Dance Class Etiquette: The Unspoken Rules of the Dance Studio Space

 

Dance Class Etiquette starts with an attitude of respect and openness. Whether it is your first class ever at the studio or you have been a consistent attender of the studio for a long period of time. Being mindful of your behavior helps create a space that everyone feel welcomed and supported. Staying aware of those around you and having a positive mindset about the class can build a strong and encouraging environment for everyone that attends a class with you. 

When you come into the studio space, take resposibility of your actions during your time in class, this will create a comfortable and effective learning environment for everyone. Regardless of experience and dance level, come to the studio showing commitment to courtsey, this makes the class a supportive place to not only challenge yourself but also for you connect with others in the space. 

By following a lot of these unspoken rules in the space, you will be able to showcase yourself as someone who is responsible, respectful, and considerate of the class environment. The dance class experience will be a lot better, and you will be able to continue to grow in more ways than you know from understanding the goals that your instructors have for you. 

Here are some key factors to keep in mind.

1. Arrive early or on time to class: This gives you a chance to put away your belongings, use the bathroom, change clothes if needed, and also warm up before the class begins. If you are late to class, it can make you fall behind in the choreography being shown in class, it is disrespectful to the instructor's time, and also, can make a not-so-good impression on you when it comes to your attendance and how you think the importance of the class is. 

2. Spatial awareness: Make sure that you are at least an arm's length away from the 2 people that are beside you to give yourself plenty of space to learn the choreography, as well as for you to not bump into someone or hurt someone in class in the process of you being too close to someone when learning either with the class or when filming during groups. 

3. Dress comfortably and to impress: For class, it is important for you to feel not only comfortable in the clothes that you are dancing in, but also to feel confident in how you present yourself in class. Feeling good and dancing go hand in hand to make you feel like the best dancer that you can be. Also, dressing up for class can give you a good impression on auditions as well as masterclass instructors who want to acknowledge your dancing in the class. Keep your hair neat, combed, and, if you would prefer, in a nice ponytail. 

4. Don't interrupt the teacher when they are talking: It is incredibly disrespectful to be talking while the teacher is talking. The teacher will definitely be talking about their intentions with the choreography, the foundations of a move, and particular moves that are useful that could benefit you in the future for other dance classes. If you are talking with your friends or just talking loudly while the teacher is talking, it is not only disrespecting the teacher but also the class experience of your fellow dancers around you. 

5. Make sure to be attentive: Make sure you pay attention in class to what the teacher's intentions are for the class. Acknowledge what they are presenting to you when it comes to the choreography, no matter the difficulty. By watching and listening to the teacher, it can benefit you in the long run with particular foundations, like certain details or musicality that are in the choreography itself.  If you are not paying attention to what is going on in class, you can get lost and not fully benefit from the class, which can not give you the experience that you want. 

6. Hydration and Hygiene: Make sure that you bring a water bottle with you to drink during dance class breaks and to keep yourself hydrated during your class experience. Personal Hygiene is really important. Make sure to wear clean clothes and the appropriate shoes, use deodorant and breath mints, and avoid strong perfumes/colognes, as they can sometimes overwhelm people or cause an allergic reaction if someone is allergic to a particular ingredient in them. 

7.  Don't be afraid to ask questions for clarification, but be patient: In class, sometimes it can be nerve-racking to ask a teacher a question regarding a series of moves, a particular detail, or even just about something in the choreography or intention that you didn't understand. If you have a question, it is best to ask during a water break, if the teacher asks if anyone has questions, or after class, to work on the choreography that you learned at home. Doing this will benefit you in the long run because you want to learn and grow, respecting the teacher during class, and being able to reflect on how you can better understand and practice the choreography outside of class. 

8. Keep a positive and encouraging environment for everyone: Being a positive and encouraging person during class can be so beneficial. Take into account that there are a lot of beginners in the class, that it is their first class experience ever, and they are trying to analyze the moves as well as the class environment. Cheer people on during groups; being silent can sometimes make people feel uncomfortable or just isolated during this very vulnerable moment in class. If you create a very negative environment for the people around you, it will not be helpful to anyone and make you the bad guy. 

9. Respect the Culture: Understand that each of the classes has deep cultural roots in the dance community. All different styles of dance mean something to the instructors who teach them each week. Make sure to avoid mocking or appropriating the style of dance that you are in; it is incredibly disrespectful not only to the dance style itself but to the culture that surrounds it. It is not fair to anyone in the class that you are making fun of a dance style that people love and appreciate. 

10. Understand Personal Boundaries: Be mindful of others and their boundaries in class, whether that be a partner dance style or if it includes interaction with others. Make sure to ask for their consent, as sometimes they can feel uncomfortable with people touching them in particular areas of their body. Some people usually prefer to dance alone and be able to process the choreography on their own.

11. Respect Substitute Teachers: Treat a substitute like you would want to be treated if you were the one teaching the class. There are lots of instances where the teacher will not be available, and another instructor will fill in to teach their class. Make sure to be respectful to the person, as they are going to have their own teaching style for the class that they are subbing for that day. If you are disrespectful, it really make the instructor not only uncomfortable but also gives them a negative interpretation of how the class was for them.

12. Don't look at your phone during class: Keep your phone on silent and next to your belongings during class. It creates a very distracting environment if your phone's ringer is going off during the middle of class. Make sure to ask the teacher beforehand if you can use your phone to record the class for practice purposes or anything else otherwise. If you are wanting to record yourself dancing in the class, make sure the teacher is okay with it, if they are not or they say you can have someone else record for you, understand that and respect their rule. 

13. Studio Respect: Understand that the studio is not your home, treat the space like you would if you went to your grandparents, clean and untouched. By just throwing your belongings just anywhere in the space, you are making the environment feel like a smelly locker room which no one wants. 

14. Safety Consideration: Don't attempt to do moves that are beyond your ability without the proper instruction and warm up accordingly. This will make sure that you don't get a serious injury while in class. 

15. Thank your Instructor after class: By thanking your instructor after a dance class, it can show them how thankful and grateful that you were for that experience in that particular class. By doing this, you can also give the instructor the reassurance that they did a great job teaching that day and give them a lot of positive encouragment. 

I hope that you can consider these unspoken rules when you go to either your first dance class or any dance studio that you step into. I promise in the long run, it can make a huge difference in your experience in class. Make sure to share this post with anyone you know that is going to take a dance class for the first time or just to keep in mind on your own. 

Thanks for reading!