Especially American swing dancers are not at all amused about the habits on European dancefloors. You could as well go to a punk concert, if you´re kicked or hit, you can wait till the cows come home, you won’t get an excuse. Well, that´s something we definitely want to avoid. Why not read the following and keep it in mind, not only when you plan to travel to the U.S…

• Look at each other and try to smile.
• Ladies, try to follow the man´s leading.
• Gentlemen,when you ask the lady for a dance, you are responsible for her safety and enjoyment.
• Gentlemen, try to make the lady look good -and not only yourselves- during the dance.
• Both, be careful and polite to each other and to the people around you. Try to avoid wild kicks and areals on an overcrowded dancefloor.
• Both, in case you hit or kicked somebody, please excuse yourselves (even a short non-verbal geste will do).
• Both, don´t bring food or drinks onto the dancefloor.
• Sometimes mints or deodorants will be the right choice.
• Both, when you´re not dancing, keep off the dancefloor.
• Then try to avoid blocking the doorways. Stand left and right, if possible.
• After a dance, thank your partner, even if you hated the dance.
• And again: look at each other and try to smile.
• …

(Author: Sabine Schroetter from it-must-schwing.de)