Dance etiquette for the kizomba scene
For the most part, if you follow the golden rule, treating others the way you’d like to be treated, you’ll be fine. However, there are a few comments mistakes that can easily be avoided. Basically, it all comes down to showing respect for yourself and for others. If there is one shockingly simple thing that you can do to make yourself a high-quality dance partner, it is to be respectful of your fellow dancers, so here are a few specifics to bear in mind.
Respect your fellow dancers’ right of refusal.
Try to always be polite when inviting people to dance. Keep in mind that no one owes you a dance. If someone says no, don’t try to change their mind or demand an explanation. There are literally dozens of reasons someone might not feel like dancing at that exact moment, so try not to take it personally. Just move on and invite someone else to dance instead. Also, do not just grab someone’s hand and drag them out onto the dance floor – this is not a polite invitation.
Respect your fellow dancers’ right to not feel unwanted sexual attention.
While it’s perfectly fine to date fellow dancers, treating dance events like your own personal dating pool is never a good idea. People come out dancing for all sorts of reasons, and creating a safe and welcoming space that can be a haven for all is especially important in these turbulent times. Furthermore, a dance can be sensual without being sexual. If you have trouble telling where that line is, just remember that people commonly dance kizomba with close relatives. If you treat your dance partner as if you were dancing with grandma, you’ll probably be well-equipped to avoid any confusion about what is or isn’t appropriate physical contact on the dance floor.
Respect your partner’s ability level, as well as your own.
When dancing with someone for the first time, try not to make assumptions about their comfort level by attempting challenging moves. It’s always a good idea to start with the basics and work your way up from there. If the basics are all that they are prepared to do, just stick with those. Anyone can have a fabulous dance experience with well-executed basics and an attentive partner. Don’t try to “fix” them, or teach them new moves on the dance floor, unless they have requested it, or unless they are doing something that is making you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Leads especially, even if you are dancing with someone who’s miles ahead of you on their dance journey, take a moment to consider the wisdom of springing a fancy new move you just saw in a YouTube video on an unsuspecting partner. No matter how tempting it may be, the social dance floor is not the best place to experiment.
Respect your fellow dancers’ noses.
Body/breath odor: It’s a fact of life that dancing makes you sweaty, and sweaty-ness often translates to smelliness, but there are steps that we can all take to mitigate this and keep the dance floor aroma to a minimum. Keep in mind, most people cannot smell themselves, so the best practice is to always start from the assumption that you smell worse than you think you do. It’s a great idea to shower, brush your teeth, and put on a fresh set of clothes before coming out. Bringing a spare shirt to change into after sweating through the first one is actually a very common practice. So is keeping breath mints, maybe a towel, and/or deodorant on hand to be reapplied periodically throughout an event. Additionally, smoking or putting on strong perfumes and colognes before dancing are good things to avoid.
Respect your fellow dancers’ right to socialize.
The social part of social dancing is a key component at any event. If someone is having a nice conversation, no matter how much you want to dance with them, it is still not polite to interrupt them in the middle of a sentence. Common courtesy always applies.
Now, go forth and be the uber-polite dancers that I know you are all meant to be!
Pacific Northwest Kizomba 