Bei uns darf jede*r jede*n zum Tanzen auffordern, dabei gibt es keine Beschränkungen. 
 Auch Vorstandsmitglieder und Leader dürfen aufgefordert werden. 

Teil unseres Hobbys ist es, neue Leute kennenzulernen. Trau dich einfach und such dir jemanden! 

Für mich ist einer der größten Vorteile unserer Tanzsparten: Ich brauche keine*n feste*n Partner*in, sondern kann allein, mit Freunden oder der Familie kommen und mir für jede Runde aussuchen, mit wem ich tanzen möchte. Ich bin nicht darauf angewiesen, aufgefordert zu werden und muss mich auch nicht an irgendwelche Hierarchien halten. Ich kann auffordern oder aufgefordert werden, immer neue Leute kennenlernen und mit alten Bekannten tanzen – und das alles an einem einzigen Abend!

Everyone needs a break sometimes, gets hungry or needs to...

You may decide without explanation or justification whether you wish to dance or not.

You are not obliged to accept an invitation, but you must also accept a refusal.

For a long time, there was an unwritten rule that invitations to dance could never be refused. After all, it is a hallmark of our community that everyone dances with everyone else!

And yet we believe that, in order to focus on the future, it is important to question these old traditions and, where necessary, redefine them.

I would like to give two examples here that have nothing to do with sexual harassment, but nevertheless illustrate how rejecting an invitation can make a dance evening more enjoyable:

1. ​Es sind genau 16 Tänzer(innen) beim Clubabend. Also ist die Erwartung: es müssen durchgehend zwei Squares tanzen.
Das schaffen aus gesundheitlichen Gründen allerdings nicht alle. Aus Angst vor negativen Kommentaren kommt ein Teil der Tänzer(innen) lieber gar nicht zum Tanzen als evtl. eine Aufforderung ablehnen zu müssen.

2. ​Ich bin auf einem Special unterwegs, habe länger nichts gegessen oder getrunken und will eine Pause machen. Nun werde ich aufgefordert und tanze mit, weil ich nicht Nein sagen möchte. Hinterher ist mir schwindelig.

I have experienced both situations exactly as described. In both situations, refusing the request may be the solution! In the first case, you could perhaps discuss within the club how to meet the different needs. In the second case, you could possibly arrange to meet up later.

We want to ensure that rejecting an invitation is accepted even without a specific reason. Perhaps there are reasons I don't want to share, or perhaps my dance partner made an unpleasant impression during a previous dance and I don't want to experience that again.

Whatever the reason, when asked to dance, everyone is free to decide whether to say yes or no.

Personally, I think that as a community we will certainly find a good compromise here in the next few years, in order to strengthen the freedom of choice for individuals on the one hand, while at the same time sticking to our basic idea that everyone dances with everyone else. I know clubs where this already works very well. If this is not yet the case in your club, please refer to this R.D.C.D. concept.

Good dance posture makes dancing easier and enhances the enjoyment of dancing.

It can provide support and improve the flow of movement.

It also prevents injuries and misunderstandings.

If something makes you uncomfortable, let the other person know. Be open to feedback and give it yourself.

We all know the feeling: you're standing in the square with the right people or with your favourite dance partner in the round on the dance floor, and it just clicks. For me, it often "clicks" when everyone has the same energy, a helping hand comes at the right time, and the movements fit together well.

On the other hand, we have all experienced "the dead fish", "the vice" or possibly even the hand in the wrong place. This immediately makes dancing less enjoyable, figures work less well and the fun falls by the wayside.

Therefore, we would like to encourage self-reflection:

• Where are your hands?
• How do you interact with others?
• How firm is your handshake?
• Will you let go in time?

We greet each other in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable.

Also pay attention to your counterpart's gestures and facial expressions; for example, not everyone wants to be hugged.

When dancing, we all call each other by our first names, everything is very straightforward and we are often very warm and friendly. It is also traditional to greet everyone in the square and usually everyone in the dance room. Many people hug each other when they meet, some even kiss each other on the cheek.

But this isn't the right approach for everyone. Perhaps the person you're meeting is generally shy, doesn't like close contact, or is simply new to our hobby and doesn't know you yet. So pay attention to your counterpart's signals! If they extend their hand to greet you, don't insist on a hug. Even a waved "hello" can be part of a very warm greeting.

Everyone has their own comfort zone and personal boundaries. Respect other people's boundaries.

Do not take photographs without consent and maintain a respectful distance, particularly in shower rooms, changing rooms, and dormitories.

We all want to have memories of our wonderful experiences. That's why lots of photos and sometimes videos are taken, especially at special events. But be aware that not everyone may feel comfortable being photographed or filmed.

Pay attention to who you have in front of the lens and check critically – especially before publishing on social media, for example – whether the image should really be made public.

And then, of course, there are also particularly private moments when dancing. These include changing rooms, showers and also dormitories. Hopefully, it goes without saying that cameras have no place here!

However, the so-called distance zones (intimate, personal, social and public distance zones) also play a special role here.

In these situations, therefore, try to maintain sufficient distance from your fellow dancers and pay particular attention to treating them with respect.

Courtesy and friendliness characterise our interactions with one another.

The rules of etiquette that apply in real life also apply to digital media.

This applies, for example, when dealing with different age groups, sexual orientations, nationalities, etc.

Pay particular attention to using age-appropriate and respectful language, especially in the presence of children.​

We often say, "Friendship is dancing's greatest reward." To ensure that this is and remains true in reality, we should all pay attention to our language first and foremost. This applies both in real life and online. Even a difference of opinion should not lead to insults and the like.

But even in normal conversation, it is worth paying attention to how you express yourself:

• Q: Is the remark I am about to make appropriate for my fellow dancers?
• Sind Kinder im Raum?
• Versteht jede(r) meinen Humor?