Our Values
At Glasgow Lindyhoppers, we believe everybody has the right to participate in our classes and events in a safe and comfortable way.
These are the things we hold ourselves to — as a committee, as teachers, and as a dance floor. They are not decoration: they shape how we run classes, how we respond when something goes wrong, and who feels able to walk through the door.
Respecting the history
Swing dancing originated in African American communities in the United States. We respect that heritage by honouring swing and jazz history with mindfulness and celebration.
Swing dance continues to evolve around the world. We are committed to remaining respectful of its origins, and to actively seeking opportunities to listen, learn and educate from pioneers of the black cultural art form that brings us such joy to practise.
Chance to Dance
Chance to Dance means the cost of a class should never be the reason somebody stops dancing. If you’re finding it difficult, speak confidentially to any committee member at a class, or email us, and we’ll sort something out discreetly and without fuss.
Email us in confidenceGuidelines for being good people
Glasgow Lindyhoppers has adopted the S.T.E.P.S. Code of Conduct — Safety, Trust, Engagement, Prevention, Support — with some additions of our own. It applies to everyone at our classes and events: dancers, teachers, volunteers and committee alike.
We believe the Lindy Hop world is already welcoming and supportive, and that instances of inappropriate behaviour are rare. This code exists because we all share the responsibility for building safety into our events. We love to dance, and we want you to love it too.
NICE
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.
INCLUSIVE
We will 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.
ACKNOWLEDGE
Asking a dancer what role they prefer is a great way to start a dance, especially as gender expression does not always indicate preferred dance role. If our roles do not align, we will respect that and accept it amicably.
RESPONSIBLE
We will be responsible for our own physical safety and that of others nearby. We will practise safe floor-craft and say sorry if we accidentally bump another person. We will not give unsolicited advice or instruction, but can provide feedback when this is requested. We will be mindful of our own and our partners’ abilities and will not 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.
CONSIDERATE
We will consider our own abilities when choosing which level of classes to attend, and make sure we have the skills needed for progression classes. If we are unsure of our level, we will discuss it with the teachers taking the class. As teachers, we will respect the needs of everyone attending, and while we encourage you to improve your dancing, we reserve the right to ask people to leave classes which are beyond their skill level.
CARE
We will take care of our own personal hygiene, bringing and using towels, spare clothing and extra deodorant as necessary. We will be considerate when choosing our clothing, footwear and accessories, and we will not wear anything that is potentially hazardous to ourselves or to others.
RESPECTFUL
We will 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.
ATTENTIVE
We will be attentive during classes and refrain from using mobile phones unnecessarily during class time, while acknowledging that these may be required for emergency contact. We will respect people’s privacy and refrain from filming anyone, including teachers during classes, without their express permission.
UNDERSTAND
We understand that following these guidelines ensures a better experience for everyone. We also understand that participating in any kind of verbal, physical or sexual abuse will have consequences.
Speaking to someone
We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed intimidating or inappropriate behaviour to tell a safer spaces representative or a committee member. Your points of contact are our class representatives, Sam and Viola, but if you would rather speak to a different member of the committee you are welcome to do so at any class or event.
Safety people are available for discussion and reassurance, not just formal reports. Please do tell us about your concerns, even small ones — we are here for you.
We promise to treat any report with sensitivity and to keep all details as confidential as possible. (In the event of a police investigation, information becomes disclosable.) Where dancers are found to have repeatedly breached this code, or to have engaged in any form of abuse, the committee will consider appropriate action — which may include speaking with them, asking them to leave without refund, or exclusion from future events. If we suspect that someone has broken the law, we will report it to the police.
Glasgow Lindyhoppers, and all Safety in Swing Dance organisers and teachers, will happily support anyone experiencing problematic behaviour in the swing dance scene — not only our own dancers and students.