Please limit your requests to one each evening. The member who programs the requests will try to accommodate everyone. Many dances we do are done in lines or open circles and there are some conventions regarding joining lines that you should know. These will help you to join in more comfortably and not be intimidated. Generally the leader is the person who requests a dance, the person who has just recently taught the dance, or someone who knows it well, therefore never join a line on the lead end unless you fit into one of these categories.
Most dances lead to the right.
If you don't know the dance, or are not sure, then follow at the back until you are sure. It's easier to follow from behind rather than from beside. Although it seems a friendly thing to do to invite people who are dancing behind into the line, only invite them if they know the dance, otherwise you embarrass them and make it difficult for those who know the dance. If you refuse a dance, it is in bad taste to accept the same dance with someone else. Wait for another dance before dancing with another partner.