[Callers] Bare Feet at dances

Dear Barbara, I, too, am a bit concerned about bare feet at dances, and am very glad that no one has been hurt, at least at the dances that I have attended or called! But I must also admit that I don't feel firmly enough about the issue to have done much about it....prefering instead to think about this as "freedom of choice for the individual", etc., etc. One suggestion that I do have for this particular problem comes from the Public Health realm....you might want to check with the local Board of Health. There may be regulations that prohibit bare feet in public venues (such as restaurants, etc.), in an attempt to reduce the risks of transmission of fungus, etc. In this way, the dance organizers/callers can avoid the whole issue of right/wrong, good taste/bad taste discussions, and instead promote the need to be in compliance with the local regs. Another thought on the issue: Although I have no idea how insurance companies might interpret "no shoes" as putting a dance organizer at risk, one could argue that the wearing of shoes does help reduce the risk of injury. So once again, if a dance committee decides to institute a "no bare feet" rule, reducing liability risk is a defensible reason for instituting such a rule. Looking forward to the thoughts of others! Linda Leslie