Code of Conduct


Introduction

At Lazy River, our Code of Conduct is at the heart of our commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all individuals to enjoy social dancing and jazz music. We celebrate jazz music & dances as a Black art form and strive to be respectful custodians of a culture that is not our own. We aim to create a space for collective learning of the spirit and culture of these dances. 

This Code of Conduct is an essential guide to our shared principles and we expect all participants to read this carefully and agree with its content. This document is not all-inclusive but should be treated as a baseline for guiding behavior and decisions. We reserve the right to take decisive measures, including warnings, sanctions, or expulsion without reimbursement, to ensure the safety and well-being of all attendees. 

Our doors are open to dancers of any skill level, and we embrace people of diverse backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, nationality, physical or mental abilities, gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, or age. Every participant is expected to uphold the values outlined below, treating others with dignity and respect at all times.

If someone informs you that your behavior is causing harm or discomfort, stop immediately. We understand it can be difficult to receive feedback, but it's essential for creating a safe environment. If you're unsure how to change your behavior, ask for support from the Safety team. should someone raise an issue with your behavior, listen gracefully and be willing to learn. Hostility in response to criticism is generally a sign that the criticism itself was not misplaced.

Community Responsibility:

As part of our commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment at Lazy River, we place great emphasis on community responsibility. Even if you are not directly involved in a situation, we urge all attendees to actively address any instances where someone is causing harm or discomfort to others. We encourage you to promptly alert a Lazy River Staff Member if you observe behavior that compromises the well-being of fellow attendees.

Every individual plays a crucial role in upholding the values of respect and safety at our event. It is always better to speak up and address a concern proactively than to overlook a potential issue that could escalate. Together, we can ensure that everyone feels welcome and valued in our community.

If at any time you find yourself impaired – by alcohol, exhaustion, distress etc. – in a way that makes it difficult or impossible for you to follow this Code of Conduct, please take time to rest, eat, recover etc. until you can do so. If you need support, please reach out to the Safety team. Please check in with anyone who appears to be struggling!

Behavioral Guidelines

General behaviors

  • Treat people with respect. There will be no tolerance of harassment or discriminatory behaviors, including but not limited to: offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender, identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, religion, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

  • Consent culture: Please be considerate of the needs of your partner in terms of closeness, energy level, and connection type. We encourage you to communicate if you are feeling uncomfortable both on and off the dance floor. Do not use pressure or force to bring your partner into connection. If you notice non-verbal signals like body stiffening, hesitation, etc., and/or are unsure about what connection is appropriate for your partner, ask. Dance is a conversation — listen to each other!

  • Right of refusal: Be gracious when refusing a dance or if refused. Everyone has the right to decline or leave a dance, with or without explanation. Please do not take it personally if someone says no to a dance with you, if they dance with someone else during that song, or if they leave a dance mid-song. Keep in mind that there are many possible reasons for someone not dancing with you, and respect that nobody owes anybody else a dance.

  • Be responsible for your own physical space, and respect others'. Practice space floor-craft, apologize if hurting someone on or off the dance floor, do not perform aerials outside of jams. Drink responsibly, and if reaching a point where posing a threat to self or others - retire to a sitting area.

  • Aerials, Dips, & Tricks - Aerials are prohibited on the social floor, and dips or tricks should only be executed with a practiced and willing partner after obtaining consent. 

  • Respect people's pronouns and gender expression.

  • Unsolicited Feedback — Speak up if you are uncomfortable, in pain, or at risk of being hurt. Do NOT critique, criticize, or teach on the dance floor unless specifically asked.

Allergens: 

Be aware of allergens and their impacts on our dance community members.Your cooperation in these matters is highly appreciated and helps ensure a comfortable and inclusive environment for everyone involved.

  • Be mindful of pet dander on your clothing, and try your best to remove any before entering dance spaces.

  • We recommend washing hands after eating to prevent the spread of allergens.

Fragrance Free

What does being a fragrance-free event mean?

