Dance Circles

A variant of the 'show case' style jam circles mentioned
above is a circle where dancers within the circle swap
partners from the outside. Less "showy" than a jam
circle, these jams are to commemorate an occasion for
the person(s) in the circle. Another way to consider the
difference is that while the aforementioned Jam Circles
showcase ability, the Dance Circles here showcase
dancers. For example, this kind of jam circle may be
organized when a dancer from the local dance community
celebrates a birthday, or is moving away. Other
occasions for these jams include a welcome dance for new
members and/or visitors. Many of these circles are a
planned portion of the evening.

The dancers of honor stay in the circle the whole time
while other dancers from outside the circle cut in 'on
the fly'. Dancers "break in", or "steal", their way into
the middle by breaking the connection of the dancers and
inserting themselves such that the person of honor
continues dancing without missing a beat. Some scenes do
this in an organized fashion (such as a line), however,
many do so without rules. Such birthday jams are common
in swing dance and hustle communities in the United
States but not unusual in salsa or tango. While
nerve-wracking for beginning dancers the jams do help to
meet the local crowd.