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Dances

The Student Activities Office (SAO), under the direction of the Office of Student Affairs of the University of Notre Dame, presents the following guidelines and expectations for dances that should be followed by all student groups. Changes and exceptions to these guidelines can only be made after approval from the Director of Student Centers, Activities, and Events or their SAO designee. If a student group does not follow these guidelines, they may lose all dance privileges. In addition, below you will find more information on specific guidelines for residence hall sponsored dances (established by Residential Life), tent dances, off-campus dances, and dances taking place in the Dahnke Ballroom in the Duncan Student Center.

Remember: As you continue to plan your group's activities throughout the academic year, keep in mind that no more than four (4) on-campus dances will be permitted on any given Friday or Saturday through the academic year, based on availability of University resources. 

Planning a Dance 

To start planning a dance, you must begin by completing an NDCentral request. This request must be submitted at least 3 weeks prior to when you expect to begin selling tickets (or at least 4 weeks prior for dances held in the Dahnke Ballroom). NOTE: Dance spaces book up fast, so please complete your request months in advance to secure the date and location you're interested in.

All dance requests are required to meet with the facilities manager and/or designated representative about the dance PRIOR to final confirmation. 

General Dance Guidelines

As of July 31, 2025

When planning a dance, you must make sure that the focus is on it being a group-wide activity rather than a private gathering. To help you ensure that this goal is met, we provide you with the following guidelines. *NOTE: Events which allow students to travel freely between the dance and a private gathering over the course of the evening will not be approved. 

Guidelines:

  • A minimum of $3.00 per person should be spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages for both on and off-campus dances to ensure there is sufficient food for all attendees. Exceptions can be made through SAO if the theme of the dance lends itself to less expensive food.
  • One uniformed NDPD officer, or ND Usher if designated by NDPD, must be present at the event. Arrangements are made by SAO when the NDCentral request is submitted. Please, do not contact NDPD directly unless instructed otherwise. 
  • A club officer (or hall staff member for residence halls) should be at the entry checking the names against a list of ticket-holders for admittance. 
  • Wristbands at check-in are encouraged for dances to ensure students and all dance attendees pass through check-in stations. Wristbands are provided free of charge by SAO.
  • All participants must be present or in line at the dance no later than 30 minutes after the official start time of the dance. 
  • No readmission is allowed once a student has left the dance.
  • All contracts (DJs, Venue, Photographer, etc.) must be approved and executed PRIOR to the event. NOTE: Vendors will not receive payment if SAO does not receive a signed contract prior to the event. To ensure that all vendors are paid on time, submit all contracts at least two weeks prior to your event to the Dance Liasion. 
    • If a current University of Notre Dame student is being hired as an entertainer or technical staff for a student group event, please submit the Student Contract Services Form instead of the Entertainers, Bands, and Performers contract.
  • Dances should not exceed 3 hours in length and must end by 1:00 a.m.
  • Dances can only be held on Friday or Saturday evenings, unless permission is granted by the Director of Student Centers, Activities, and Events or their designee.
  • On Home Football Weekends, dances can only take place on Friday but are limited based on space and staffing availability.
  • Tent dances are not permitted on Home Football Weekends.

Guidelines for Residence Hall Dances (determined by the Office of Residential Life)

  • Guests should arrive to join or pick up residents no more than 75 minutes to the beginning of the dance.
  • There should be one formal check-in station (residence hall or dance location) which is decided upon by the Rector of the residence hall hosting the dance.
  • Wristbands at check-in are encouraged to ensure that students and all the attendees pass through the check-in stations. Wristbands are provided free of charge by SAO. 
  • At least one Rector or one Assistant Rector must be present at the dance at all times.
  • If a resident leaves before the dance is over, he or she may return to their residence hall room. Guests will not be permitted back into the hall, except into the residence hall's 24 hour lounge. 
  • Since dances are intended to involve all/the majority of the residence hall community, residents who plan not to attend the dance or residents/attendees who have left early are not permitted to have parties during or after the dance. 

Residence Hall Tent Dance Guidelines:

  • Dance participants should NOT be allowed back into rooms once the dance has begun.
  • Re-entry into halls by attendees is allowed only for restroom access. A hall staff member or security officer should monitor the entrance to the hall. 
  • The first floor of the hall should have ample male and female restrooms.
  • Consider limiting the number of participants allowed into the dance at one time (no more than three at once, etc.)
  • Residence hall staff and/or security officers should ensure that access to the basement and upper floors is restricted to dance attendees.

