Code of Conduct

Welcome to Forró Den Haag! The Forró Den Haag team aims to create a warm, supportive, and friendly space where everyone can connect through their shared love for forró. Please follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Fostering Safe Spaces: Dance with Respect

• Respect & Understanding: Treat everyone kindly. Communicate your boundaries and understand others.
• Zero Discrimination: No sexist or discriminatory behavior (gender, race, orientation, religion, age, body, social class, etc.). This includes demeaning jokes, harassment, or any discriminatory actions.
• Dance Roles & Gender: Dance roles are not determined by gender.
• Building Connections: Prioritize the joy of dancing and good times. Come to share dances and positive energy, not solely to flirt.
• Promoting Inclusivity: We celebrate diversity. Invite diverse people to dance, welcoming everyone regardless of disability, race, gender, age, body size, or dance skill level. Let's make sure everyone feels seen!

On the Dance Floor: Your Comfort Matters!

Physical & Moral Integrity:

• Speak up if a move or position hurts or is uncomfortable.
• Respect your partner's preferences regarding close-hold, specific moves, or lifts.
• Limit physical contact to areas necessary for dancing. Apologize if a sensitive area was touched by accident.
• Kissing or sniffing any part of your partner's body without consent is not tolerated.

Consent & Withdrawal: You can withdraw consent at any time without justification. This includes refusing a dance or stopping mid-dance.

Space Awareness & Floorcraft: Be mindful of your dance space and others. Avoid aerials and lifts on crowded social dance floors. Anticipate movements to prevent collisions.

Feedback: Keep dance feedback to lessons only, unless requested or if behavior causes pain/injury. Politely decline unsolicited feedback.

Participant Guidelines: Be Considerate!

Hygiene: Essential for close-contact dancing. Please be fresh, shower, brush your teeth, use deodorant, bring an extra clean t-shirt/top, and wear preferably breathable fabrics on classes and parties.

Responsible Substance Use: Be moderate with alcohol/substance consumption during parties. Focus on the joy of forró and dance connection.

Event Staff: As staff (organizer, volunteer, teacher, musician, DJ), be aware of your power imbalance. Refrain from flirting or using your status to gain favors or privileges.

Incident Response: Your Safety is Our Priority!

What is Not Okay?

Any unwanted or unwelcome behavior (sexual or otherwise) that makes a person feel offended, humiliated, or intimidated. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Inappropriate comments, teasing, or intimidation.
• Stalking.
• Unwanted physical contact or sexual advances.
• Inappropriate social media posts.
• Any criminal offense.

If You Witness or Experience Inappropriate Behavior:

Communicating Your Needs: Feel empowered to use your voice to adjust the dance (e.g., "Can we get more space?" or "Please don't dip me").

Witnessing Behavior: Offer help to the affected person (if comfortable) and/or discuss it directly and immediately with one of the organisers.

Experiencing Behavior: Talk directly to an organiser, or ask someone else to inform them on your behalf if you are not comfortable.

Reporting Incidents:

You always have the right to walk away from an unsafe or uncomfortable dance without explanation.

If an incident occurs, please report it to one of the organisers or send an email to safespace@forrodenhaag.nl.

Our Commitment

We are committed to protecting our dancers and will not tolerate harassment in any form. Offenders will receive warnings for minor offences, while repeat or major offences may result in expulsion and banning from future events and if necessary, involvement of the police.

Together, we create a safe and joyful space for all dancers, fostering respect and celebrating diversity. Thank you for helping us make Forró de Den Haag a wonderful and safe community for everyone!