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Dear Club Members,
The purpose of the club is to provide a safe and social place to learn ballroom dancing. To keep it safe and enjoyable,
I need to remind you of some basic rules. The major points are in bold print for those who want a quick
summary.
1) Please leave snacks and drinks off the dance floor. We can lose access to university facilities if we
leave a mess.
2) Make sure you are wearing shoes that do not leave skid marks. The university can charge us up to $600
to clean up those marks. We would all benefit if we were to prevent any unnecessary expenses so that we all
can enjoy the semesters of great dancing.
3) Especially during instruction, please take all conversations out of the room. Talking is impolite when
the instructor is trying to teach. Please apply the same respect for officers who are trying to make announcements
at the end of the meeting.
4) Avoid dangerous moves. Dancing is fun, but it is not when someone gets hurt. Do not throw your partner
(or yourself) around. We have yet to have an accident, and we want to keep it that way.
5) Remember Hygiene. Ballroom dancing is surprisingly aerobic, especially with swing, hustle and many Latin
dances. Use deodorant. It is not unusual for veteran dancers to carry deodorant and breath mints in their dance
bag.
6) If you must decline a dance, do so politely. It is best to accept the offer for just one dance. Most
dances do not last for more than 3 minutes, so you can move to another partner rather quickly. It's a dance,
not a date.
(That said, there may be a time when you will have somebody who will not listen to you when you wish to decline
a dance. If you have tried to be polite more than twice, you do not need to be polite any longer. A firm "NO"
has its time and place. If the behavior continues, you can get a club officer to help you out.)
7) Sexual Harassment Policy (dated August 4, 2001)
The CSUS Ballroom Dance Club defines sexual harassment as any unwanted or undesired physical or verbal attention
of a sexual nature. If anyone, during a club function, experiences anything of the such, please report it
to one of the club officers. Once the harassment is reported and documented, the offending party will be
asked to leave. Anyone who does not leave as requested by a club officer will be reported to the campus police.
8) In this club, it is okay to teach or coach but not to criticize. (This is not a universal rule,
so other universities or off-campus clubs have different rules.) This is social dancing, and nobody likes to
be criticized. On the opposite side of the equation, remember that complimenting your partner is a sign of
good manners.
9) Experienced dancers: please be patient with beginning dancers. You were once, almost literally, in their
shoes...
For the Gentlemen:
It is tradition that the men ask the ladies to dance, and to take her hand and lead her to the floor. Please
keep tradition when possible. Saying "thank you" when you are done dancing is the earmark of a gentleman.
As gentlemen, you are in demand on the dance floor. Please make sure all ladies have an opportunity to dance.
For the ladies:
Forget tradition. In truth, there will almost always be more ladies than gentlemen. It is okay for a lady to
ask a guy to dance. (In fact, most men consider it flattering.) She who hesitates is often without a partner.
For the couples:
I know it is fun and comfortable to dance with somebody you know. The problem is that, as mentioned above, men
are almost always in short supply, so we need to make maximum use of our male members. Being exposed to
several dance partners will help both of you learn different styles and will help the man develop a strong lead.
In general, treat your partner with respect and courtesy, and you will seldom be without a partner.
Have a wonderful semester,
Andy Alderman, Past President |
Club members Janelle Takeoka (left) and Jeff Daigle (right) enjoy a Lindy Hop workshop on September 13, 2002. Thanks
to Nicholas Lozito and Hornet Sports for the picture. |
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