A diverse group of people dancing and smiling at a lively indoor event decorated with string lights and red paper lanterns. Afro dancing at Dance Underground in Capitol Hill, Seattle.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Afro Dance Seattle fosters a fun, safe and inclusive space for every student, instructor, and guest within our community. Our community is composed of people of all races, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, religions and spiritualities, ages, body shapes, socio-economic statuses, and immigrant statuses. Protecting our community’s well being and safety is crucial and a priority to our mission, as it allows us to be vulnerable and connect with ourselves and others more freely.

Any form of hate speech, discrimination, harassment, violence or predatory behavior will not be tolerated. Such behavior will be addressed to preserve a space where our students and team feel protected, valued, and heard.

This means if you ever experience an issue in class and would like support, the Afro Dance Seattle team is here to help. First, we encourage everyone in our community to have brave conversations, to set boundaries and/or provide feedback to each other directly. However, we also understand that sometimes people do not feel safe to have those conversations on their own, and for that we are here.

Ways to Reach Out

For the safety and health of our community, we ask everyone in the space to be kind to one another and honor boundaries when they are requested, even if it's not the same boundary you would need for yourself. We are blessed to have a very close-knit community, however particularly around touch: we strongly encourage the practice of asking for consent. Equally important, is creating an environment where it is safe to say no. It never hurts to ask, but it may hurt if you do not ask.

If You Choose to Report a Situation

If you would like support from the Afro Dance Seattle team in navigating a situation that took place at an Afro Dance Seattle class or event, we are here to listen and to help hold everyone involved.

When a concern is shared with us, our process is rooted in accountability and community well-being:

• We will first gather information from all parties involved, taking time to listen with openness and without assumption.
• When appropriate, we may seek outside support or guidance from trusted partner organizations to help us respond thoughtfully and responsibly.
• From there, we will offer suggestions for resolution, grounded in the needs, boundaries, and well-being of those impacted.

We believe in restorative justice and aim to respond in ways that encourage healing, understanding, and restoration — rather than punishment alone. Our intention is to support a process where harm can be acknowledged, accountability can be taken, and our community can continue to grow.

We also recognize that each situation is unique, and while we will move with intention and integrity, outcomes may vary depending on the context and the needs of those involved. This process can take several weeks as we coordinate with all parties and take the necessary time to thoughtfully process and address each situation.