If you ever get the chance to go to a workshop on playing for dance, you'll pick up lkots of tips. They'll probably get you up to try out the dance steps which, as Howard says, really does help.
A sample tip from John Kirkpatrick: if you want to stress a beat (e.g. if it's an important one for the dancers to jump or turn on), keep it short and staccato, which might seem counter-intuitive but really does help the dancers.
And there's lot to be said for stressing the off-beat, in between the downbeats on which the dancers hit the ground. Gravity will help them achieve this, but a bit of welly from the musicians on the off-beat will help them get lifted up in between steps.

Marje