A dance ball is one of those very special events that require a certain set of etiquette and mannerisms to avoid being regarded as a savage. Here are some of the most important rules that display how to behave in the ball room.
Clothing: Usually, the dress code is mentioned in the invitation letter. Please, adjust your clothing to the dress code because you will get rejected at the door if you don’t pay attention to it. Most of the time however, only the men will receive a remark on the dress regulations. So the ladies should maybe attune their outfit to the gentlemen’s attire.
Asking a lady for a dance: If you want to ask a lady for a dance, you should pay her your full attention. Button up your suit coat, take your hands out of your pockets, smile and casually ask: “ May I have this dance?” Ladies, if you want to decline, then stay polite and only reject his request if you have a good reason like you already promised someone else to dance with him.
Dancing: After the lady accepted your offer and stood up to dance, you should push her chair back under the table. Take her hand gently and lead her to the dance floor. Before the dance, the gentleman nods to the lady who then returns the gesture. Today, you don’t necessarily need to bow to each other, only when you have been invited to an extremely special festive event. Choose a dance style matching the music and move anti-clockwise to avoid bumping into other couples. In the outer circles of the dance floor, the couples usually dance in a faster speed, while in the middle, the dancing is slower. The man is leading, which is why he should keep an overview on the entire dance floor, make sure that there is enough space for his lady to dance and he should dance with confidence! After the dance, you give each other another nod, you applaud briefly and wait for the next dance.
If you need a full and more elaborate rule book, take a look into the book of etiquette that will surely turn you into the perfect lady or gentleman.
