HappensDance aims to provide a safe and positive community for teachers and students. By attending any HappensDance run class or event, you choose to adhere to this Code of Conduct. HappensDance reserves the right to remove anyone breaching this Code.

If you would like to make a report of a breach of the code, please contact any of our staff at class, or via email (info@happensdance.com.au), and we will ensure the report is responded to in a confidential and respectful manner.

1. Everyone should feel safe on the dance floor. If a dance pattern is causing pain or injury, please stop and let your dance partner or dance teacher know. If it continues to happen please let any HappensDance staff know.
2. Everybody should feel respected and welcome, regardless of their gender, age, ethnicity, (dis)ability, size, religion, sexual orientation etc.
3. Everybody should want the community to grow - this mainly comes down to attitude. Try and get to know everybody at class and social dancing. Try and have a dance with everybody, especially new students. Try not to sit at the back of the room at social dancing and only ask one or two people to dance in a night. Try not to turn down a social dance from anybody that asks (it’s ok to have a rest for a song or two, or if you are injured then let them know).
4. Consent is essential at all times. While there is an assumed level of consent on the dance floor (for example, if you accept a dance from someone, expect them to hold your hand or take you into closed position), consent can be revoked at any time. If you’re going to try a dance pattern that is not commonly danced (i.e. above the assumed level of consent), has the potential to injure your partner (e.g. lifts, dips or aerials) or intrude on their physical space, seek permission before hand.
5. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour, which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. For a list of behaviours that may be considered to be sexual harassment, please refer to the Australian Human Rights Commision website.
6. Other than HappensDance teachers during classes or workshops, nobody should ever teach or give advice or tips on the dance floor, especially during social dancing (subject to rule 1). If your partner asks you for advice during a dance, finish your dance and then have the discussion off the dance floor. Always feel free to ask any of the HappensDance teachers to assist too, they will be more than happy to!
7. Keep non-dance related personal issues, disputes and grievances away. Talking behind people’s back, spreading of rumours/hearsay, aggression, shouting, foul language, physical violence and threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.