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Bar and Band Etiquette for Swing Dancers

Posted by byron on 11.28.11 2:20PM under Getting Good at Swing Dancing, Live Music

Do you know why most cities don’t have swing dances in bars? Or why it’s uncommon for swing dances to feature live music? To begin with, did you know that in 1999 that many cities, including Ottawa, had a number of bars that featured swing dance nights?

Most of those venues died, and one of the reasons was the behaviour of some swing dancers. Now that we’re getting more bar nights and live music in Ottawa, let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again. Together we can help build a culture of etiquette, respect, and also the party attitude that will make more nights of swing dancing possible. You can go further than “not being a problem” and actually join together with other dancers to spread good etiquette and a respect for the musicians and venue.

Remember that musicians are professionals. They rely on the success of the bar to be paid. A few bars don’t even charge a cover for their swing, jazz or blues nights, which means they rely completely on drink sales (and some cases food) in order to pay the musicians. That means two things: one, that buying drinks is what pays for the privilege of dancing in the bar, and two, that realistically speaking it’s the people who sit all night, drinking and listening to the music, who are really paying for the band. As swing dancers we need to treat the people who sit and drink as a very valuable resource, because without them there is no bar night or live music.

Many dancers make the incorrect assumption that merely by showing up and dancing, they’re providing entertainment and therefore value to the bar. It’s simply not true. Have you ever tried to watch two hours of Jack ‘n Jills in a row? Yeah. Some people like watching the dancers, and others just get annoyed at all of the people obstructing their view of the band.

In fact one of the things that doesn’t help the swing dance community is when dancers actually detract from the ambiance of the venue. Based on things I’ve occasionally been shocked to witness or hear about, here are some guidelines for being an awesome dancer at a bar night with live music:

Respect the other guests. For example, when non-dancers are trying to get through the crowd, move over and make them some room. If you’re a skilled dancer, you shouldn’t even need to stop dancing to do this, but you need to extend this courtesy even if it requires stopping for a second. Remember that typically the sit-and-drink crowd are paying more for the band than the swing dancers, and you need to treat them respectfully–in a sense they’re your patrons, helping to sponsor your chance to dance to live music.
Respect the staff. Make sure that the staff are thinking “well, the swing dancers might not bring in as much revenue, but at least they’re the nicest people in the bar!” Some bars have kicked out all the swing dancers permanently after just a few frustrated comments from a waitress. Don’t be the idiot who makes that happen.
Clap at the end. Now, in the Jazz world it’s customary to clap at the end of solos, but that’s a modern development that began with non-danceable Jazz, and no one should expect swing dancers to stop in the middle of a song to acknowledge a solo, unless it’s just out of this world. However, instead of prioritizing your extravagant dip and chatting or flirting longer with your dance partner, give some importance to clapping for the band. It’s not just to make the musicians feel good. It’s also because it keeps the focus on the band, which draws the drinkers, who pay for the night. Remember, great swing dancers appreciate the music more than anyone else.
Respect the music–and musicians! Don’t yell across the room or even speak loudly over the sound of of the band. Some jazz combos are small and don’t use much or any amplification. Make sure the people around you keep the conversation levels low enough that people can hear the music they came to listen or dance to. I’ve even heard of a swing dancer trying to talk to a singer during a song. Are you kidding me? Respect the music, respect the musicians.
Don’t block the band. This comes up in particular during jam circles. If you’re used to jamming to canned tunes, you might not realize how important it is to let the musicians be part of the circle when there’s a jam. So please don’t stand in front of the band!
Take a breather. If it’s a small space, there might not be room to dance every song, and it’s important to let other people get a chance to dance. And unless the night is specifically billed as a dance night, remember that some songs are just for the people listening. People sometimes to try to “power through” and dance to absolutely everything. As a dance teacher I recommend learning to sit out some of the songs that are really just mean to be listened to. That’s a major difference between a swing event (where every song is supposed to be danceable) and live music at a bar (where some of the music is just for listening).
Socialize! Instead of treating the night like a dance marathon, use the opportunity that a bar provides for social interactions: tables, chairs, drinks, live entertainment, and friends. It’s a great chance to get to know other dancers. Shy? Here’s a guaranteed opener: “You know, we’ve danced together a few times but I realized we’ve never really spoken much. So what do you do when you’re not dancing?”
Enjoy a few drinks. Take advantage of the bar experience. Since you may not want to get rip-roaring drunk when you’re out dancing, instead try going for drinks you can sip over a longer time, like a martini rather than a beer. And go for taste explorations, like asking the bartender to mix you their latest concoction. And if you tend to down your drinks quickly, just develop a high tolerance for alcohol and take a taxi home.
Give the band some room if there’s no stage or only a small elevation. Instruments are expensive, and so are faces and hands, all of which are at the mercy of your flying limbs and that accidental disconnect when your hands get a little sweaty. Avoid dancing within kicking or falling distance of the band members. I’ve heard reports of people bumping into the musicians while dancing. That’s not cool.
Support the bar and band. I recognize that not everyone’s got big bucks, but please recognize that the success of a bar night isn’t in number of people filling the floor, but in the number of drinks (and food items) paid for. I encourage everyone to support the band and the bar by buying drinks or food, being sure to tip the server as well. Want to support the bar but don’t want to drink and drive? Buy a drink for your friends. And maybe buy a CD from the band. If you’re not able to buy drinks or food, please show extra respect for the people who are paying for the music you’re enjoying by being courteous and careful around the non-dancing bar patrons.

Be a Role Model

I firmly believe that as swing and blues dancers we need to show other people how to respect music. You should be paying more attention to the music than anyone else. You should be thinking about the type of song they’re playing, focusing on the changes in tone the singer puts into her vocals, or the rhythm of the horns, and trying to match and complement what’s going on musically.

Top dancers are usually very respectful of the music, because you become a great dancer through caring about the music deeply. And many dancers–including Ottawa’s Natalia, Olivier and Travis–also know what it’s like to be on the performing end as musicians or singers. But we need to spread this attitude to the dancers of all levels.

If we create a culture of appreciating the music, and enjoying the socializing/drinking part of bar venues now, we can start to rebuild things and eventually have many swing and blues nights throughout the week!

Here’s to building a great dance scene.

Read Comments

Posted by ekemble on 11.28.11 3:24 pm

I know this isn’t the case for other cities, but in New York believe it or not, dancing is illegal in bars or restaurants unless they have a cabaret license. They can get shut down and fined, or both. This happened within the past two years to one of our favorite hangouts in NYC. This law dates back to the 20s or 30s and was an effort at preventing whites and blacks from mixing in public. It’s still on the books.
Posted by byron on 11.28.11 7:31 pm

That’s a good point. They’ve been talking about abolishing that law for a number of years in NYC, most recently in 2008/2009. Fortunately in Canada and in other US cities this isn’t a problem. Let’s hope the NYC cabaret law finally gets struck down, because it’s made it difficult for smaller or newer venues to offer dance space. As I understand it, the cabaret licenses are very limited, so if you open a new bar or you want to add a dance area in an existing establishment, it’s nearly impossible. And with all the amazing live music in New York, it’s just a shame.