Skip to content

Code of Conduct

Overview
TasSwing is dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive, and comfortable class and event experience for everyone. It is important to our dance community that everyone reads and understands this Code of Conduct.

Getting help
If you need help, if you are injured and require medical attention, if you fear for your safety or feel threatened, or if you would like to make the organisers aware of inappropriate behaviour, contact:
• someone at our registration table;
• your teacher
• or  Shan (Contact Shan)
Don’t hesitate: we need and want to know. Your experience will be heard and addressed professionally and sensitively.

Code of Conduct – for teachers and students
Everybody is welcome to our classes and events.
• Our door and floor is open to all dancers regardless of gender/gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion etc.
• Anyone can follow / anyone can lead.
• Classes and events are places for all to feel safe, welcome and eager to enjoy the magic dancing can bring to the soul.

We take inappropriate behaviour seriously.

• If you harass someone, you may be asked to leave and you may not be welcome back to other classes or events managed by TasSwing.

So what is inappropriate? What is harassing someone?
• Staring or leering at someone.
• Suggestive or offensive comments or jokes.
• Insults, taunts or bullying.
• Comments about a person’s private life or the way they look.
• Brushing up against someone or touching. If this is accidental (it happens), apologise immediately and change what you are doing to avoid it happening again.
• Being unnecessarily physically close to someone. Yes, dancing has contact – however during class, if the teachers are speaking and you don’t need to be in partner position, then relax and let your partner have their own space.
• Ignoring someone if they ask you to “stop” or say “no”.
• Anything that would be illegal in any other social, work or public space.

Speak nicely to each other
• Don’t use language which is likely to cause offence. This includes language which is vulgar, rude, sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and ableist.
• Remember that everyone is different. While you may not be offended, others may be.

Feedback can hurt

• In a class and even on the social floor, giving feedback which is critical of another dancer can ruin someone’s dance experience.
• Before you offer feedback, ask your dance partner “can I give you some feedback?”. If they say “no”, then don’t give feedback.
• The exception to this is if someone’s dancing is dangerous or inappropriate. If this is happening, stop and tell your dance partner.

It’s your body and your safe space
• Respect the bodies and persons of other people: do not touch without asking permission, stop if someone asks you to stop touching them, and give other dancers space and time alone if they need it.
• Do not put someone in a position where they may injure themselves. If you feel in danger of being injured, stop.

You can say no.
• If someone asks you to dance and you don’t want to, say “No thank you” and leave it at that. If someone asks you to dance and you do want to, say “YES please!”

Be ok with people saying no.
• If you ask someone to dance and they say “No thank you,” be ok with that. Reply, “Hey, no worries – maybe another time!” and move on to ask someone else. No one is obliged to dance with you.

Dance safe.
• Don’t do aerials, lifts, or drops on the social dance floor. It’s ok in jams and comps. You must have verbal consent from every dance partner before you do lifts, drops, or aerials.
• Just because you had consent once, doesn’t mean you have it now.

Prepare to dance
• Dancing is wonderful exercise. Exercise which can cause sweat.
• Sweat is great and healthy for your body – but unpleasant to those you dance with. No problem! Bring spare shirts, a towel, a fan – and use them.
• Stay clean – wash your hands well and use hand sanitiser.
• If you have a virus – don’t share with other dancers. Come and enjoy the music and watching, but don’t spread the germs.