The code of conduct is often times considered a first step in creating a safer space. Creating a code of conduct has many upsides. It:
- Helps you think about what matters to your scene.
- Creates a reference for everyone about what is okay and what’s not.
- Shows your community you care.
- Can help to give you legal permission to restrict access of your events to someone
If you write a code of conduct but no one enforces it, you give the feeling of safety without providing actual safety which creates a less safe environment.
How to write a code of conduct?
Find your values
Each dance scene and dance form has slightly different values. The blues dance scene I come from is all about affirmative verbal consent, but this would be really hard to apply in, say, contact improv jams. Another example is that some scenes default to close embrace, while others have to negotiate close embrace.
Try to list the values and behaviors you want to see in your community:
- Verbal affirmative consent before anything?
- Clear non-verbal consent codes?
- Empower clear setting of boundaries?
- Asking if there’s preference to lead, follow, or switch?
- Inclusion of different ages, races, genders, religions, etc.?
- Accessibility to folks with disability?
- Encourage/discourage giving feedback/criticism on dancing?
Important information
There some things that should be included in a code of conduct:
- What do to if someone doesn’t respect it/how to reach out to organizers. Reporting is not easy! Find ways to make it as easy as possible, and encourage people to do it!
- What the consequences are for not respecting it. I recommend leaving the organizers some leeway, and using language such as “the organizers will take action should anyone not respect this code of conduct, and reserve the right to remove temporarily or permanently anyone from the event”.
Special clause for staff
People in power at your event (teacher, DJs, organizers) have an imbalance of power with the participants, and many situation of crossing boundaries happen with this power differential.
Many events now include additional requirements for those positions, for example:
- Staff cannot initiate intimacy
- Intimacy with participants is forbidden (or forbidden only to people who are younger and who are at their first event)
- No he said / she said : it is the responsibility of the person in power to make sure everything goes well. If it doesn’t, they will automatically be considered responsible
You also might want to lay out a plan if one of the staff is crossing a boundary (including you)
Choose a tone and length
I believe that code of conducts are useful if they’re read. I prefer to use positive, happy tones when I write them that gives a lot of examples of positive behavior. The downside to that is it might not carry across the sense that it’s important, and that there will be negative consequences to not respecting it.
You can also choose to go for a sterner code of conduct, which might scare people into acting in ways that do not go against it.
I also tend to think that shorter is better, because people don’t really retain a lot of information anyway and I think it improves the chance they’ll read it. Some spaces have multiple codes of conduct with a short version and a longer one.
The balance between precision and organizer freedom
You have to find a balance between the “spirit of the law”, like No harassment, that is vague and may be interpreted in many different ways and might be applied through the lens of the organizers bias, and a very precise list of behaviors like “we do not tolerate racial slurs at our events”. It then becomes very clear what’s acceptable and what’s unacceptable, and can be applied to everyone equally, but lacks in flexibility if someone uses bad behavior that you hadn’t anticipated.
A way to mitigate this could be to state your values and give a list of examples:
We ask that you do not engage in any sexist behavior in our space such as, but not limited to:
- Demeaning jokes
- Catcalling
- Sexual harassment
- Etc.
Examples :
There’s a bunch of codes of conduct that have been compiled by the community of dancers started by Aleks Taranov. You’ll find here the associated Google folder. Check out her cool safer dance project!
Here is the Elm City Exchange code of conduct that illustrates some of those ideas. It’s been written for Swing, Blues and Fusion. You’ll find example of different dances in the links above and in the examples below (click on the names to expand the content). Codes of Conduct are highly cultural and featuring them here is not an endorsement of the text or the community, simply an effort to portray a wide example of possibilities :
ECX Code of conductAn example of a short code of conduct for Zouk :
CZC Code of conductSteel City Blues made a longer code of conduct also on the positive side!
I like this one too from Andante Blues :
Andante Blues Safer space policy
Here is an example in a different style of Tango Forge :
Tango Forge Code of ConductHere is an example of multiple length code of conduct by Sundown Blues Dance Society using stern language. It’s under a Creative Commons Zero licence.
Sundown Blues Dance Society Code of Conduct
Thank you! So helpful of you to include those good reference examples.
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