SwingOrama

[Blueslover]

I am taking lindy hop and west coast swing lessons and am not yet good at either dance. I know I could get better more quickly by dancing with good dancers, but I also know I would be wasting their time. So, I have an idea to make the bad medicine taste better. Would a good follow be receptive to being paid for a half hour of their time on the dance floor? Or, would it be considered bad manners to ask? Thanks.

[Katherine]

I don't like the idea. I find it distasteful.

It is not a waste of time to dance with someone who is trying to get better. The Lindy Hop community is pretty friendly. Ask us to dance, and most of us would be glad to dance with you. Maybe not a 1/2 hour at a time, but certainly a few dances in an evening.

We all know where the outstanding dancers come from; they come from beginners who stick with it, get practice, and work to get better.

Don't be afraid to ask the better follows to dance. Most are very gracious.

[Rita]

You mean pay someone to give you a private lesson while at a social event? You could, so long as it prearranged. It would be rather creepy to simply walk up to a follow on the dance floor and say, "I'll pay you $XX if you dance with me for an entire 30 minutes."

Keep in mind that if you do pre-arrange a private lesson at a social event, it is incredibly unfair to the other leaders who may want to ask her to dance.

It's perfectly acceptable to arrange private lessons with instructors off the dance floor. Otherwise, just ask people to dance. We were all beginners once and so long as you don't hurt anyone, most people will be willing to dance with you, regardless of skill level.

[StR]

This concept is frequent in Argentine tango. It's called "taxi dance service" (taxi lead, taxi follow). It is often offered in Buenos Aires: "will accompany and dance with a client in the milonga of their choice ..."
(You can read the history of taxi dancing.)
The culture of invitation at milongas (tango dance parties) is very different (in part because of the "macho" nature of the dance and everything around it). In my opinion it is much more intimidating (especially for beginners) and it is especially difficult to dance in the community you don't know.
While it can be still intimidating for a beginner, - Lindy community is much more friendly. (I don't know WCS community, but I suspect it would be also less intimidating then the tango one.)
So, Blueslover, - I'd suggest, - be brave and try inviting follows. -
You already have two follows from this forum who wouldn't mind to be invited for a dance.

But I don't see anything distasteful about the idea, assuming, as Rita wrote, it is arranged ahead of time.
After all, it happens every so often that a couple comes to a dance and dances just with each other the entire evening. What would be the difference between a romantic date and a prearranged taxi-dance evening?

[Katherine]