Dance moved with his family to Staffordshire as a child as his father found work in the coal mines.
[3] Dance joined Port Vale as an apprentice in August 1975, signing his first professional forms in July 1976, and making his debut in a 2–1 defeat at Mansfield Town on 28 December 1976.
[4] An understudy to John Connaughton, he made a highly impressive Vale Park debut on 10 January 1977, his saves were a key part of a 3–1 victory over Second Division Hull City in the FA Cup third round replay game.
[5] He finished the 1976–77 campaign with 12 appearances to his name as Connaughton recovered from injury, and featured eight times in 1977–78, as manager Roy Sproson was replaced by Bobby Smith, and the "Valiants" were relegated out of the Third Division.
[4] He was sent on loan to local rivals Stoke City in May 1978 as the Potters required a goalkeeper under the age of 21 for a tournament in the Netherlands.