To support a fun and thriving music and dance community, these are some of the ways we care for each other at all PhxTMD events.
As an organization:
- We strive to be inclusive, welcoming, and safe.
- We welcome dancers of all ages and levels of experience.
- We support local and regional musicians and callers by paying what we can.
- We encourage dancers and musicians to become PhxTMD members, and to volunteer or serve on a committee.
As dancers and musicians:
- We treat each other respectfully and always consider the safety of others.
- We give and receive feedback as gracefully as possible.
- We offer gentle and empathetic cues when we notice someone is confused in a dance.
- We come fragrance-free, knowing that some people have sensitivities.
- We arrive and remain sober.
- We keep others in our community healthy by staying home if we are feeling ill.
- When we ask someone to dance, we graciously accept ‘no thanks’ as an answer.
- We communicate with potential partners as to which side of the set we each prefer to dance on, without judgment or censure.
- We are careful to respect physical limitations and boundaries, including personal space and eye contact.
- We communicate our preferences and needs, such as, “I’m dizzy. Can we slow down?” or holding our own arm down when a twirl is offered to indicate “no.”
- We ask partners if they would enjoy flourishes or close-embrace swings before adding them.
- We build our community by inviting new dancers to future events.
- We communicate with a PhxTMD Board Member right away if something doesn’t seem quite right or if we feel unsafe or disrespected.
For our full Code of Conduct, go to our website: Health & Community Policy.
[Thanks to Portland Country Dance, OR, and South Bay Grange Contra Dance, Olympia, WA]