Code of Conduct & Safer Spaces Policy

The Spoonful Crew is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and safe social dance experience for everyone regardless of dance ability, dance background, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical ability, appearance, body size, race, age, religion or any other characteristic or trait. We have zero tolerance for harassment in any form. Individuals violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the venue at the discretion of the organisers. In addition, violation of the Safer Spaces policy will be recorded and, if deemed appropriate by the event organisers, shared with other event organisers to promote safety across the dance scene.

Dance roles (lead and follow) are not tied to gender. We encourage all dancers to dance their preferred role at any given time. We encourage all dancers to avoid assumptions regarding dance roles and to ask partners about their preferred role at the beginning of a dance.

While there is always some risk associated with any physical activity, we are committed to preventing injuries before they happen. Unsafe dancing is any movement that puts anyone at an increased risk of physical injury. This includes, but is not limited to, yanking or jerking your partner around or forceful movements when leading or following (increased risk of shoulder, arm, and upper-back injuries), bending over your partner during a dip when leading (risk of lower back injuries), sudden weight sharing when following (don’t dip yourself), or any lift where both of your partner’s feet go above your knees. You may be asked to stop your dance if your movement endangers you, your partner, or any other dancers on the social floor. If you are unsure what constitutes unsafe dancing, please ask an organiser or any instructor.

We will endeavour to address any form of harassment. Harassment includes verbal comments that reinforce social structures of power related to any of the above listed characteristics or traits, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome and unreciprocated sexual attention. When asked to stop harassing behaviour, participants are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing or unsafe behaviour, the event organisers will take any action they deem appropriate, from issuing a warning to the immediate expulsion of the offender from the event with no refund.

If you are being made to feel uncomfortable or uneasy, if you are being harassed or notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact any of the Safer Spaces Team immediately. Contact the registration desk volunteer if you need assistance locating a Safer Spaces Team member.

What you can expect if you approach the Safer Spaces team:

• A private conversation with a member of the safer spaces team, who will take an anonymised note of the conversation, and discuss some potential options for action with you.
• Our utmost concern is the safety of all our attendees, and we may choose to take action that could include sending someone to ‘cool off’ or excluding individuals from the event.
• If you raise concerns about a breach of the Spoonful Code of Conduct, we will pass on the note of the conversation to a member of the Spoonful Organising team.
• We will always take into consideration any action that you personally would like to take; and the Spoonful Organising team will take ultimate responsibility for taking the action they deem appropriate to protect the attendees of the event.
  
• We will contact the Police if you ask us to, or if there’s an immediate risk to anyone at the event.
• If we receive reports of harassment, predatory behaviour, unwanted sexual attention or assault, we may pass on the names of offenders to other organisers to promote safety across the dance scene.

We appreciate your assistance in keeping The Spoonful as safe as possible for everyone.

This code of conduct has been adapted from Sundown blues code of conduct and the example anti harassment policy from the Geek Feminism wiki.