Dance Club Etiquette - What to do when people hurt you?

Question

I went to a Latin dance club in New Orleans, and was shocked to see so many morons dancing as though they were the only people on the floor. They weren't dancing for each other - they were dancing for the room, even though honestly, nobody notices that sort of thing in a packed club.

One couple was very bad, actually. My partner is a professional Latin dancer, and did his best to steer me clear of their antics, but at one point the show-off boy flung his stupid cow girlfriend straight into me and -WHAM! High heel in my calf. Hurt like the devil.

The music was VERY loud - there didn't seem an easy way to communicate with these people.

Any suggestions? I know in Buenos Aires they will throw your butt out on the curb for showboating in a social club. Should the club owners be enforcing dance rules? Or, is there something I can do?

It seemed rather wild in there, actually. At one point somebody dropped a whole cup of beer on the dance floor. Stupid drunks. :(

Answer 1

I just steer clear and go to the other end of the dance floor. My wife and I are there to have a good time, not to police the bad dancing of the other patrons. It's tempting to get a little revenge on selfish dancers, but that can reach a point where the entire night is ruined for everyone.

If the other couple really is that bad, they won't last long on the dance floor anyway. Selfish dancers make a lot of enemies very quickly on a crowded dance floor.

Over the longer-term, my wife and I circulate around clubs and ballrooms and try them on different nights until we find the best mix of skill level and dance floor density. We don't get territorial about a favorite club or spot on the dance floor. We just figure out where the dancing is going to be best for us and go there.

Answer 2

i am the doorman at the busiest club in waikiki, hawaii. i have been in the "bouncer" business for 11 years and have also worked at some of the busiest nightclubs around.
there are several things you could do to curb the antics of the selfish dancer.
1. all nightclubs have a policy of stopping fights before they start. unless you are in some weird parallel universe where lawsuits never happen, the best and most acceptable step would be to point out the offending couple to whatever security staff is on duty. inform them that you were injured by the woman and ask them to take action or you will. by putting it in such a manner, your ambiguous answer leads them to believe you would sue or fight in order to get satisfaction.
2. anticipate the movements of others. put yourself where they won't be, or, if you are the confrontational type, have an elbow placed in just the right spot for them to run into it. don't hit; let them hit it for you.
3. ask the DJ to make an announcement about drinks on the dancefloor and courtesy for other dancers. back this practice up with a well-placed, twenty dollar handshake.
4. use the handshake on the club security. discreetly point out the offending couple and state your complaint. ask that they be removed from the club. this always works with me.
5. find a classier nightclub to patronize. you're in new orleans for pete's sake. try throwing a rock and not hitting a bar.

Answer 3

I hate this too! I used to push them back. Now that I am older, I realize antagonizing the drunks wasn't the best policy, but I never got into any fights.

Answer 4

yup