Updated December 2025, originally published August 2019
You’re about to take your first group dance lesson! Or perhaps you’ve taken them before but it’s your first time at Smoothstyle’s Weekly West Coast Swing Event. Here’s what you can expect from a group dance class with Smoothstyle:
Fragrance-Free
We do our best to offer a fragrance-free environment so that everyone can fully enjoy the evening. We ask our attendees to avoid wearing perfume and cologne. Check these guidelines for how to smell good but not too good when you dance.
What to Wear
West Coast Swing is a casual dance. Women rarely wear skirts or dresses. Jeans, tights, and even shorts in the Summer is normal attire. T-shirts are fine. If you like to dress up, khakis and a button-down shirt or fancy tights and a flowy blouse will fit in, too. It’s most important to be well groomed – wear freshly laundered clothes and brush your teeth before attending.
We wear low-heeled to flat shoes. If you don’t have dance shoes yet, clean indoor shoes will work. Sketchers, Toms, and Airwalkers are popular among new and experienced dancers alike.
Greetings
When you enter behind the red curtain, you’ll (hopefully) be greeted by friendly door staff.
If it’s your first visit:
- You may be asked to sign a waiver (insurance requires it)
- Your entry may be free that night
- Staff will be able to answer questions
- You’ll be able to hang coats, stash personal belongings (but you should protect your valuables), and to change your shoes (please bring clean indoor shoes)
If you’re a returnee, you’ll pay via cash, credit, or debit. Then come on in and get ready to dance.
The Teachers
You’ll typically be taught by two instructors, one for each role (Lead and Follow). They’ll explain how the class will unfold and will take care of setting up partners and rows.
Demographics
West Coast Swing is danced by a wide range of ages and walks of life. In Ottawa, ages range from early 20s (sometimes younger) through retirement and beyond. The average age of Ottawa WCS dancers is mid- to late 30s. This diversity creates a “family” feel.
Rotating Partners
WCS classes typically rotate partners in class every few minutes. This means that you don’t need a partner to attend. It also means you’ll be holding hands and interacting with many folks. It’s a great opportunity to meet the people you’ll be dancing with later in the evening.
If you attend with a partner and do not want to rotate partners, simply stand at the END of one of the rows and politely say, “We’re not rotating tonight” as the rotation occurs.
Note that we strongly recommend rotating partners for many reasons (even if you attend with a preferred partner), which an instructor or Maria will explain if you ask.
In-Class Etiquette
Please follow these guidelines for having (and giving others) the best possible learning experience:
- Listen to the instructors. Ask questions if something isn’t clear. If you disagree with something being taught, TRY IT for the duration of that class. If you still disagree or have questions, ask the instructor(s) about it personally after class.
- Smile and greet each new partner as you rotate – but please don’t start a conversation, as that becomes disruptive.
- Do not give your partners feedback unless the instructors specifically guide you to. If your partner asks you for feedback, it’s usually best to have them ask the teacher instead.
- Assume the best of each partner. For example, many people have a “thinking face” and sometimes partners will interpret that face as a judgement about them – but it’s more likely just the other person trying really hard. Likewise, assume that each partner is trying their best. Everyone learns at their own pace.
- Practice a growth mindset. Simply put, come to class with a positive intention, such as to learn one new thing, improve one thing, or make one person smile.
Video Recaps
After class is finished, the instructors may briefly recap what was taught so that students may take videos of the recaps. However, this is not always the case so ask first. Have your device handy – it can be a panic to have to dig around in the coat rack or a purse in low light to quickly find it.
The video recording of entire lessons is generally not permitted, and video recaps should be used for personal use and not published online.
The Social Experience
At events with both lessons and a social dance, a DJ typically takes over the night, playing music for everyone to social dance.
- The first hour of music is usually selected to be easy to practice to.
- Brief announcements typically occur about 1 hour into the social dancing.
- After announcement, the music gets more complex and sometimes experimental!
Best practices for the social-dance experience can be summarized as: Have Fun, Don’t Hurt Anyone, Be Polite, and Be Clean. Here’s what you can expect in terms of asking and being asked to dance:
- Everyone asks anyone to dance. Yes, it’s OK to ask a “really good” dancer or an instructor to dance. And they may ask you! Since many of us dance both lead and follow roles, you may be asked by someone of the same gender to dance, although this usually happens more often with instructors and among dancers who are familiar with each others preferences.
- It’s OK to decline a dance, and you don’t need to give a reason for doing so. It’s less polite to decline a dance and immediately dance with someone else, but again – you don’t owe anyone an explanation. But please be polite – a simple “No thank you” and a smile will do.
- We’ll say it once more: assume the best of everyone. 98% of folks who dance are doing it to feel good, meet new people, and challenge themselves. A smile can take you a long way, even if you’re not feeling your best one evening.
Code of Conduct
Many hosts and studios have a code of conduct that you should familiarize yourself with. The purpose of the code is to be transparent about expectations and “ground rules” so that everyone can have maximum fun and comfort with the learning and social experience.