
When you get more than two people out on the dance floor, collisions can
become a problem. So here's another rule of etiquette. Ladies, if you see
an oncoming couple about to collide into you and your partner, simply tap
your partner gently on the shoulder. This is known as the “internationall
dance panic signal.” Remain calm! Do not grab on for life. If you do, you
will probably end up startling your partner and colliding into the oncoming
dance team.
Another point of etiquette comes at the conclusion of the dance. Men, it
is polite to walk your partner back to her seat. (Generally, it is the man
who walks the woman back even if she asked him to dance.)
The last and most important point of etiquette is this: No matter what happens,
have fun! Ballroom dancing is meant to be enjoyed - like a fine wine or
an afternoon walk in the park. Mingle. Get to know other dancers. Watch
the way they move and improve upon your own dancing. Enjoy yourself!
Ballroom is Back!
It is no surprise that ballroom dancing is making such a tremendous
comeback. Ballroom dancing carries with it a timeless quality. Remember
those romantic scenes when Fred Astaire would sweep Ginger Rogers in his
arms and whisk her around the dance floor. Face it, women still love to
be romanced, and men, believe it or not, enjoy the chivalry involved in
romancing. Ballroom dancing also seems to convey a richness and luxurious
quality. In the past, it was a leisure activity which could only be afforded
by the well-to-do. Today, while ballroom is being enjoyed by millions of
people from all economic brackets and ages, it has not lost its sense of
elegance and grace. People enjoy feeling like princes and princesses. Ballroom
is bringing all of these qualities back into people’s lives.