Code of Conduct

Conduct, Etiquette, and Culture

Rule 1: nobody gets hurt.

Rule 2: everybody has fun.

 To ensure both of those are true, here are some guidelines for conducting yourself as a member of our dance community:

We work to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all of our dancers and maintain trust between our dancers and instructors. If you need to report anything or have any questions or issues, please refer to our organizer team at harrisonburgswing@gmail.com.

1. Respect. Treat all dancers, instructors, and volunteers with respect and kindness; respect all boundaries, personal space, and personal preferences. Harrisonburg Swing will not tolerate disrespect within our dance community.

2. Consent. Always ask if your partner wants to dance, and ask permission before trying new moves or dips. Anyone can ask anyone to dance, but respect their response. Note that “no” means “no”, and non-verbal cues such as body language and facial expressions are also communicators of consent. If they decline, respect their decision without question. Remember that consent can be revoked at any point, and your partner may need to stop dancing in the middle of the dance. 

• When saying no to a dance, be polite. You don’t need to dance with anyone, and you can say no for any reason or for no reason, but be respectful.

• Generally, it's a good idea to communicate whether you want to lead, follow, or switch before the dance starts, and refrain from switching roles in the middle of the dance unless you communicate beforehand. Everyone is welcome to lead or follow regardless of age or gender. We encourage you to try both roles.

3. Harassment and Reporting. Harrisonburg Swing Dance will not tolerate harassment, intimidation, or abuse of any kind, including but not limited to offensive comments, unwelcome sexual attention, inappropriate physical contact, or stalking. Be attentive to your fellow dancers' verbal and non-verbal cues. If someone appears uncomfortable or pulls away, respect their boundaries and check in with them if appropriate. If you experience or witness inappropriate behavior, please report it to an organizer or instructor. All reports will be handled confidentially and with care. Organizers will take appropriate action.

4. Venue. Respect our dance venues. Make sure to keep the space clean and clean up after our classes, and be sure to follow specific venue rules. 

• At the co-op: Change out of your street shoes in the entryway, and wear shoes that will not scuff the floor. If you notice your shoes are scuffing the floor, please change into your socks or a different pair of shoes. 

• At bars and restaurants: It costs money for venues to host our events. If you are able, please be sure to buy something and tip appropriately so we maintain good relationships with our venues.

5. Inclusivity. Lindy hop is a culturally rich dance with a vibrant history and diverse community. We aim to make everyone welcome and safe. Organizers will act to ensure the safety and friendly nature of the dance community, which may include warnings, expulsion from events, and bans from future events in severe cases of inappropriate conduct.

• Dance is not an inherently romantic activity. Do not treat it as one.

• Do not be racist, sexist, transphobic, or in any other way intolerant or generally mean. Everyone is here to have fun. You should help others to have fun, just as they will help you.

6. Safety. Your safety is our top concern. Respect your safety and your partner’s by dancing within your abilities to prevent injuries. If you feel unsafe or experience discomfort or pain, stop and address the concern with your partner or the instructors. Consider communicating any preexisting injuries with your instructors or partners. Avoid lifts, dips, or aerials unless you are being specifically taught and are taking safety measures. Weapons are strictly prohibited.

• Never do aerials or extreme dips on a social floor. Every dancer should be in control of their own weight at all times.

  • Never do any dip without asking your partner.

7. Learning Environment. Please leave the teaching to the instructors. If you notice your partner making a mistake, do not correct them. Instead, tell your partner what you are feeling and refer to the instructors for more specific directions. If your partner asks for corrections or advice or is in danger of being hurt, please keep your comments positive and welcoming.

• When giving feedback, observe rather than infer. You know what you feel. You do not necessarily know what your partner is doing to cause that feeling.

  • Use “I…” statements rather than “You…” statements.

• The one exception to this rule is safety risks. You may correct your partner if their conduct is likely to cause injury to any dancer and/or damage to your surroundings. It is always right to communicate any safety concern to your partner and instructors.

8. Accountability. Please maintain awareness of your surroundings and floorcraft. This applies to follows and especially leads. If you do bump into someone, take accountability and apologize.

• That said, we all make mistakes! Error is part of learning! If you make a mistake, don’t feel the need to apologize for the whole dance, especially if you are dancing with a more experienced dancer. We are all here to learn and have fun! Relax and enjoy yourself.

9. Hygiene. Maintain good personal hygiene, including personal grooming and wearing clean clothes.

• Avoid scented products on the dance floor as much as is practical.

• Dance is an energetic physical activity and people sweat. That's fine. If you know you sweat a lot, consider bringing an extra shirt, or a small travel deodorant, toothbrush, and hand sanitizer.

10. Photography and Privacy. We encourage you to take photos and videos! If you post any photos please ask permission of those in the photo.

• Harrisonburg Swing Dance often takes photos or videos during lessons for use as promotional material. We will try as much as is practical to make sure everyone pictured is OK with it.

11. Fun! Enjoy the music, dancing, and friends. Lindy hop is a social activity, and we encourage you to stay for social dancing and after-dance activities.

12. Everything Else. Our community and our culture are important to us. We want to maintain a positive environment in lessons, social dances and outside of dance. Just because we don't explicitly mention something here doesn't mean it's OK. In general, be respectful, compassionate, kind, and intellectually charitable.

• Your conduct outside of Harrisonburg Swing Dance events may influence your standing with Harrisonburg Swing. Bullying, harassment and discrimination outside of our events influences dancers’ comfort attending those events, so organizers may act if a community member violates our code of conduct outside of dances. Although it will be a last resort in the case of severe and/or sustained inappropriate behavior, we may require anyone to leave our events and/or ban them from future events for any reason or without giving a reason.