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Going out together6 minutes

Dance partner in Zurich: How to plan your evening together

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In short
  • For your chosen dance event in Zurich, find someone to go with through udansa or your existing dance contacts.
  • When inviting someone, mention the specific event, when you’re available, and what you’d like to do together.
  • Be explicit about whether you’ll just arrive together, dance together, or also spend time separately.
  • Agree on a meeting point and what to do if someone is late, without assuming you’ll be responsible for each other.

A confirmed evening can still mean different things to each of you: You’re looking forward to dancing together, while the other person is looking forward to easing in with someone familiar and then meeting other people. Agreeing on a specific plan prevents these different expectations from turning into disappointment.

What you need for your date

  • A dance event in Zurich you've already selected
  • The name, date and venue of the event
  • Your availability that evening
  • A contact on udansa or from your dance circle
  • An idea of what you'd like to do together

A dance date does not automatically mean a committed dance partnership

There are three different kinds of plans that can work for a dance evening in Zurich. For an arrival companion, you meet at the entrance and go in together. After that, you move through the evening independently. With a dance companion, you explicitly plan to dance together, with breaks and possibly other partners in between. With an evening companion, you also spend time together away from the dance floor. None of these arrangements automatically follows from the question, “Are you coming with me?”

The event format influences which arrangement makes sense. At an open dance party, invitations from other people may be part of the evening. At an event for established couples, by contrast, switching partners spontaneously is not a given. If you’re visiting an open format for the first time, the guide to preparing for your first social dance in Zurich can help you understand what to expect. What matters is which parts of the evening you want to spend together.

So describe an action rather than a mood: “I’d like to go in with you and dance the first few dances together” is clearer than “I’m looking for a relaxed evening.” Agreeing to dance together also doesn’t define closeness or roles. If it’s relevant to your plans, you’ll also find advice on closeness and boundaries in queer dance connections. The agreement initially applies only to this one event.

A spot of your own for your bag and jacket lets you manage on your own between dances, even without a partner.
A spot of your own for your bag and jacket lets you manage on your own between dances, even without a partner.

How to meet up for your dance night

  1. Decide what you want to share

    First, decide what exactly you're looking for: company when you arrive, a few dances together, or an evening spent mostly together. Also mention what you'd like to do on your own, so your invitation doesn't imply any unspoken obligation.

  2. Choose a suitable contact

    Choose someone on udansa or from your existing dance contacts who might be interested in the event you’ve already planned. You can ask someone you know from a dance class directly about this evening, without turning it into a long-term partnership.

  3. Send a specific invitation

    Write, for example: “I’m going to [event] in Zurich on [date]. Would you like to come along? I’d like us to arrive together and dance the first few dances together. After that, we can also dance separately. I’ll stay until around [time].”

  4. Turn the response into an agreement

    After getting a yes, clearly state what you’ve agreed on together. If needed, add: “So we’ll spend the beginning together, and see how the other dances go.” If you want to dance together, briefly name the dances you both know instead of assuming you’ll have the same skill level all evening.

  5. Agree on a meeting point and what to do if you're late

    Choose a clearly identifiable meeting point and set a time. Also agree on what to do if someone is late: for example, send a message and go in on your own. Separate admission for each person prevents a late arrival from keeping both of you at the entrance.

  6. Get started when you arrive

    Say hello to each other and do the part you agreed on together. Before your first dance, a brief invitation is enough; agreeing to an evening does not mean consenting to each individual dance. Start with familiar moves so you can get used to the music and dancing together.

  7. Clearly bring the shared part to an end

    If you're looking for other dances or want to leave, say so directly: “I’m going to dance with others for a while” or “I’m heading home.” Say goodbye instead of disappearing without a word. Another dance together is a new invitation.

These phrases bring clarity

Yes, like this

  • “I’ll walk in with you, then I’ll be on my own”
  • “I’m looking forward to sharing a few dances”
  • “I don’t want any corrections on figures today”
  • “I’ll make my own way home”

Not like this

  • Treat arriving together as a promise of constant company
  • Assume that coming along entitles you to every dance
  • Give unsolicited lessons during a dance evening
  • Take it for granted that your companion will drive you home

Your date to check off

After confirmation

Agreement

Before you head out

Getting there

Saying goodbye

Wrap-up

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. No, you don't need to have the same skill level for a night out together. But if you want to dance together, you need to share a repertoire of steps and enjoy a comfortable pace. To help with that, describe specifically what you can dance confidently. You can also arrange to arrive together and then look for different dances.

Go out together this evening

On udansa, you can find dance connections for your chosen occasion in Zurich. Agree with your dance partner on exactly the part of the evening you both want to share.

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Go out together this evening

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