FOLK DANCE ETIQUETTE
Folk dance etiquette is simple and based on courtesy and consideration for your fellow dancers. First and very important, NEVER make disparaging remarks about other dancers while at the club or class. So far all the folkdancers I've seen are human, and we all make mistakes. We bring an enormous range of ability and fitness levels to folk dancing, so be tolerant of others.
Don't join a dance unless either you know it, or you have asked someone who does know it if you can easily pick it up. Once the experienced members have seen you dance a bit, they can readily advise you to join or not. Note: It is perfectly acceptable, and in fact actively encouraged, to follow behind the line if you don't know a dance. Pick a good dancer to follow and you can learn a lot! Good folkdancers learn many dances this way.
Join a dance near the middle or end of the line, if it is a line dance. To know which is the "end", you'll need to know which direction the dance travels. Some dances travel both to the right and the left...join these dances in the middle. Join a closed circle dance anywhere in the circle, but be sensitive to the fact that certain people may prefer to dance together. Also, if the dance is done in a shoulder, belt, or basket hold, you'll be more comfortable dancing next to someone near your own height.
Remember, if the dance is a front or back basket hold, don't cross your arms! Reach out to each side, skip the person next to you, and hold the hand of the person once removed from you on either side.
If you find yourself in a dance that's just too hard, smile and excuse yourself and DROP OUT rather than fumbling through the rest of the dance. Continue the dance behind the line, where you can concentrate on learning without worrying about your neighbors.