Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a partner?

No, you can absolutely come alone—in fact, that’s what most people do! Everyone at Dancebreak dances with everyone else (that includes you!). The “social” in “social dancing” is taken very seriously!
General social dance etiquette calls that you usually switch partners entirely for each song- and there are a lot of songs in a two/three hour period! As a result, people tend to dance with new folk a lot! That’s why social dancing is actually one of the best activities to go alone to—people are usually dancing with people they just met.

Anyone can ask anyone else to dance—people often ask people they do not know to dance as well! Simply ask someone standing around the dance floor- “Would you like to dance?”. If they say yes, ask “Would you like to lead or follow?” And then you’ll be off!
If you’re not sure how to approach the crowd- come ask for a Dancebreak officer—we’d be happy to dance with you and find you some other folk to dance with!

We all remember what it was like to dance as a beginner- so come practice with us! There will always be someone down to show you some cool new moves, or help you with the ones you know!

Neither do most other folks at Dancebreak! Most people only really dance a couple styles and fake their way through the rest of them. In the end, we’re just being silly and having fun.

Social dancing is about having fun—not knowing every cool move or getting all your moves right or trying to impress your partner. You can do a basic step for an entire dance and have fun—all you need is enthusiasm and a willingness to groove.

Shoes: All you need to know is that street shoes are not allowed on most dance floors as they muck up the floor—bring your socks, ballet flats, or just your bare feet.
Dress Code: We’re all about casual dancing—so feel free to come with just a t-shirt. But do take in mind that you will get hot and you will get sweaty—so bring an extra shirt to change into, and something cool to dance in.
- But feel free to also dress up! Lots of people see Dancebreak as a space where they can debut a new flowy dress or a new fit, since most people change into lighter clothing to dance in anyways. There really are no rules here.

Social dance roles are composed of a lead and a follow, which while are historically gendered, are roles we are actively attempting to degender. You are welcome to learn how to dance and dance with anyone you wish, in any role.
While it is definitely easier to learn how to dance one role at a time, you’ll notice that most dancers end up learning how to both lead and follow (which can lead to a lot of fun in-dance role switching!)

In five years are you going to remember dancing through the night like you’re in a fairytale or that paper you have to write? Yeah yeah, we both know the answer to that.

You ever see one of those playlists on youtube about waltzing with your enemy? Yeah. That could be you! The enemies to lovers trope has never been more popular.
- In seriousness- you don’t have to accept every invitation to dance. “No” is a complete answer.

and you’re so real for that! You’re always welcome to reach out with any additional questions about Dancebreak if anything pops up. Richard Powers also has some write-ups on social dance etiquette—feel free to give them a read as well! https://socialdance.stanford.edu/Syllabi/Dancing.htm

Don’t see your question on this list? Have more questions? Let us know at dancebreak-owner@lists.stanford.edu