This article is a follow up to the article entitled ‘Further Dance Matters’ which appeared in the Spring ’98 issue of English Dance & Song.

It has been argued in the above article that English Country Dance is essentially a ‘social activity’ and in this respect differs from most other forms of dance related activity popular today, namely Ballroom & Sequence Dancing, Line Dancing, Step & Aerobics, etc. If we are to encourage new dancers to join our ranks we cannot just market this major attribute; we must actively improve our dance technique and our Dance Etiquette i.e. our ‘attitude’ to our fellow dancers. What practical steps can we take to achieve this?

Before we investigate the practical application of etiquette we must first understand more closely what we mean by Dance Etiquette. A couple of dictionary definitions will help to focus our understanding. For the word Etiquette we find:

For the word ‘Social’ we find:

Pertaining to the relations of an individual to the community,

Forming a group of mutually dependent members,

We are therefore looking at ways of being polite and courteous not only to our partners but our fellow dancers in the set and the whole group attending a particular event.

Let us consider for a moment the attributes of the ideal dancer? If we look first at a dancer for a Social Dance Display Team this should give us a base to start from. The main emphasis here of course is on the quality of the performance. We would expect to find:

Each dancer is expected to be in the right place, at the right time, having followed the correct route, in the appropriate manner, and to be facing in the right direction, in balance, ready for the next movement. The above description can however be applied to all styles of display dancing, so what else is required?

Country dance is one of the few forms of dance in which you get to dance with someone whom you have not invited to dance. This is one of its great joys, meeting lots of new and different people often within the course of a single dance. It does however carry certain responsibilities and occasionally some disadvantages. You may end up dancing with someone whom you would not have invited to dance or from whom you would not have accepted an invitation to dance, perhaps due to a previous unpleasant experience e.g. rough, rude or insensitive treatment or even injury. It is therefore beholden upon us all to be sensitive in our treatment of our fellow dancers, regarding them as unique as indeed they are and not just as ‘the next partner/neighbour’.

One of our major aims as dancers should be to be ‘Great to Dance With!’ an accolade only bestowed upon us by others! but how do we achieve it?

Although the skills of the display dancer are undoubtedly beneficial in our quest we must also take into account the social element, ‘the welfare of the group’. This leads us to introduce other attributes that are equally as important as the originals when working as a team, namely:

Mindful & Supportive of our partners and other fellow dancers;

A Pleasant and Friendly Manner.

I would argue that it is these last two attributes that will earn us the ultimate accolade of ‘Great to dance with’.

Before we discuss how we put these extra attributes into action it would be useful to identify some of the idiosyncrasies in our dancing which impinge upon the enjoyment of others. Could any of the following statements apply to you? You are not being asked to declare your shortcomings to the world so please be truthful with yourself, bearing in mind that if you are not others will be, when considering your dancing manners:

• Holding your partner’s / neighbour’s hand or arm in a vice like grip;
• Pressing your thumb into your partner’s forearm during short arm turns;
• Expecting your partner to do all the leading;
• Men – propelling your partners into a Ladies Chain! Throwing them off-balance;
• Letting go of your current dance partner when they are off balance;
• Grabbing, Pulling or Pushing your fellow dancers around the set;
• Taking or Giving too much weight;
• Not supporting or holding your partner properly in swings or a ballroom hold;
• Swinging too long (this is definitely one of my failings!);
• Starting a figure ahead of the music (a very frequent failing of experienced and knowledgeable dancers);
• Ignoring your partners or fellow dancers (not even looking at them or acknowledging them);
• Joining the set at the top (instead of the bottom) or pushing into a set part way down to join friends, possibly displacing someone lower down the set.
• Creating cliquey groups by always dancing in the same set with the same group of people.

There may be mitigating circumstances which lead initially to these shortcomings e.g. a gentleman lacks confidence in leading so his partner takes over and to ensure he follows the correct figures she may well hold him in a vice-like grip. Unfortunately that lady may apply that same hold when dancing with all of her partners / neighbours in the set whether or not they lack confidence.

It is these types of idiosyncrasy that are the most difficult to identify and thus eliminate. Most of the above shortcomings can be solved by a slight change in our attitude to our fellow dancers (by treating them as unique).

A recent article in the magazine of the Country Dance and Song Society of America (CDSS) highlighted some more shortcomings. It is entitled ‘How to be a Dance Tyrant in ten easy lessons’. With approval from the Author I have modified it slightly to more closely match our English terminology and dance scene but the sentiments are as pertinent as in the original.

How to be a Dance Tyrant in ten easy lessons.

