The Salsa Lab - Tikanga / Code of Conduct
Creating a welcoming, safe, and inclusive dance community.
At The Salsa Lab, we believe dance communities thrive when people treat each other with care, respect, and kindness. This Tikanga / Code of Conduct outlines the values and behaviours that help create a positive environment where everyone can enjoy dancing and learning together.
These expectations apply during Salsa Lab classes, events, and within the wider dance community.
💛 Respect Personal Space & Consent
Partner dancing involves physical connection, but that connection must always be mutual and comfortable.
When dancing with someone:
Pay attention to your partner’s comfort level with closeness and connection.
If your partner steps back or creates space, respect that distance.
Avoid unnecessary touching that is not part of the dance.
If someone asks you to adjust something or stop a movement, respect that immediately.
Both leads and follows share responsibility for maintaining a respectful and comfortable connection.
Consent and comfort always come first.
🙌 Respectful Dance Invitations
Inviting someone to dance should always feel welcoming and pressure-free.
You might ask:
“Would you like to dance?”
Offer your hand
Make eye contact and gesture toward the dance floor
However you invite someone, always allow them space to decline and respect the decision. Whatever the reason, people are always allowed to say no and no explanation is necessary.
We encourage everyone — both leads and follows — to ask others to dance.
❌ It’s Always Okay to Say No
Everyone has the right to decline a dance.
No one owes an explanation. Your choice may be based on wanting a break, feeling tired, or simply preferring not to dance at that moment. Offering an explanation can help indicate if it might be appropriate to ask again later that night.
Important!: You can also stop a dance partway through if something feels unsafe or uncomfortable. Your comfort and safety come first.
🤝 Dancing Is a Partnership
A good dance prioritises connection, comfort, and shared enjoyment.
When dancing:
Take care of your partner.
Avoid pulling, forcing movements, or using excessive strength.
Keep steps appropriate to the space on the floor.
Stay aware of other dancers to avoid collisions.
If someone gives feedback that your dancing feels rough or unsafe, try to receive it with openness and curiosity. You are responsible for following up with a teacher to get advice and keep people safe.
🧠 Safety First – Dance at Your Level (And your partner’s)
It’s exciting to try dips, tricks, and more advanced moves — but these can be unsafe if done without the necessary training or in crowded spaces.
For safety:
Avoid attempting lifts, dips, or tricks unless both partners are comfortable and experienced.
Dips are not appropriate when the floor is crowded, regardless of dancing ability.
Focus on building strong fundamentals first.
Protecting your partner’s safety is always more important than showing impressive moves.
🧼 Hygiene & Self-Care
Because salsa dancing often involves close physical connection, good hygiene helps everyone feel comfortable.
We encourage dancers to:
Wear deodorant
Bring spare shirts and change when you get sweaty
Brush your teeth before a social/class and bring mints/gum
These small actions make a big difference to your dance partners.
💬 Feedback & Boundaries
If something feels uncomfortable or unsafe during a dance, it’s okay to speak up or stop the dance.
Simple feedback such as:
“Hey, that felt a little uncomfortable.”
is often enough.
Unless you have agreed to exchange technical feedback with someone, it’s best to save detailed technique feedback for class or practica rather than the social dance floor. Socials are primarily about connection, music, and enjoyment.
If you receive feedback that you are being rough or unsafe, you are responsible for following up with a teacher to get advice and keep people safe.
🌈 Be Inclusive
A healthy dance community welcomes people of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels.
We encourage dancers to:
Dance with a variety of partners
Welcome beginners
Support others in learning and growing
Be respectful of different identities, cultures, and expressions
Everyone contributes to making the community feel welcoming.
🚫 Behaviour That Is Not Acceptable
The following behaviours are not acceptable within The Salsa Lab community:
Harassment or intimidation
Unwanted physical contact
Ignoring someone’s boundaries
Discriminatory or abusive behaviour
Persistent pressure after someone declines a dance
Behaviour that makes others feel unsafe or unwelcome
These expectations apply both at Salsa Lab activities and within the wider dance community.
🧭 Community Responsibility
A healthy dance community relies on everyone taking care of each other.
If you see behaviour that makes someone unsafe or uncomfortable:
Check in with the person if appropriate
Speak to a teacher or organiser
Help support a respectful environment
🗣 Reporting Concerns
If you experience or witness behaviour that concerns you, please speak to a teacher or organiser at the event. Alternatively, you may also register your concern on the Contact Us page of The Salsa Lab website.
All concerns will be taken seriously and handled as respectfully and confidentially as possible. The goal is always to maintain a safe and supportive environment for everyone.
⚖ Community Accountability
Participants are expected to follow this Tikanga / Code of Conduct.
Where behaviour does not meet these expectations, The Salsa Lab may take action, including:
Providing feedback or a warning
Asking someone to leave a class or event
Suspending or removing someone from Salsa Lab activities
These decisions are made to protect the wellbeing of the community.