The dancers who come to BluesQuake comprise a community, and as a community we respect and value each other as dancers and human beings. Each person who attends BluesQuake should do their best to respect others and should be able to expect the same treatment from other attendees. The following code of conduct represents the standards of behavior that the community expects from everyone in order to facilitate a safe and welcoming dance experience. Behavior that is clearly out of line with this code of conduct will not be tolerated. If you feel that an individual has violated this code of conduct, please review our grievance policy.
Code of Conduct Goals:
Foster mutual respect, appreciation, and value for all members of the blues community
Encourage safe and responsible dancing and social interaction
Promote active community building through awareness, courtesy, encouragement, responsibility, praise, and constructive critique
Code of Conduct:
I am a valued member of the dance community. Regardless of my background, my experience, and my ideas, I have something valuable to contribute to the realm of dance. I don’t know who might hold the keys to my next inspiration!
I am encouraged to actively participate in building the dance community. To do so, I will seek out new people to dance with or talk to. I can also foster connections by introducing or reintroducing myself with each new dance.
I will respect my fellow dancers regardless of gender, background, nationality, race, lifestyle, personal boundaries, and any other distinctions, differences, or preferences they may have. I recognize that people have different values and viewpoints than I do. Regardless, we all share a love of dance, and I will embrace and respect their love of dance.
I will respect the physical and personal boundaries of my fellow attendees on and off the dance floor. Dancing is a series of invitations, all of which my partner may choose to accept or reject, inlcuding dance requests.
I will familiarize myself with the photo policy and do my part to promote respectful visual media practices. As a photographer, I will be respectful of the wishes of those I desire to photograph or or record video of, taking notice of subtle cues dancers may give when I take photos, and doing my absolute best to stay out of dancers’ ways. I will respect the use of “no-photo” wristbands and delete any content, for any reason offered, if asked to do so by the subject. As a dancer I will stay near the edges of the dance floor if I want to be photographed, ask as soon as possible for any unwanted media to be deleted while the media is easily accessible, and avail myself of a “No-Photo” wristband if I do not want my likeness captured at any time.
It’s okay for me to inform my dance partner if something they do makes me uncomfortable or physically hurts me. Additionally, I will respect my dance partner’s request that I stop doing something that makes them uncomfortable or physically hurts them.
I am free to accept and decline dances for whatever reasons I wish. As the requester, I will respect the wishes of someone who declines, which is great for me because I don’t force someone to dance when they do not wish to. Plus, I now have the chance to dance this song with someone who wants to dance to it with me!
I will be respectful of the dance floor and the space people dance in. I will do my best to monitor the volume of my conversations near the dance floor while I’m not dancing, or take them away from the dance floor so other dancers are not distracted. I will not attempt dance moves (such as aerials, kicks, lifts, or overly large movements) that are potentially dangerous to my partner, the dancers around me, or myself. I will do my best not to step on, bump, or trip other dancers; I will be gracious if I do and more gracious if someone does it to me.
I understand that social dances are opportunities to enjoy dancing with people of many different levels and dance backgrounds, not places to offer unsolicited dance advice. If it is something that is causing a safety issue, however, notifying that person helps not only me, but my fellow dancers as well.
I will conduct myself as a responsible adult. I will clean up after myself, help BluesQuake staff when I can, cooperate with and show respect toward the instructors, care for and about the venue I am dancing in, and abide by all laws, rules, and ordinances thorough my behavior.
I will care for my safety, hygiene, and well-being. I am responsible for determining what I can and cannot accomplish on the dance floor. I will bring extra clothing and personal hygiene products to ensure I look, smell, and feel clean. I can also partake in the free mints or gum throughout the evening!
I will bring inappropriate actions that I personally experience or observe to the attention of the BluesQuake organizers.(see grievance policy)
I can share the love and give positive feedback to DJs, instructors, and dancers whenever I choose. I can clap for songs I enjoy or walk up to the dancers, DJ, or bands afterwards to let them know in person. I am free to dance with the same person multiple times. While I am free to give negative feedback, I will do so either through the BluesQuake surveys or in a manner that is private, open minded, and respectful of the person receiving it.
Credit goes to Fusion Exchange for providing their code of conduct, grievance policy, and photo policy as templates.