Tidewater Blues Safe Space Policy
As adopted from 2023 Blues Muse
Tidewater Blues strives to create a space that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, ability, experience, background, or other identifying features. We encourage respectful, considerate behavior and good communication. By attending this event, you are agreeing to help make that happen. Please read the whole safer spaces policy, as we expect anyone who attends Tidewater Blues to read, understand, and help support this policy. If you have questions about this policy, or are not sure how to comply, please contact an organizer.
Tidewater Blues is an environment for the celebration, practice, and development of blues dances and music. Blues is a dance from Black culture. Use Blues aesthetics and partnering agreements at this event to the best of your ability.
Celebrate the diversity of skills and styles in this community! Consider asking new dancers, experienced dancers, and dancers you don’t know to dance. When you ask someone to dance, let them know if you want to Lead, Follow, or Switch, or ask their preference.
It’s OK to say “No” to a dance, or any activity, without offering an explanation. It’s OK if someone says “No” to you. Celebrate people taking care of themselves.
Offer feedback ONLY if you’ve been explicitly asked to do so by your partner, or you are feeling uncomfortable / unsafe in the dance.
Certain activities require consent, whether it’s verbal, non-verbal, or both. Make sure you have consent, before dancing with someone, changing your embrace, sharing weight (dips, etc). You also need consent for social activities like hugging or photographing someone. If you are not sure whether you have consent, ask. If someone makes it clear that they do not consent to something, stop. Any explicit disrespect or disregard of enthusiastic consent will not be tolerated at Tidewater Blues.
Use the names and pronouns that attendees give for themselves unless that attendee gives explicit permission not to.
Come another week if you suspect you have a communicable disease. Tidewater Blues meets weekly, and we'd rather see you at your best.
Keep contact between other members respectful and focused on dance. Tidewater Blues nights are for dancing, not for romantic or sexual interests.
Leave your partners on the floor. Without dedicated space where there are no dancers, aerials can be dangerous to yourself and others.
Remain sober while at The Fred Heutte Center. Anyone who is visibly intoxicated will be asked to leave the event.
Leave firearms and weapons out of this space.
Tidewater Blues does not tolerate any form of harassment**. Inappropriate behavior or harassment that occurs between members of our community outside of our dance events may be cause for suspension or expulsion from Tidewater Blues.
Keep an eye out for each other. If you see someone who looks to be in difficulty, ask what the problem is. Let an organizer know if you see a situation that you think is unsafe, uncomfortable, or that you don’t feel comfortable checking in on. We would rather react to a problem that isn’t there than miss one that is.
Sometimes, we wind up doing something that makes someone else feel unsafe or uncomfortable, even when that is not our intention. If you are asked to stop any behaviors, either by an organizer or fellow attendee, you are expected to listen respectfully and comply immediately.
When possible, Tidewater Blues Organizers will attempt to work with anyone who violates this code to correct the behavior *before* any punitive steps are taken. Extreme or repeated violations of this code, or refusal to cooperate with safer spaces volunteers, may be met with consequences up to and including expulsion from the event without a refund and suspension from future Tidewater Blues. We do draw a distinction between community harm and social harm, and we do not get involved in interpersonal feuds.
Tidewater Blues encourages you to take initiative in respecting, setting, discussing, and defending boundaries. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe confronting a situation, please talk to an organizer. We take all complaints seriously and are committed to resolving issues to the greatest extent possible. Anyone who reports a safer space violation has the right to request that their information be kept entirely anonymous, and no further action will be taken without the reporter’s consent, unless further reports of the same infraction are received.
You never know what someone is allergic to or reactive to. We share a small space and often bring food and snacks with us. Label any prepared foods with either your name or with the ingredients used. Dancers are then able to determine their own safety or are directed to the person to ask. Be considerate of perfume / cologne, heavily scented lotions, body spray, or deodorant, etc. Folks that are sensitive to odors are often quickly overwhelmed. Additionally, please be considerate of your natural odor as well. Although we can't control how our bodies change while dancing, we can come to the event with consideration.
If you have ideas about ways we could make our community safer and more inclusive; questions about anything within this policy; or want to get involved through DJing, teaching, or organizing; please email us at tidewaterbluez@gmail.com or contact us on Facebook (just make sure it's us. There are two Tidewater Blues on Facebook).
** Harassment includes offensive verbal comments (related to gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, OR religion), sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of workshops or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.