“Whether you follow, lead, or switch, use your words before and after a dance.  It’s common to be more informal with good friends but when in doubt err on the side of being polite.”
Good for: beginners

Modeling conversations works well when you are teaching or in another position of authority. I’ve incorporated these model conversations into the class rotation itself, but more often I’ve done it as an etiquette tip after the class, and especially if I’m teaching a drop-in taster (before a dance) or the first class of a beginner series.

A: “Would you like to dance?”
B: “Yes, please.” or “No, thank you.”
A: “Okay.”
~ after the dance ~
A/B: “Thank you.”

Can also be modified to include:

“Would you like to follow/lead this dance?”
“Would you like to dance?”
“Would you like to lead, follow or switch?”

You Don’t Learn That in School (YDLTIS) is a blog series that highlights swing dance etiquette not always covered in dance class.  Each phrase is short enough to use as a “tip of the week” at the end of class or in announcements during a social dance.