Halifax West Coast Swing (HWCS) is committed to providing inclusive, safe, and welcoming learning and social dance experiences. By participating, all attendees, instructors, staff, volunteers, and guests of our events and classes are required to comply with this code of conduct. HWCS organizers will enforce the code during an event, and expect cooperation from all participants.
Issues and complaints contrary to any points in this Code of Conduct will be investigated fully to ensure people in our community are educated about harmful and unacceptable behaviour. If someone cannot or will not adhere to this Code of Conduct, they will be sanctioned or expelled from the class or event, as well as potentially from future HWCS activities, without a refund, at HWCS’s discretion.
In the event of violence, assault, or abuse in any form, offenders will be required to leave and not return.
If you have questions or need help to deal with a conduct matter, our Conduct Guides are available to listen and help determine the best course of action for everyone’s safety and well-being. Speak to any of the following individuals at our events, or email halifaxwestcoastswing@outlook.com:
We welcome participation from people of all abilities, ages, gender identifications, sexual orientations, body sizes, races, religions, and cultural backgrounds. In the spirit of our community, we ask that you: dance with a variety of people, encourage new dancers, model a friendly and inspiring experience, and respect people’s preferred pronouns.
Declaration of respectful space
HWCS is committed to providing a respectful and comfortable event experience for everyone. We strive to use gender-neutral and inclusive language in our teaching and communications and support your individual experiences.
We do not tolerate harassment in any form, including:
Assume that everyone is doing the best they can within their individual dance experience.
Asking for a dance: Greet the person with a smile and ask if they’d like to dance. Introduce yourself by name if you haven’t met.
If the answer is “no,” be gracious. Don’t try to convince the person to say “yes” or ask for a reason. You may invite them to ask you to dance later if they wish.
If you sense that more people say “no” to you than “yes,” ask a Conduct Guide if they know why that may be.
Declining a dance: Everyone has the right to say “no” to a dance. If you don’t wish to dance when asked, smile and say, “no thank you” or “maybe later.”
Verbal and physical harassment is unacceptable, and includes (but are not limited to): offensive language, intimidation, unwanted physical contact, derogatory comments regarding an individual’s characteristics, and bullying.
Aggression, including micro-aggressions toward any group including, but not limited to, the BIPOC or LGBTQ+ communities will not be tolerated.
Permission to touch a dance partner begins and ends with the dance.
Acceptable touch in partner dance is generally limited to hands, arms, shoulders, back, hips, and knees.
Do not give unsolicited feedback or advice to other dancers unless you are specifically asked for your thoughts.
If you think something is going wrong in your dance, ask an instructor for help–not your partner. Leave teaching to the instructors.
Allow beginners to learn at their own pace. Unsolicited tips and advice may chip away at one’s confidence and do more harm than good.
Dancers are not permitted to use drops or lifts in social dances, classes, or practices.
Only use lower-risk tricks (i.e. dips, rides, monkey bar, etc) that: a) do not require one partner to support the majority of the other’s weight; b) do not place your partner’s head below their shoulders; c) have previously been consented to by both partners.
Perform all tricks with care and prioritize the safety of your partner.
Be aware of other dancers around you and of the space that is available to safely dance.
When the floor is crowded, keep your dance space small by shortening the length of your arm connection, and avoiding things like traveling patterns, slides, and leg sweeps.
Avoid wearing clothing and accessories that may cause injury to yourself or others while dancing, such as pointed shoes, stiletto heels, clothing with holes or big sleeves, loose/dangling jewelry and belts, large rings, sharp or roughly textured watches, wristbands, bracelets, etc.
Alcohol and cannabis products are not permitted in classes (and in some social dance venues). Ensure that any intoxicants you consume prior to attending do not alter your behaviour to the point that you cannot follow this code.
When an error happens, apologize immediately–for example: unintended touch, injury (minor or major), offending words, accidentally running into other dancers on the floor, etc.
If a partner tells you something is uncomfortable, adjust your dance to accommodate.
Adapted from policies of Ancaster WCS, Swingin’ at The Savoy, Smoothstyle dance studio, and the global community of west coast swing organizers, with gratitude.
Send us your comments or questions and a Committee Member will get in touch.