CONSENT IS COOL.
PICD is always committed to cultivating a safe, inclusive and affirming space for everybody. We're enthusiastic about consent.
PICD is a community where dancers of any level of experience and from every background are safe and accepted. We believe that our events should be a fun and comfortable experience for all. With this in mind, we have created a behavior policy that expresses these values. Check it out here.
We want you and everybody who dances at PICD to feel:
Empowered to communicate openly and directly
Confident expressing your needs moment to moment
Safe, respected, self-expressed and in control of your own body at all times
That you create every dance in partnership with your partner and neighbors, inviting others to create with you
That you are valued and listened to member of this community
WHAT IS CONSENT?
Consent is is when someone agrees, gives permission, or says "yes" to an activity with another person. Consent doesn’t have to be verbal, but verbally agreeing to different activities can help you, your partners, and your neighbors on the dance floor respect each other’s boundaries.
Consent is about communication. And it should happen every time. Giving consent for one activity, one time, does not mean giving consent for increased or recurring contact or for certain behaviors. For example, agreeing to engage in twirling flourishes with a dance partner doesn’t give that person permission to dip you. Holding someone in a close embrace at one dance with their permission doesn’t give you permission to pull them close again in the future.
SO, ASK! AND TELL.
Positive consent conversations might look like:
Asking a dance partner what role they would like to dance, and coming to agreement
Asking a dance partner, “Do you want me to lead twirls?”
Never twirling or dipping a new dancer or someone you haven’t asked permission
Volunteering your preferences and needs, such as, “I’m dizzy. Can we slow down?” or holding your arm down when a twirl is offered to indicate a “no”
Avoiding making an assumption, especially on past behaviors or past consent given
Consent does not look like:
Not taking “no” for an answer
Pushing another dancer around on the floor, or otherwise forcing their movement
Ignoring body language or other clues (looking away, walking away, clipped responses, etc.) that tell you a conversation is over
Assuming that a past “yes” means a current “yes”
Pressuring someone to dance or to dance in ways in which they are not comfortable
Want to learn more? Check out these Helpful Hints for New Dancers and Experienced Dancers.
Want to talk?
You get to choose how you dance. You don’t have to feel uncomfortable. You can speak up. We encourage you to do it. Here are a few of the ways to reach out:
1) Email, call or text a PICD board member
2) Talk to a PICD board member or dance manager at a dance (Check out pictures of us here so you can recognize us at dances)
3) Put a comment in the comment box during a dance (the comment box pictured here is on the flyer table next to the stage at every dance)
4) Send us a note now, using the form below
If you need anything, if you have concerns, if you feel uncomfortable — talk to us. We’ll listen and take you seriously.
