7 Unspoken Rules For Line Dancing Floors In Western New York

You've decided you want to try to learn how to line dance, but you don't want to look like an idiot. What are some of the unspoken rules you should know about?

If line dancing looks like a lot of fun, but you're intimidated to get out and try it, these unspoken rules might help to ease your mind a little bit. Unfortunately, they're not the same at every place because they're all different. But these should at least give you a framework to use to ask questions or just observe to see what everyone is doing.

1. Never walk through the middle of the dance floor while a song is playing - We see this all the time. People try to slide between dancers or (even worse) just walk right through them. Line dancers move in just about every direction when they're dancing, including backwards. If you walk behind them, both of you (the line dancer and you) could get injured. I know it sounds crazy, but it would be easy to turn an ankle by stepping on someone that you didn't know was there. Just stay off the dance floor if you're not dancing.

2. If you're new, try to learn from the outside of the dance floor - This is similar to the first rule. You don't want someone stationary in the middle of the floor when you're trying to dance. It's ok to get out there and try to do it, just try to do it on the perimeter.

3. Give everyone space - If you can, try to spread out from the dancer next to you. And again, if you're not dancing, don't come up to people who are.

4. No drinks on the dance floor? - Ask about this one. Some establishments don't allow drinks on the floor because when they spill, they can make the floor very slippery. This is kind of a golden rule in most places, but it isn't the rule at every place. So watch others or ask before you bring a drink out.

5. BUY FOOD AND/OR DRINKS - Support the bars where you dance. That's what keeps these people in business. You might see a place that's packed go out of business weeks later and wonder what happened. Unfortunately, most of these bars don't get paid simply by having a packed house. That cover you paid normally goes toward paying the band/DJ and staff. Buying drinks is what helps them make a profit. Even if you don't drink, if they have food, buy some of that. Support the bars you want to keep around.

6. Be respectful - Be respectful of the other dancers. Be respectful of the bartenders and bar staff. Be respectful of the DJ. We know that you're hoping to have a great night. The goal of the staff is to make sure that everyone does. Let them do their jobs.

7. Split the floor - Sometimes there are two dances to the same song. If you know a different dance to a song but most of the people are doing something different, it's ok to spread out from them and "split the floor" in a different area. If there isn't enough space, you should do the dance that the most people are doing.

Just have fun, and be nice. If you are a seasoned vet at a venue, remember it might be someone's first time doing it, and they didn't get a chance to read an article like this. Gently let them know. Ask questions when you go, and just have fun!