Guidelines for Tent Dances

  • The hosting group is encouraged to secure a suitable out-of-hall or rain location in the event of inclement weather, otherwise in the case of inclement weather the dance will be canceled. 
  • Student groups or residence halls must demonstrate that equipment has been purchased or contracted for the event (tent with slide flaps, snow fencing, fans, etc.) by submitting a contract or invoice at least 2 weeks prior to the event, to the Dance Liaison.
  • The dance area must be secure by snow-fencing and/or natural borders (wall of a building, etc.). Snow-fencing is free from the University Landscape Services; student groups must pay the labor cost for set-up and tear-down.
  • Bands can play music until midnight. Recorded music (DJs, playlists, etc.) can be played until 1:00 a.m.
  • Students attending the dance should wear appropriate attire for the theme and formality of the event. 

Guidelines for Off-Campus Formals

All the same policies apply to off-campus dances. In addition to the guidelines already provided, if your student group or residence hall is planning an off-campus gathering, you must secure charter transportation to the event location. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Director of Student Centers, Activities, and Events, or their designee.

On Campus Dance Protocols

If you are interested in hosting a dance in the Dahnke Ballroom or Stepan Center, please use the following information as a timeline guide of all the responsibilities and requirements that you will need to follow if hosting an event in this location. If you have any questions regarding hosting an event in the Dahnke Ballroom, please contact Dan Semple, Program Coordinator for Duncan Student Center and for Stepan Center, please contact Kat Van Vleet, Assistant Director of Washington Hall and Stepan Center. 

Dance Planning Meeting

  • SAO staff will meet with the student dance coordinators prior to the dance (typically two to three weeks in advance) to walk through the event and confirm final logistics for the dance. 

Student Group Staff Support

  • Each student group hosting a dance must have at least one advisor or University representative present for the entire dance who can serve as a point of contact for the SAO staff member managing the event. 

Additional SAO Staff Support

  • When the size of the dance is under 500 attendees, the dance will typically be managed by one SAO staff member. 
  • When the size of the dance is over 500 attendees, at least one other SAO staff member will assist with staffing the event. Decisions on SAO staffing needs will be made in consultation with the Director for Student Centers, Activities, and Events. 
  • Once you have had your dance meeting, you cannot expand the number of people in attendance for your dance. 

Wristbands

  • Wristbands will be provided free of charge by SAO and are required to be worn by all dance attendees. This ensures that the expected capacity will not be exceeded.

Intoxicated Guests

  • Students and their guests are not permitted to bring in any beverages from the outside (including water bottles). If students or guests are seen with beverages determined to be alcoholic inside the dance, they will be required to leave the dance.
  • Intoxicated students or guests will not be permitted to remain at the dance. SAO staff will work with the student group advisor or University representative to ensure the student's safety and well-being, with the final decision made by SAO staff in consultation with NDPD.

Prohibited Items and Behavior

The following items are not permitted for dances:

  • Open flames
  • Helium balloons
  • Chocolate fountain or fondue
  • Glitter
  • Anything taped, tied or sticky taped to wall, columns, or railings
  • A photo background may not be attached to the wall, but SAO staff will provide a structure that can be used to create a photo background

All guests must refrain from:

  • Crowd surfing and rough housing. 
  • Throwing items such as water, water bottles, decorations, food etc. 
  • Abusive language or behavior towards university and student staff will not be tolerated
  • Disregarding instructions for university and student staff. 
  • Destruction of university property. 
  • Non-compliance with entry policies. 

Dahnke Ballroom Dance Protocols

Check-in Procedures

  • All participants must be present or in line at the dance no later than 30 minutes after the official start time of the dance.
  • All guests are allowed only clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" in size. 
  • Small clutch bags with or without a handle or strap or wallets that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5". or approximately the size of a hand, are allowed and do not need to be clear plastic. 
  • All bags are subject to inspection. 
  • Check-in is required to take place on the first floor of the Duncan Student Center for all non-residence hall dances. 
  • Check-in for single residence hall dances can take place on either the first or seventh floor of the Duncan Student Center. The check-in location will be determined at the dance planning meeting with SAO staff and cannot be changed on the day of the dance.
  • Check-in for dual residence hall dances is required to take place on the first floor of the Duncan Student Center.

