Too often this music gets confused with the music played for a dance audience. A further problem is that almost to a person musicians don't dance. Hence bands are often unaware that dance music has many forms all of which have special requirements. Bands seem to assume that it doesn't matter. When we gave up having an MC some 30 years ago there was no crisis because bands 'knew what to do', but that is no longer the case.
Most bands have virtually no idea what to do to present a really successful dance night.
NZ Dances aims to assist dance bands and dance organisers to provide music and a dance programme that meets the needs of the dancing public. You might be justified in asking 'what dancing public' because for the most part the public today does not dance. Virtually nobody under 50 has had enough dance lessons to become a dancer rather than a listener. There is limited opportunity for bands, the clubs lose money, or rely on volunteers, and the number of dance venues and the number of people who know about dancing declines. NZ Dances offers a ten dance programme for beginners.