Our Policies
Dancing is a social activity first and foremost, and to enable the ongoing enjoyment and safety of all we are proud to follow the STEPS Code of Conduct, which we expect anyone in our community to follow. It’s nothing to be afraid of, it just involves treating others as human beings! You’ll find the Code of Conduct further down this page.
At The Swing Project we believe that Swing Dancing is the most joyful of dances, and we are proud to hold events and classes that spread that joy across the community. We are committed to ensuring all of our dancers feel welcome and comfortable at our classes, workshops and events, whatever their age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, ethnicity or religion. We are dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone, and operate a zero tolerance policy for harassment at our events. If you have any concerns at any of our events, we have designated Safe Space Volunteers wearing red lanyards available for you to talk to.
Lindy Hoppers are a supportive and welcoming community, and as members of that community we all share responsibility for keeping events and classes free of harassment and unacceptable behaviour. We ask that all dancers follow the STEPS Code of Conduct to ensure our swing dancing communities remain safe, supportive and inclusive.
STEPS CODE OF CONDUCT: GUIDELINES FOR BEING GOOD PEOPLE
The following good people guidelines apply to EVERYONE attending any event run by The Swing Project, including members of staff, volunteers and visiting teachers:
1. We will be NICE to everyone and treat all people with respect. We will not harass anyone. We will not discriminate according to sex, gender expression or sexual orientation, nor race, religion, or nationality. We will treat everyone equally, regardless of age, ability, physical appearance, lifestyle, dance experience or dance role.
2. We will be INCLUSIVE and invite others to dance, and we will be gracious if turned down. We may say no without giving a reason, but we will be polite when doing so and if we promise to dance later on, we will honour that promise.
3. We will be RESPONSIBLE for our own physical safety and that of others nearby. We will practice safe floor-craft and say sorry if we accidentally bump another person. We will not offer unsolicited advice or instruction, nor perform aerials on the social floor. If we consume alcohol we will do so responsibly, and if we are drunk enough to pose a risk to ourselves or others, we will leave the dance floor and retire to the bar.
4. We will take CARE of our own personal hygiene, and bring towels, spare clothing and extra deodorant if necessary. We will be considerate when choosing our clothing, footwear, and accessories and not we will not wear anything that is potentially hazardous to ourselves or to others.
5. We will be RESPECTFUL and acknowledge that the personal boundaries of others may not be the same as our own. We will be mindful of the appropriateness of language that some may find offensive. We will not touch anyone without consent and we will apologise immediately if we unintentionally touch a person’s private areas.
6. We UNDERSTAND that following the above guidelines ensures a better experience for everyone and that participating in any kind of verbal, physical or sexual abuse will have consequences. This may include, but is not limited to, being asked to leave without refund and exclusion from future events.
7. We, the organisers, PROMISE to treat any reports made, from dancers in our home scenes or elsewhere, with sensitivity and to keep all details as confidential as is possible (however, in the event of a police investigation, all information will become disclosable).
*We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed intimidating or inappropriate behaviour to tell an organiser.
At The Swing Project your suggested point of contact is Jessie Brooks. If you prefer to talk in person, or would prefer to speak to another member of staff, you are welcome to do so at any event throughout the year- safety volunteers are designated with red lanyards at events.
If you’d rather speak to someone outside of our immediate group, all of the people listed here are ready to listen.
Safety People are available for discussion and reassurance, not just formal reports – please do tell us about your concerns, even small ones – we’re here for you!
Safety in Swing Dance organisers and teachers will happily provide support to anyone experiencing problematic behaviours in the Swing dance scene, not just our own dancers and students, see the entire Safety in Swing Dance website for more details.
supporting lindy hop and jazz as african american art forms
Since June 2020 The Swing Project has started donating a portion of our monthly income to charities focused on anti-racism and social justice initiatives as well as organisations championing the dances and culture of the African Diaspora.
Past organisations include but are not limited to:
If you have any suggestions for other organisations we can support, or for more information, please do not hesitate to drop Jessie a line by emailing her.