Is it important to at least have a guy's name before dancing with him?

It shows that you're respectful and creates a better connection if you talk to her before hand. I've danced with guys that I didn't talk to beforehand and found that I was attracted to them, but wouldn't say anything or go up to them because I felt awkward and figured they just wanted to dance. So I agree with your friend.

No, no, no. It's not important. Not even a little. Not at all.

Someone said "most girls won't dance with guys they don't know. " Bull. How is hearing your name "knowing" you, anyway? And what if you bought her a drink, then figured out she wasn't interested?
I was a bartender in Las Vegas for years, I've seen WAY too many times how a girl will get a free drink, and then bail. So rude!
I've seen lots and lots of strangers start dancing, too. It is SO not a big deal. You ask her to dance, and If she agrees, and you like the way she moves, THEN you should offer her a drink. After all that dancing, it's the only polite thing to do, anyway! ;)

NOW you can give her your name. Get hers. Ask her lots of questions about herself, etc, etc.

And you just take it from there. No big deal.

Good luck!

Not before, no. If you come up and politely ask me, Average Single Girl, to dance, I'm probably going to say yes. But if we start talking while we dance (this is why I LOVE "real" dances better than club dancing. The ability to actually have a conversation with your partner! ) and start to hit it off, then of course I'll want to know your name, give you mine, and exchange some vital information before we go our separate ways. Buying me a drink, while certainly appreciated as I'm not old enough to legally get my own, is definitely not necessary either.

Oh, and the fact that you even know HOW to two-step is hot to me. Most guys have no clue about "real" dancing. :)

Its important but at the same time its not. It is because most girls won't dance with guys they don't know. But also, when a girl is at a dance they just want to have fun and that's it. So they will go crazy and dance with a complete stranger. That's just my opinion.

I don't think it's important at all for two reasons:

1. I may just be there to have a good time and I don't need you talking to me or offering me a drink to dance with you. We're dancing, that's it. We're not signing blood contracts. LOL.

2. If you are interested in me, I personally like to see how you dance. I mean, if you can't dance it's not like I'm going to write you off, but it definitely makes for better convo for us both for me to say "wow, you dance pretty good, compared to "wow, you dance pretty bad. " Although the last one could be a great icebreaker. LOL.

Seriously though, I think that women put way to many "rules" on the common man. I'm 23 years old! I can by my own drink and I don't need to be pampered or "talked to" before we hit the dance floor. But that's just this single gals opinion. :)

Yes its very important! What if by a chance I happen to like you and I don't know your name and all because you didn't tell me!