Elevators and Stairs

  • SAO staff will post signs in each elevator with the message: "WARNING: This elevator is under surveillance. Jumping will disable the elevator, resulting in an entrapment of up to 2 hours and a fine."
  • The sponsoring student groups must provide two monitors (volunteer students or staff) to circulate in each 7th floor elevator lobby where the restrooms and stairwell entrances are located.
  • The sponsoring student group must provide one operator for each elevator activated for the dance (typically 4-8). These operators will be responsible for preventing attendees from jumping or bouncing in the elevators. Elevator staffing protocols are as follows:
    • Non-residence hall student groups must pay for an usher to staff the elevator from the beginning to the end of the dance. The usual rate is $10.00 per hour.
    • Residence halls may choose to pay for an usher to staff each elevator from the beginning to the end of the dance at $10.00 an hour, OR they may position their hall staff as the driver of each elevator for the first hour of the dance.
    • For large or complex dances (over 500 guests, though other factors may be considered in this definition), the student group must provide staff (either volunteer students, or paid ushers) to monitor the service stairwells to ensure guests are not entering or exiting through these. 
    • If the Officer of Crowd Control is not able to supply enough ushers to meet the need, then Monterrey security guards will be hired at a rate of $25.00 per hour.

DJ use of SAO and Dahnke Ballroom Equipment 

  • DJs contracted by the student group may use SAO and Dahnke Ballroom sound and light equipment.
  • DJs may not make any adjustments to settings or levels on the PA System or lighting controls. Changes to these settings must be requested of the house manager.
  • If there are any issues with this, the DJ will be given a warning by SAO staff managing the event. Should the behavior continue during the dance or a subsequent dance, the DJ may not be permitted to continue to serve as a DJ in SAO facilities.

Stepan Center Dance Protocols

Check-in Procedures

  • All participants must be present or in line at the dance no later than 30 minutes after the official start time of the dance.
  • All guests are allowed only clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags that do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12" in size.
  • Small clutch bags with or without a handle or strap or wallets that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5". or approximately the size of a hand, are allowed and do not need to be clear plastic.
  • All bags are subject to inspection.
  • Check-in will take place at the front entrance of Stepan Center. No other exterior doors may be used for entry.
  • Groups must provide adequate staff to check in attendees and distribute wrisbands.

Set-Up and Decorations

  • General Services may set up all needed tables and chairs for the dance, dependent upon their availability. If General Services is unavailable, your group may be required to set up.
  • Student groups will be provided with a 2-hour setup window on the day of the dance, during which they may decorate the space.
  • Stepan Center staff will provide the appropriate tape to hang any decorations on walls, doors, door frames, or other surfaces. Any other adhesives will not be allowed.
  • Nothing may be affixed to the curtains or stage skirting.
  • If your group is using a DJ, they must set up during the two-hour window. Questions regarding the DJ setup should be directed to Facility Management.
  • Stepan Center can provide a photo backdrop holder upon request.

During Dance

  • Crowd surfing or individuals picking each other up will result in the music being shut off until the behavior stops.
  • Students and their guests are not permitted to bring in any beverages from the outside (including water bottles). If students or guests are seen with beverages determined to be alcoholic inside the dance, they will be required to leave the dance.
  • Intoxicated students or guests will not be permitted to remain at the dance. SAO staff will work with the student group advisor or University representative to ensure the student's safety and well-being, with the final decision made by SAO staff in consultation with NDPD.
  • No more than one person will be allowed on the platform with the DJ at all times.
  • Guests found to enter the stanchioned-off areas of the space, including the backstage area, will be asked to leave.

Clean Up

  • Groups are required to assist in the breakdown and storage of all tables and chairs used for their dance.
  • Groups must clean any tables unless they provide tablecloths for their events.
  • Groups must assist in the clean-up of trash after the event.This may include trash pick-up, trash removal, vacuuming, and sweeping.
  • Groups are responsible for removing any decorations set up for the event.
  • No items may be left in Stepan Center after the event.

DJ use of SAO and Stepan Center Equipment

  • The stage will not be used during dances. A 4’x8’ platform in front of the stage will be provided for the DJ.