Square Dance Etiquette Question

[bjarvis]

A relatively new square dancer asked me the following question tonight:
How do you politely deal with someone who wishes to be your dance partner but makes you exceedingly uncomfortable?

I suggested pre-emptively ensuring you have a partner already arranged for the upcoming tip but this ducks the issue rather than dealing with it. Likewise choosing to sit out a tip rather than dance with the objectionable party is inadequate: one shouldn't have to sacrifice one's own participation in an event just because of one individual.

Thoughts?

Comments

[rsc.livejournal.com]

In the contra and English country dance world, these are still considered the only polite options.

There is one other that I sometimes use: "I'm trying to dance with new people for the first part of the evening." But I only say this when I mean it, and I've used it to turn down people I'd be perfectly happy to dance with.

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

oooo that's a good one!

***adds to internal etiquette file***