Code of Conduct

This code of conduct is a living document; we welcome feedback! It is also non-exclusive, meaning the policies outlined are meant to be a foundation for holding ourselves (attendees, DJs/musicians, staff, and organizers) to the highest standard of behavior.

We recognize that organizers inherently hold power over the event they create.  As organizers who are trying to make choices as ethically as possible, we do not believe we will always be able to mitigate this power structure. Our goals are to:

  • Make our process visible
  • Have a plan
  • Get informed consent from the people we have power over: the event attendees.

By attending our event, you are putting your trust in us to make ethically sound decisions. At this time (2019), the core organizers are Justin Johnson (he/him), Joie Cousins (they/them), and Rémy Baheux (he/him.)

Our Values:

  • We value consent, both verbal and nonverbal. We support saying no to anyone for anything, without giving a reason.
  • We value growth - as dancers, as a community, as individuals.
  • We accept people as they are - regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, body shape, etc.
  • We prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. This means we as organizers may choose to not respond to complaints about tone, communicating boundaries, or criticising oppressive behavior.

Agreements:

By attending this event, I agree to the following things:

  • I will only take photos of those I have explicit permission of. This means every single person in the photo, including those who can be identified in the background. I will only post these photos with the explicit permission of those photographed, and I will delete (not just untag) photos if asked.
  • I will not smoke or use a vaporizer or other smoking device indoors or within 20 feet of building entrances. When outdoors, I will get permission from anyone within 20 feet of me before smoking.
  • I will only exchange feedback with consent. I will not assume a hierarchy of skills nor social capital. I will receive critique about my behavior with a spirit of courage, introspection, and personal accountability. I will give other attendees critique of specific behaviors with a spirit of compassion, support, and personal accountability. My feedback will be given without condescension.
  • I will leave the dance floor for conversations. I will keep the volume of my conversations low in the dance room so as to not detract from the music being played.
  • I will not make unwanted comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices, including parenting, diet, drugs, or employment.
  • I will dance in a manner that is safe for myself and for others. This means refraining from doing any dips or aerials that both me and my partner don’t have experience with or haven’t agreed to, as well as making sure I am not bumping into others on the dance floor.
  • I will not disparage groups of marginalized people, whether or not they are present. This includes intentionally deadnaming or misgendering people, as well as using racial slang.
  • I will be responsible for communicating my personal boundaries with everyone I engage with. Boundaries are fluid and may change throughout the event. I will proactively communicate changes in my personal boundaries.
  • I will not intentionally cross anyone’s boundaries nor harass them. I understand that crossing boundaries is not always intentional, but not immediately complying to feedback will result in disciplinary action. At the organizers’ discretion, this behavior will automatically place me in at least the orange category of the disciplinary action plan.
  • I will not pursue anyone underage. This behavior will automatically place me in at least the orange category of the disciplinary action plan.
  • I will maintain a level of sobriety that allows me to meet all of the responsibilities outlined in this document at all times. Any attendee found giving an intoxicating substance to a minor will be immediately expelled from the event and reported to the minor's parents or present guardians.

Disciplinary Action Plan:

Any policy broken will be met with disciplinary action. The following is an outline of categories people will be placed in when faced with disciplinary action. We reserve the right to place individuals in these categories due to behavior outside of our events, including behaviors to non-dancers.

Yellow

This category means you have made someone uncomfortable, or broken a policy that does not cause significant harm to someone else.

One of the organizers will have a conversation with you to let you know that they have witnessed you do something or it’s been reported that you’ve made someone uncomfortable. It’s expected that you immediately comply with feedback. Repeated offenses at this level or intentionally ignoring feedback will lead to escalation within the disciplinary action plan.

Orange

This category means you have caused harm to another person and are on our “watch list.” This category is intended to allow room for people to prove they are willing to improve and grow. If we believe you are not willing to change for the better, we reserve the right to exclude you from our events, even if your behaviors are not deemed to be significantly harmful.

You may be placed in this category during or before the event based upon behaviors outside of TDT events. If you are placed in this category before the event, you will be contacted by an organizer when you register.

The following are the requirements to attend our events if you are placed in this category:

  • You may not consume anything at the event whatsoever that inhibits your sobriety.
  • You must have an accountability buddy. This accountability buddy must be approved by all core organizers. The accountability buddy will be with you at whatever activities you choose to do (swimming, dancing, etc.) This means that if your accountability buddy wants to go to bed early, you will be expected to leave the dance as well.
Red

This category means you are banned from all The Dance Thing events.

  • You are not welcome if you have a police report against you for a sexual assault, physical assault, or a restraining order, regardless of where the incidents happened. We recognize that police reports are not an accurate indication of whether an incident happened, but having one of these reports automatically bans you from our event.

How to report if someone has crossed your boundaries/violated the policies:

A third-party mediator will be retained by the organizers. That person's contact information will be available to attendees. If used, that person's services will be paid for from the event's emergency fund. Attendees who wish to start a process with the mediator must contact either the mediator or the organizers within one week of the last day of the event (by Monday, June 24) to initiate the mediation.

If you have concerns about a member of the community, please bring your concerns to a core organizer directly or through a third party, or email thedancething@gmail.com. You don't have to have a fully formed request or plan when you initiate the conversation.

Any attendee is encouraged to bring any problem to any organizer at any time. When the attendee does this, they agree to the following actions:

  • ALL core organizers will be informed of all information that is given to any organizer regarding a complaint. No secrets between or from core organizers is allowed. (Core organizers may withhold information from event organizers to protect attendees' privacy.)
    • If a complaint involves one of the organizers, that organizer will be treated as an attendee for conflict-resolution purposes.
    • If a complaint involves all core organizers, the complainant may contact the third-party mediator directly, or take any other approach the complainant finds appropriate.
    • If the complaint involves a minor, the minor's present caregiver will be given all information.
  • The organizers will attempt to resolve all complaints, but do not promise specific outcomes. The organizers promise to act with integrity according to their personal values and our community's shared values to the best of their judgment.
  • The organizers may choose or choose not to:
    • remove anyone from the event;
    • remove anyone from the dance area;
    • restrict an individual's access to specific spaces, resources, or behaviors; or
    • involve the third-party mediator.

When taking a harassment report in person, our staff will do our best to ensure you are safe and cannot be overheard. We may involve other staff to ensure your report is managed properly. Once safe, we'll ask you to tell us about what happened. This can be upsetting, but we'll handle it as respectfully as possible, and you can bring someone to support you. You will never be asked to confront anyone directly, and we won't tell anyone who you are without your explicit consent. Our team will be happy to help you contact local law enforcement or local support services as you may request.

Attendees agree to engage in good faith with the organizers and/or the third-party mediator when a complaint involves them. Refusal to do so will result in a permanent ban from all The Dance Thing events.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to everyone who has helped to create this document, both with resources and emotional labor. Special thanks to Tenae Lew and Hayley Bridwell, Cascade Dance Party, and Darksteel Games.