Code of Conduct

This space ”is a public venue, and it is intended to be a place that sometimes puts you outside of your comfort zone. In that sense, and in that sense only, it is designed to be an unsafe place. We want you to push yourself, learn new things, and meet people who will challenge you in whatever corner of the arts you pursue. We believe in the value of public arts’ spaces, and we believe in the mixing of diverse groups of people that these places encourage. We believe in humor and the power of not taking oneself seriously.” (Mobtown Ballroom Code of Conduct)

The Dancing Fools strives to create a fun and safe environment for people from all walks of life to learn and enjoy dancing. This entails coming to an agreement on the culture of our community and what is considered acceptable at our classes, dances, and other related events. The expectations outlined below apply to attendees, staff, and guest instructors or performers at any class, dance, or event hosted by The Dancing Fools. Conduct outside of Dancing Fools events may be subject to the code of conduct if it poses a threat to the safety of other community members.

Community members have the right to:

• Be free from threat of harm to their bodies and their property.

• Express and enforce personal boundaries.

• Choose who to accept an invitation to dance from and when.

• Refuse or end a dance at any time without explanation.

• Be free from unsolicited feedback or comments, including, but not limited to, feedback or comments regarding dance technique, clothing, movement choices, or facial expressions. Requesting adjustments for your safety is welcome and encouraged. While uncommon, you may give feedback if your partner has explicitly asked you to do so.

• Be free from harassment, threats, and discrimination of any kind. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Offensive, derogatory, negative, discriminatory, or vulgar comments or behavior related to an individual’s race, age, level of dance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, physical appearance, religion, or anything else.

  • Microaggressions related to any of the above listed identities and attributes.

  • Talking over, heckling, or deliberately disrupting a class or event.

  • Persistent and unwelcome attention or advances.

  • Unwelcome or coerced physical contact in any capacity.

  • Any situation which makes another person feel unsafe or uncomfortable to the point of being unable to enjoy the event.

• Respectfully express opinions in a way that:

  • Does not mock, ridicule, or demean individuals or groups.

  • Does not contain obscene, vulgar, or inflammatory statements.

  • Is not detrimental to the welfare of other community members.

Community members have a responsibility to:

• Adhere to personal boundaries set by other community members.

• Attend to other community members’ verbal and non-verbal cues (ex. changes in eye contact or facial expression, pulling away, tensing up) that may indicate a boundary crossing and to change their own behavior accordingly.

• Gracefully accept when another community member refuses their invitation to dance.

• Be aware of their surroundings and make choices that minimize the risk of injury.

• Avoid performing lifts or aerials on the social floor. Lifts and aerials should only be executed by trained professionals during a performance.

• Acknowledge and apologize for accidental injuries. Offer assistance for minor injuries and find a staff member if first aid is required.

• Invite each other to dance clearly and kindly. “Would you like to dance?” or some variation thereof is generally safe; close friends may use a variety of noises and gestures to invite each other to dance.

• Be aware of how their actions affect others and take responsibility for harm caused, even if their intentions were not malicious.

• Self-reflect and/or seek guidance from a trusted teacher or mentor if they are frequently asked to make changes to their behavior or frequently injuring partners.

• Commit to learning and growing from both their successes and mistakes as a dancer and as a member of the dance community.

• Refrain from participating in illegal activities while at a Dancing Fools event.

• Avoid using perfumed products immediately before or during a Dancing Fools event. Fragrance allergies can cause severe side effects; using unscented products is a simple way to keep our space accessible to all.

• Report issues that you experience or witness as soon as possible (see “How to Contact Us” below); Dancing Fools staff members are keeping an eye out during all of our events, but reports from our community are key to helping us maintain a safer space for everyone.

Addressing an Issue

If you feel wronged or feel you have witnessed wrongdoing, we want to hear about it. We welcome all opportunities, big and small, to provide education on our community’s expectations so that we can maintain a safer space for all. Reporting issues also help us monitor and address larger patterns of behavior in individuals and in the community.

• Step 1- Make it known that you or another community member are in an uncomfortable or unsafe situation by:

  • Reporting the incident by using one of the options in the “How to Contact Us” section. Proceed to step 2.

  • Directly telling the individual(s) that their behavior is creating an uncomfortable or unsafe environment. If you choose this option and their behavior does not change, please report the incident as above.

• Step 2- Once an incident has been reported, the Dancing Fools will respond as follows:

  • For harassment, threats, and other serious safety issues: the individual(s) causing harm will be immediately asked to leave without refund or compensation. Law enforcement may be called. Proceed to step 5.

  • For all other incidents: a Dancing Fools staff member will have a private conversation with the individual(s) causing harm. If they acknowledge their infraction and correct their behavior immediately, the incident will be considered resolved. If not, proceed to step 3.

• Step 3- The inidividual(s) harmed will be offered three options:

  • Participate in a restorative circle with the individual(s) causing harm, moderated by a Dancing Fools staff member. Proceed to step 4.

  • Grant the Dancing Fools permission to resolve the incident without their participation. Proceed to step 4.

  • Resolve the incident without involvement from the Dancing Fools.

• Step 4- The individual(s) causing harm, others involved in the incident (if applicable; participation by individual(s) harmed and witnesses is voluntary), and a Dancing Fools staff member will meet for a restorative circle. The goal of this process is for the individual(s) causing harm to understand the impact of their behavior and to come to an agreement about how to repair the harm they have caused. If an agreement is reached and adhered to, the incident will be considered resolved. If not, proceed to step 5.

  • Questions for the individual(s) causing harm to reflect on:

    • What happened?

    • What were you thinking at the time?

    • Who has been affected by what you have done? In what way?

    • What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

  • Questions for the individual(s) harmed (if applicable) to reflect on:

    • What did you think when you realized what had happened?

    • What impact has this incident had on you and others?

    • What has been the hardest thing for you?

    • What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

  • Restorative actions may include:

    • Verbal or written apology to the individual(s) harmed or to the community as a whole.

    • Community service.

    • Seeking education on issues related to the incident.

• Step 5- Taking a break from the community

  • In the case of harassment, threats, and other serious safety issues, the individual(s) causing harm will be required to take a break from the community for a minimum of six months and may be permanently banned from Dancing Fools events. For non-lifetime bans, the individual(s) causing harm will be required to participate in a restorative circle in order to rejoin the community.

  • Involvement in more than one incident of harassment, threats, or other serious safety issues will result in an automatic, permanent ban from Dancing Fools events.

  • If an incident is not considered resolved for any reason, the individual(s) causing harm will be required to take a break from the community until the incident is resolved.

How to Contact Us

• Find a staff member or Dance Angel at one of our events. Staff are at the registration desk, DJ booth, and on the social floor. Dance Angels are wearing a white bandana.

• Email us at thedancingfools@gmail.com – use the direct email or our contact form.

• Use our Anonymous Incident Report Form by clicking here or using the QR codes posted around the venue.

• All electronic methods of contacting us are password-protected and are only accessible by Neal Klein, Joe Mahoney, and Alli Reese.

Acknowledgements

This code of conduct was developed by Neal Klein, Joe Mahoney, and Alli Reese for The Dancing Fools. It is modeled on codes of conduct from Dance Jam Productions, Mobtown Ballroom, Charlottesville Swing Dance Society, The Jam, and the Delaware MET, among others, with input from numerous friends and community members. Our incident response procedures are based on the principles of restorative/circle justice, a practice developed by the First Nations people of Canada and the U.S. and the Maori people of New Zealand.