CODE OF CONDUCT
YTC embodies an open-door policy and it’s important that this policy is not abused. Attendance at YTC events is a privilege that may be revoked. Participants understand that specific behaviors are strictly prohibited. Those boundaries are non-negotiable and will apply to everyone regardless of, and not limited to, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, profession, and dance skills.
Do's
The primary goal of Yale Tango Club is to explore and learn the Argentine Tango dance and culture at Yale. To create the appropriate environment for achieving this goal, please observe the following:
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Be welcoming and practice with others.
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Share information with your dancing partner related to comfort and safety. Partners should adapt to create a comfortable embrace, as well as a sense of safety and respect.
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Always ask for consent when changing to close embrace in any YTC practice or event.
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Be mindful about your personal grooming (yes to breath mint, yes to moderate deodorant, and no to excessive fragrances).
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Sign the sign-in sheet upon arrival to YTC class or events.
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Reviewing tango manners in the link below is recommended. http://www.tangomuse.com/TangoManners.html
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Talk to Safety & Culture Committee if you experienced or directly witnessed any behavior that made you or others feel uncomfortable. Please refer to section on Safety Committee & Culture/Reporting.
Don'ts
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Discrimination based on age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, profession, dance skills and/or dance role are prohibited at YTC events. Instead, we wish for everyone to be treated with respect. We welcome all beginners to experience both leading and following roles in Argentine Tango. It is encouraged that everyone practice in their preferred role and/or explore new roles.
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Harassment of any form (verbal, physical, psychological or virtual) is prohibited at our events. Unwelcomed behavior, especially repeated after boundaries are voiced, will be addressed immediately. (a) Harassment includes, and is not limited to, offensive verbal comments, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, and unwelcome sexual attention. (b) Any form of unwanted touch and assault will not be tolerated and addressed immediately. Physical contact outside the tango embrace including, but not limited to, upper torso, ribs, waist or lower back, must involve the consent of both parties. (c) Dancers uncomfortable with tango movements including, but not limited to, close embrace, leg wrap or sacadas, are encouraged to share their preferences and boundaries. It is allowed and encouraged to share those preferences at any time before, during, or after the dance. Disregard of verbal or non-verbal boundaries are strictly prohibited.
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Excessive instruction or feedback other than by a hired instructor or appointed teaching assistant are unwelcomed. Unwelcomed feedback and/or sharing of information regarding dance form, technique, history, or otherwise, without the enthusiastic permission from the partner is prohibited.
YTC occasionally photographs or records at events for marketing purposes. We respect each individual’s preference for privacy. Please speak to one of the members of the leadership team if you would rather not be filmed or photographed. In terms of photography taken by individuals, please be mindful of others who might not want to have photos published publicly on social media. Permission is to be asked before posting or using those photos.
Safety comes first. It’s hard or impossible to have fun if we don’t feel safe. Any behavior that endangers our partner, others, or the organizers will be addressed immediately. In addition to what is stated above, it includes, but is not limited to, abuse of substance and alcohol, lifts, kicks or large movement, erratic maneuvering on the dance floor and/or aggressive movements.
Consequences - What sort of actions are typically taken if I experience a behavior that threatens my safety or comfort?
The first thing we do is always discuss the situation with you. We will always prioritize a course of action that feels restorative to you and we want to find out what that is.
When minor crossing of boundaries happen between members, typical resolution is to have or facilitate transparent conversations to help our dancers realize that something they have done negatively affected others and why it was inappropriate. In situations like this we often come up with strategies to help dancers avoid reproducing the problematic behavior in the future. Subsequent or repetitive offenses may warrant escalation.
For more serious breaches of our values, we will come up with more stringent sets of rules of conduct that seek to address specific problematic behavior shown by individual dancers.
If it appears someone is not participating in good faith in keeping our community safe, leadership with advisory board and academic advisor confirmation can apply temporary or permanent revocation of their privilege to attend our events, and/or communicating the situation to Yale Security (203-
785-5555) or authorities.
Safety & Culture Committee/Reporting
If you experience or directly witness a behavior that threatens you or other’s safety or comfort, please contact the safety & culture committee or a member of the leadership team immediately. We are a group of diverse YTC volunteers dedicated to ensuring the physical and emotional safety of our community. We focus on spreading education about consent, tango etiquette, code of conduct, and we craft intervention whenever our community values aren’t respected. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable at any point, we would really appreciate if you let us know. We will be happy to answer any questions you have! You can also report the situation, directly witnessed or experienced, at a later time to yaletangosafety@gmail.com
- What if a friend tells me about something that happened to them?
Please do not report without their authorization. The most helpful thing you can do is to encourage them to speak with us directly; or lastly, get their explicit permission to inform us.
- I’m concerned this will get out of my hands.
When you talk to us, you will be given full agency. We are here to support you and stand by your side. In our view, this also means that we will never enforce action without your consent.
-I feel weird about something, but it was probably nothing…
Tell us anyway! While not all instances are critical and require action, information helps us detect patterns early on and address issues as soon as they arise.
- What if I’m uncomfortable with the behavior of leadership or safety & culture committee member?
Please report them through another leadership or committee member. You can be assured that they will be held to high standards of behavior.
- What if I experienced or directly witnessed something that I want to report happened outside of a YTC event?
If the way someone behaves outside of our events affects your well-being and makes the dance environment hostile to you to any degree, we can help you address it.
We work to have a harmonious environment and hope that everyone in YTC classes and events can enjoy learning Argentine Tango.