Safety and Dance Etiquette

Express Track Blues strives to create a space that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all attendees. The following is a guide for us all to have the best experience possible!

I understand that consent is important for any activity. I will make sure that I have enthusiastic verbal or non-verbal consent before dancing with someone, changing my embrace, or sharing weight.

When asking someone to dance, I will ask for their preferred role (lead, follow, switch).

I am comfortable saying "no, thank you" to a dance. I am also able to accept another person's "no" with kindness and grace.

I will do my best to practice good floorcraft. I will not perform any lifts or aerials. If someone gets stepped on/bumped into/etc, I will check in with them to make sure they are okay regardless of who's "fault" it was.

I will not teach or give feedback on the social floor unless I am specifically asked to do so by my partner, or if my partner is causing me discomfort or harm.

I will practice good hygiene. It is my responsibility to make sure that I look, smell, and feel clean.

I understand the difference between expressing your sexuality through dance and engaging in sexual behavior while dancing. I will NEVER engage in sexual behavior on the dance floor.

If I see or experience any inappropriate behavior, I will bring it to a staff member's attention.

I will obey all applicable laws. I’ll also follow the rules of all BDNY venues and any requests made by the BDNY staff and volunteers. I realize that, as a participant in this event, I’m representing the event and my actions have the potential to impact the event and its future.

I will not hold ETB or BDNY responsible if anything I own gets lost, stolen, or damaged.

** Parts of this policy are copied and/or adapted from the Steel City Blues Festival Safer Spaces Policy and Guide To Being an Awesome Attendee by Kelsey Ballance, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

COVID-19
Safety Policy

At this time, Blues Dance New York does not require COVID-19 vaccination status or testing to enter Express Track Blues. We highly recommend attendees be vaccinated against COVID-19. You are also encouraged to take a rapid test prior to attending if you think you may have been exposed.

*Participants understand the risk they are taking by attending social events.*

Masks are optional and we encourage you wear them if you so choose.

If you are ill, we encourage you to stay home and get better! Refunds related to illness will be dealt with on a case by case basis. If you fall ill before or during the event, please alert event staff - Virginia Jimenez and/or Sabrina Ramos - immediately.

Code of Conduct for Classes

I will respect myself, the instructors, my fellow students, and the learning environment by doing my very best to be on time for classes.

I understand that if I am more than 15 minutes late for class, I am too late and will have to wait until the next class begins.

If I am too tired or injured I am allowed to sit out and watch a class, provided that I remain quiet and pay attention to material presented. If I want to talk I will spend time in the Registration space, or the lobby.

During class I will respect my instructors and classmates by paying attention to instructors, keeping side conversations to a whispered minimum, and applying myself to the material presented.

Anti-Harassment Policy

We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Harassment includes but is not limited to deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, and offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, dance experience, skill level, or dance role. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the event organizers may take discretionary action to preserve the safety of the event and its participants, up to and including issuing warnings to the offender and/or expulsion from the event with no refund.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the event organizers may take discretionary action to preserve the safety of the event and its participants, up to and including issuing warnings to the offender and/or expulsion from the event with no refund.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other harassment-related complaints, please do one of the following:
  • Voice your concerns to the Manager on Duty or to a member of our event staff.
  • Please see the volunteer at the admission table if you are unable to locate event staff.
We are committed to making our events as safe and inclusive as possible, and take all comments seriously. Please let us know if you have had a negative experience and we will do our best to understand and rectify the situation.

Safer Space representatives 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 Space volunteers, may be met with consequences up to and including expulsion from the event without a refund, and suspension from future events.