Code of Conduct - Your Rights as an SBF Dancer


We strive to make South Bay Fusion both a safe and welcoming place to dance.

If people feel like they are going to be 'hit' on for something more than just dancing, they will likely not return. If people feel like they are being avoided because of their appearance, skill, or age - they will likely not return. If dancers are drunk or unsafe, people will not return. Our community loses in the process.


NO HARD LIQUOR

Hard liquor is not allowed at SBF. If you are drunk or spotted with hard liquor, you will be asked to leave until you are sober and have disposed of the liquor.


NO LIFTS UNTIL LATER IN THE EVENING

Our dances tend to be crowded. Please do not do lifts until the floor has cleared down and few people remain, and only if you and your partner are experienced and have consented. If a host feels that your lifts are endangering any of our dancers, or if your partner appears to be in distress, we will ask you to stop doing lifts or ask you to leave at our discretion.


INFORM YOUR HOST OF UNSAFE DANCERS

We have dancers from many genres/traditions of dance. Some forms tend to be "big". Keep in mind the density/proximity of dancers around you. Be situationally aware. If you are repeatedly banging into other dancers, you may be asked to leave at the discretion of a host.

If you notice someone dancing unsafely, please notify your host. They will investigate and take appropriate action.


REFRAIN FROM MAKING OUT

Blues dancing at its best is a very sensual/connected dance. However, this is a social dance, not a bar, nor a pickup joint. We want everyone to feel welcome and safe to just unwind and have a great dance, without having to fight off people trying to pick up on them, or be physically molested.

If you are making out on the premise, the host may remind you of the above, and may at their discretion ask you to leave.

NOTE: if a host witnesses (or it it's reliably reported) that you are molesting/groping someone - YOU WILL BE BANNED from SBF.


YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO DANCE

While we encourage everyone to ask newcomers and novices to dance, you are not obligated to do so. You should feel comfortable in declining a dance with anyone, for any reason.

If your partner is making you feel uncomfortable, we encourage you to tell them so, and offer suggestions on how they can make you feel more comfortable. However, you have no obligation to do so. If you do not feel comfortable in conveying this to your partner, please inform your host about them. That will allow your host to keep an eye out for offenders, and take any appropriate action.

If you do not want to dance with someone, we encourage you to tell them so politely, yet unambiguously; some people are poor at reading signals and may otherwise continue to ask you to dance. If you are not comfortable in conveying this, or if they persist after you've said no, please notify your host - they will take appropriate action.


RESPECT AND CONSENT

We at South Bay Fusion welcome people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, ethnicities, neurotypes, and dance skill level. We endeavor to create a safe and welcoming environment.

Any harassment/hostility directed towards another dancer should be reported to a host; any participant contributing to such hostility or disruption of our event may be asked to leave at the discretion of a host.


PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS

With the advent of the Covid Pandemic, it is essential that we keep each other safe. Rules are posted at the entry desk; failing to abide by them, or creating a distubance regarding them, may result in you being banned from our events.

Until we achieve a level of herd immunity in the SF Bay Area (current estimates are 75% of the population fully-vaccinated), we will require all attendees to be fully vaccinated. We hate to exclude our community dancers that are unable to be vaccinated, but we cannot (nor any other close-embrace dance venue) adequately police attendance to ensure that you will not be inadvertently exposed to Covid.

If we post that masks must be worn, you will be asked to leave if you do not wear a droplet-blocking mask that covers your nose and mouth at all times.

Falsifying your covid vaccination status will result in an immediate ban.


AUTOMATIC BANS

If you have a police report against you regarding a rape incident (regardless of where it may have occurred), or there is a restraining order against you regarding a dancer in our community, you are not welcome at our dance.


ACTIONS A HOST MAY TAKE

If you report someone being unsafe/obnoxious, making you feel uncomfortable, or acting in an predatory way:

1. The host will ask you what happened, what the circumstances were, and if possible, identify who it is that you are reporting. If you wish to make a formal complaint that will be recorded at SBF, we will take your name and contact info, in case we need to track multiple reports regarding a given individual. If it's a serious offense, we recommend that you file a police report and/or a restraining order; SBF will do it's best to back you up on whatever we witness.

2. Depending on the nature of the issue, the host may observe the offender for a bit - as personal witness and to gauge the nature of the offense. If they are drunk or obnoxious, they will be asked to leave. If a repeat offender, or if the behavior is severe in nature, they will be banned at the host's discretion. If we witness (or it's reliably reported) that someone is physically molesting someone, the offender will be banned.

3. If the offender is engaging in what the host determines to be predatory behavior, they will be asked to leave, and at the host's discretion banned. Singling out and exclusively pursuing dancers under 18 will be considered predatory. Stalking will be considered predatory. Note: someone repeatedly attempting to ask you for a dance will not be considered stalking, unless you (or a host) have unambiguously indicated to them that you do not want to dance with them.

4. If someone is dancing in a way that makes you uncomfortable, or is unsafe, the host at their discretion may ask the offender to dance with the host - to determine what they are doing, explain/demonstrate to them what they are doing, and offer/demonstrate ways to minimize/eliminate the offending behavior. If the host perceives that they are not open to this process, or are not making an effort to improve, the host will ask them to leave, or at the host's discretion ban them.

5. If a dancer is behaving in a way that contributes to the disruption of our dance/community, a host may ask the dancer to meet for a discussion, where the host will describe what is happening, and how the dancer may help us deescalate the issues. If the dancer is unwilling to meet, accept the host's suggestions, or work to help us improve the situation, the host will ask them to leave, or at the host's discretion ban them.