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
S.T.E.P.S. (updated January 2024)
SAFETY, TRUST, ENGAGEMENT, PREVENTION, SUPPORT
This code emerged from the collaboration of a number of swing dance organisations in the UK. It is intended as a point of reference for dancers who may need to find redress, and as a way for scene leaders to be held accountable.
The Swing Project has signed up to the S.T.E.P.S. code of conduct and related procedures. The following guidelines apply to all team members, contractors and attendees of its events.
We aim to be a welcoming, supportive and friendly organisation. We acknowledge that instances of inappropriate behaviour sometimes happen, and wish to deal with these appropriately. This document is designed to acknowledge that we all have a responsibility to build safety and inclusivity into events, and to contribute to the wellbeing of the whole community. We love to dance, and we want you to love it too!
We will be NICE to everyone and treat all people with due respect.
We will not discriminate according to sex, gender expression or sexual orientation, nor race, religion, or nationality. We will treat everyone fairly, regardless of age, disability, neurodivergence, physical appearance, lifestyle, dance experience or dance role.
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 into another person. We will not offer unsolicited advice or instruction, dip our partner without consent, or perform aerials on the social floor. If drinking alcohol, we won’t drink to excess or needlessly endanger ourselves, nor our partners.
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 someone inappropriately.
We TRUST that all reports of inappropriate behaviour will be taken seriously. We expect that failure to comply with this code, or participating in any kind of verbal, physical or sexual abuse will be dealt with. This may result in proportionate consequences, including, but not limited to, being asked to leave without refund; and exclusion from future events, both locally and further afield. Information regarding actions taken may be shared with other members of our wider community.
We will be INCLUSIVE and encourage each other to dance, and we will be gracious in turning down or being turned down for a dance.
We may say no without giving a reason, but we will be polite when doing so.
We will take CARE of our own personal hygiene.
We’ll bring towels, spare clothing and deodorant if necessary. We will wear appropriate footwear and choose clothing accessories etc. with everybody's comfort in mind.
Team members will PROMISE to take all reasonable steps to ensure that any report of inappropriate behaviour is treated with sensitivity and respect.
We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed intimidating or inappropriate behaviour to tell an organiser.
At The Swing Project your suggested points of contact / safety officers are Jessie Brooks, Benjie Talbott or anyone wearing a red safety officer lanyard. We are here for discussion and reassurance, not just formal reports – please tell us your concerns, however small they may be. You can also contact via jessie@swingproject.co.uk.
As an attendee, if you feel that a concern has not been dealt with fairly, or you have a concern about an organiser, then this can be escalated to a representative of another participating organisation. The people named as points of contact for those organisations will happily provide support to anyone experiencing problematic behaviours in the wider swing dance scene. More information can be found on the S.T.E.P.S. website.
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.