How do you get other peer level dancers who only dance with better partners to “dance down” and dance with beginners?

Everyone is welcome to dance with whomever they want, but there are some ways you can encourage more advanced dancers to dance with those at a different level.

1. Remind advanced dancers how important newbies are for the scene. We need new dancers, particularly in balboa. This is the only way for our scene to grow. Advanced dancers may need a reminder that new dancers may be intimidated to social dance and need to be asked/encouraged. Consider making an announcement reminding everyone to ask three people they don’t know to dance.

2. Point out new dancers to friendly experienced dancers and ask them to go ask that person to dance. This is very effective. Point out new dancers to your friends of the opposite role. Sometimes it can be hard to notice new dancers standing in the corner.

3. Give new students a balboa button before the social dance. This helps experienced dancers identify new balboa dancers at the social dance.

4. Model. Encourage yourself to dance with at least three new people at every dance. If you are able and it is a small dance, try to dance with everyone of the opposite role at the dance. Others may follow your lead.

5. Have a designated welcome committee. Have a designated balboa ambassador who dances with everyone at the dance and specifically seeks out newbies.

6. Have a graduation jam. Have a jam for new dancers at the end of a series class at the social dance. Advanced dancers take turns dancing with these dancers during the jam and they are easier to identify afterward.

7. Have an intermediate/advanced class at the same time as the beginner class before a dance. This means that both level dancers will be at the dance for the first hour and will be more likely to mingle.

8. Encourage advanced dancers to attend beginner classes. 

9. Introduce newbies to your more experienced friends. They are more likely to dance together once they have been introduced

10. Get advanced dancers on the floor. Sometimes advanced dancers will stop coming out social dancing. Send them a personal invitation to an event with lots of newbies. Make sure the music is good to get them on the dance floor.