• Be assured that if it weren't for your advanced skills or your seniority in your dance group, beginners would be led astray, standards would suffer and folk dancing would collapse.
• When a ‘lesser partner’ asks you to dance, you needn't accept unless better partners are unavailable. When dancing with lesser partners, save your attention, eye contact and conversation for your preferred friends and partners as you encounter them along the set.
• No need to invite newcomers to dance unless they're young and attractive, a potential dating prospect or demonstrate previous acceptable-to-you dance experience.
• A grim or exasperated expression will enable others to appreciate how disappointing it is for you to endure a non-favourite caller, an unsophisticated dance or the blunders of beginners.
• Your years of dance experience exempt you from having to listen to the caller before or during walk-throughs, so use this time to chat to friends or instruct beginners properly.
• Men will always impress their lighter-weight partners by lifting them manually off the floor during swings. Women will enchant their partners by not giving weight and let themselves be dragged around in a swing or turn.
• The way you learned an Old Chestnut is the sole historically correct version and you owe it to Tradition to demand conformity as you move through the set.
• Your physical disabilities entitle you to, say, offer your left when the dance calls for a right allemande, and if others get disoriented, they simply need practice in accommodating you.
• Most importantly, when someone else's style intrudes on your refined sensibilities, use sarcasm to quickly restore your enjoyment of the dance.

Submitted by a Dancer who's tired of having the Enjoyment of a Dance Ruined by Rudeness

No doubt we can all think of many other instances of poor standards of etiquette. We may be executing the figures correctly and in time to the music but this does not make us good dancers. It’s our awareness of others that will add that extra dimension to our dancing.

From the above discussion I believe we now have a framework on which to build a set of positive guidelines:

• Always join a set at the bottom. The people who have got up first to dance have a right to their position in the set. Do not push into the set part-way along. You may completely displace someone lower down the set.
• Smile at your partners / neighbours as you meet them in the set and greet them if it’s the first time you have met at the event.

• Be supportive when you hold your partner’s / neighbour’s hand rather than be dominant;
• Ensure you are not squeezing your partners forearm or pressing with the thumb during short arm turns;
• If you are not good at leading try to improve this aspect of your dancing where appropriate;
• Never let go of your dance partner whilst they are off balance, better still do not allow them to get off balance in the first place;

• Never Grab, Pull or Push your fellow dancers around the set, I have known people in agony for weeks after a relatively modest push or pull. Use eye contact, discrete pointing, brief words of encouragement or gently guide them into place.

• If you don’t know how to hold someone properly in a swing or a turn ask a friend or dance leader to explain (preferably at a conveniently quiet time);
• Try to complete all your figures in the allotted time, no sooner, nor later. You are dancing to the music and each phrase has its allotted figure;
• Do not start a figure ahead of its music. Less experienced dancers can have their confidence shattered by thinking they are late in starting a figure;

• Thank your fellow dancers occasionally for a good dance, swing, gypsy etc;
• Thank the Band and the Caller if you have enjoyed the event and preferably give them some positive feedback. If you haven’t enjoyed it and it is in their power to improve their performance next time, then I’m sure they would rather hear your comments as long as you are being constructive;

• Be attentive to partners, neighbours, the set, the caller and the music;
• Don’t anticipate the caller during the walkthrough you may be destroying any confidence being built up in a less experienced dancer in your set;
• No one likes to admit (least of all in front of a group of apparent experts) that they do not know how to execute a particular figure. If there is the slightest doubt that any member of your set (Square or minor set) does not know the figures being described then walk them through. You are working as a team and this will ensure that the less experienced dancers gain the confidence they need. It is frequently the transition from one figure to another that causes difficulty in a dance, if you have walked the figures you are more likely to be aware of a potential problem in the transition between figures;
• Try to assess your new partners / neighbours needs or preferences e.g. it may be easy to identify that a frail elderly lady or gent is not likely to want to swing vigorously but what about younger more active people who get giddy easily?
• Give or take weight as appropriate but please don’t overdo it. I will discuss this subject at greater depth in the next article;
• Regularly invite a different partner to dance (perhaps someone you have never invited to dance before). This helps to build the social atmosphere and inhibits the formation of cliques;
• Welcome new recruits, make them feel at home and give them help and instruction when necessary but don’t overwhelm them;

• If you are a Caller or a dance leader actively consider introducing tips on Etiquette whilst you are teaching the figures.

With the above practices in regular use I am convinced that you will not only get much more enjoyment from your dancing but you will also become sought after as a partner / corner.

What are the benefits of being ‘Great to dance with’? A constant stream of partners dying to have a dance with you! If we were all of that ability then think how incredibly enjoyable, satisfying and uplifting our dancing would be. Our ranks would quickly go from strength to strength.

I would be delighted to get some feedback on these articles. I don’t think I’m whistling in the wind! Please contact me on 02380 360892 on Email: john.turner15 at which.net or write to 35 Pirrie Close, Southampton SO15 7QA. Thanks

John Turner.