Safety and Etiquette in Swing Dancing

We will be NICE to everyone and treat all people with respect. We will not harass anyone. We will be kind to everyone and respect other people’s views and opinions and not engage in gossip. No one knows what is going on in each other’s lives so be kind and people will return the favour.

We will NOT DISCRIMINATE according to sex, gender expression or sexual orientation, nor race, religion, or nationality. We will treat everyone equally, regardless of age, ability, physical appearance, lifestyle, dance experience or dance role.

We will be INCLUSIVE and invite others to dance and we will be gracious if turned down. We may say no without giving a reason, but we will be polite when doing so. If we do promise to dance later on, we will honour that promise.

We acknowledge that everyone has a different dance paths and we will respect that journey by being PATIENT with each other, understanding that we all learn at different speeds. We will NEVER give unsolicited feedback about the dance in any class or social event to other students or teachers, unless specifically asked to do so.

We will attend classes and events with a positive, friendly, approachable and open attitude, ready to learn and have fun. We will be OPEN to feedback from our teachers about our development to ensure we will get the most out of our dance journey.

We will be RESPONSIBLE for our own physical safety and that of others nearby. We will practice safe floor-craft and say sorry if we accidentally bump into another person. We will not give instruction or teach, nor perform aerials on the social dance floor. If we consume alcohol we will do so responsibly, and if we are drunk enough to pose a risk to ourselves or others, we will leave the dance floor and retire to the bar.

We will take CARE of our own personal hygiene, and bring towels, spare clothing, extra deodorant and take a shower before class or event if necessary. We will make sure that we will wear fresh clothes to class (e.g. after coming straight from work). We will be considerate when choosing our clothing, footwear, and accessories and we will not wear anything that is potentially hazardous to ourselves or to others. We will not wear our clothes in an indecent way, which may be offensive to others.

We will be RESPECTFUL and acknowledge that the personal boundaries of others may not be the same as our own. We will be mindful of the appropriateness of language that some may find offensive. We will not touch anyone without consent and we will apologise immediately if we unintentionally touch a person’s private areas.

We UNDERSTAND that following the above guidelines ensures a better experience for everyone and that participating in any kind of verbal, physical or sexual harassment or abuse will have CONSEQUENCES. This may include, but is not limited to, being asked to leave without refund and exclusion from future classes and events.

We, the organisers, PROMISE to treat any reports made, from dancers in our home scenes or elsewhere, with sensitivity and to keep all details as confidential as is possible (however, in the event of a police investigation, all information will become disclosable).