  • Showering and using deodorant or other antiperspirants that are fragrance-free or utilize natural scents rather than “parfum” or “fragrance” (as listed in the ingredients)

  • Avoiding highly fragranced personal care products (such as colognes, aftershaves, perfumes, lotions, and powders)

  • Avoiding the application of fragranced products in the event space (such as hairspray and Febreze)

  • Not bringing or wearing heavily scented items (such as live flowers and essential oil diffusers)

We recognize that fragrance-free does not mean ‘zero smells’. Fragranced personal products are ones that are perceptible to others within your proximity.
Anyone attending our event who is heavily fragranced will be asked to remove the fragrance before being allowed entry. Spraying on a fragrance within the event space will result in discussion with the organizers and may be grounds for removal from the event.

Physical Health

  • Do not attend if you feel unwell (cold, flu or any type symptoms)

  • Do not attend the event if you have had a positive COVID test within the preceding 10 days, unless you have re-tested and received 2 negative results.

  • We recommend that you do not visit vulnerable people (the elderly, the unvaccinated, the immunocompromised) right after attending a large event such as this one.

  • Drink lots of water, stretch, and try to get some sleep. We know, easier said than done ;)

Alcohol Policy

We serve booze. We want you to drink our booze if you would like. We will not serve you if you appear overly intoxicated. Do not drive a car under the influence. We will gladly help you call you a cab.

To avoid any potential issues, we recommend that everyone seriously consider their own relationship with alcohol. We are followers of Dionysus ourselves, and think that a little evening fermentation is one of the finer things in life, but we are aware that many people have issues with alcohol. If you’re a different (perhaps less appropriate or decent) person under the influence, then steer clear. We’ll serve you all the soda you want.

Reporting

Response Procedures

While we will attempt to follow a restorative approach wherever possible, anyone who does or says something inappropriate, disrespectful, overtly sexual, illegal, dangerous, or otherwise violates any of the policies set forth here will face consequences, which may include immediate removal from the event, banning from future events, and legal action.

If an attendee is:

  • A convicted sexual offender

  • Currently being tried for a sexual offense

  • Has a Protection from Abuse (PFA) against them

  • Has a restraining order against them

This person may be banned from registration, refused entrance, and/or removed from the event. 

When reporting something you can expect the following actions:

  • An initial conversation with a Safety team/staff member away from other staff/patrons.

  • Complete confidentiality (unless we are sure that someone is in immediate/direct danger).

  • You will be asked how you would like the situation to be handled.

  • If the incident involves a violation of the Code of Conduct, the accused will be handled/not handled in one of the following ways: watched but not approached (we keep an eye on them), spoken to about their behavior, kicked out, banned, or reported to the police. None of these actions will be taken without the approval of the complainant, unless it is a matter of immediate danger.

  • If desired, the complainant will be directed to local resources and organizations.

Need Help?

We at Lazy River, promise to take your experiences seriously and to take action. If you have any questions, comments, complaints, or concerns including allergens, lighting or access issues, please inform us, and we will do our best to address them promptly. We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed inappropriate behavior please contact our Safety Team in person or the info desk.

We are aware it's not easy to speak up, but we will support you and treat your concerns with utmost seriousness and strictest confidentiality. We will provide assistance and/or safegaurd if needed.

Our goal is to move as far as possible towards creating a culture that eliminates issues rather than dwells on them. With that in mind when making complaints, please be conscious that it is not our job to create an environment where no one will ever rub you the wrong way. Harassment is one thing; personal issues are another. Be an adult.

 

Community Resources:

  • In all cases of an emergency involving a life threatening situation, or a crime in progress, dial for help immediately. 

    • International emergency number on 112. English-speaking operators are available

    • Medical Emergencies Dial 1-4-4

    • Criminal Emergencies Dial 1-3-3

    • Fire Emergencies Dial 1-2-2

  • Someone in Distress

    • When you see someone in distress, call Non-Emergency Number 1-4-2. This service should be used when you see someone:

      • Experiencing a medical or mental health (non-emergency) crisis

      • There is a potential safety concern for the individual involved

      • Possibly intoxicated or otherwise impaired

    • Non-emergency medical assistance 116 117

    • Emotional support helpline 116 123

  • If you have been sexually assaulted, physically assaulted, or need someone to talk to:

    • 24hr Women’s Emergency Helpline - 01 71 71 9

    • Frauenhelpline/Women’s helpline call 0800 222 555

    • Männer Beratung/Men’s helpline call 0664 732 16022