It doesn't matter where you put an item. As long as it is in town, your villagers may dance around it. You can't force them to dance around it, either. They will do so when they feel like it, and only if they aren't disciples.
If you put down multiple items but only want them to dance around one of them, you will have to relocate the others. And even then, they may follow where you put the item and still dance around it later on(if it's in the same town.)
There is a whole document on this subject somewhere on this site. Look in the FAQS. :yes