TRIANGLE ZOUK

Triangle Zouk aspires to create a dance community that is based on connection, trust, respect, safety, and having each other’s backs. We are committed to creating events where dancers can feel safe enough to explore their relationship with their own bodies, and their connection with other dancers. We believe that trust and connection are essential to our ability to social dance and grow as dancers, as well as human beings.  We strive to create events where everyone feels welcome, respected, and safe, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, physical appearance, body size, age, race, culture, language, or dance ability.

 

Social dancing is a conversation. A lead is a suggestion, or an invitation, that the follow can either accept or decline. Similarly, asking someone to dance is an invitation that creates space for real consent to be given. Dancers should feel free and empowered to accept or decline any dance invitation, for any reason. Furthermore, students are under no obligation to dance with any partner in rotation and do not need to provide a reason. Grabbing a dancer’s arm or other body parts is not an acceptable way to invite them to dance. Similarly, during the dance, both lead and follower have equal power over how it unfolds. Both parties should be sensitive to each other's cues and communication, and give their partner space to either accept or decline any path which they may suggest the dance take. Please be particularly sensitive of your partner’s boundaries with regards to dips, lifts, head movements, and any other high risk moves.

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As part of our commitment to cultivating trust, safety and connection, Triangle Zouk takes a strong stance against any type of harassment or non-consensual behavior. Harassment includes (though is not limited to) deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, offensive verbal comments related to race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, age, culture, religion, dance skill level, or dance role, and other behaviors that hurt and break trust. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. We expect all participants to help create and maintain a safe, respectful and harassment-free space at Triangle Zouk events. Triangle Zouk organizers are available to discuss, clarify, and give feedback to any dancers who want to elevate their safer space and consent skills. Feedback from organizers should be taken earnestly and wholeheartedly. Our organizers are also available to walk dancers to their cars during or after an event to ensure everyone arrives home safely.

 

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, Triangle Zouk organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expelling the offender from the event with no refund. Egregious behavior or repeated warnings or expulsions may result in permanent expulsion from all events organized by Triangle Zouk. Triangle Zouk is aware of the strained and hurtful relationship some communities have with the police, and is committed to refraining from involving the police, except as a last resort in situations where there is real risk to participants’ safety. We do empower sexual assault and harassment survivors to make their own decisions about pursuing a legal recourse and involving the police.

 

We, the Triangle Zouk team, care deeply about your safety, and strive to create a space where dancers feel comfortable to be vulnerable and build trust. If something happened that made you feel uncomfortable, weird or unsafe, please let one of our organizers know. Triangle Zouk will maintain confidentiality around all safe space allegations and will keep the identity of the person filing a complaint anonymous. We have our dancers’ backs, take reports of harassment seriously, and are committed to responding appropriately and with confidentiality to reports of harassment.

 

Contact information:

Organizer email: trianglezouk@gmail.com

Durham Police and non-emergency: 919.560.4600

Emergency: 911

Durham’s Best Cab Company: 919.680.3330

 

Last updated October 2018.

This policy is adapted from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tcj6rZN86Rp5-J0oR84WBgK-Rh2IrHgeijSIJMfQl4A/edit

 

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Triangle Zouk Safe Space Policy, Short Version:

Triangle Zouk aspires to create a dance community that is based on connection, trust, respect, safety and having each other’s backs. We believe that trust and connection are essential to our ability to social dance and grow as dancers, as well as human beings. We strive to create events where everyone can feel welcome, respected and safe, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, physical appearance, body size, age, race, culture, language, or dance ability. We do not tolerate harassment or violation of boundaries in any form. Participants that engage in harassing, violating, disrespectful or otherwise trust-breaking behavior may be expelled from the event, without a refund, and be banned from future events, at the discretion of Triangle Zouk organizers.

 

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Licensing and use:

This policy was written based on the Harassment Response Guidelines distributed by RDU Blues, licensed CC BY-NC-SA, though significant edits and changes were made that render this policy an independent document.