Event Policies
Implementation
This year we have partnered with Changeling Spaces, an access initiative in the social dance community led by Fen Lastra and Jaesic Wade. They are assisting us with redesigning event policies, and how we respond to needs and issues at the event.
If you have an access or safety related need, concern, or question, you can reach them through this form or by getting in touch with them on site during the event.
You are also welcome to approach other event volunteers if you need help, but access issues will be transferred to Changeling Spaces. You can see their intervention policy. If you have a complaint specifically about Changeling Spaces, you should reach out to the core NWBF organizer team.
NWBF Code of Conduct
We are dedicated to providing a safer and comfortable event experience for everyone. If you attend our festival or work for our festival in any capacity you agree to comply with the following code of conduct.
The swing dances are founded upon swing music, an African-American cultural art form.
Loving Balboa means holding respect for Black culture, and working against practices of systemic and interpersonal racism.
We know that this is a learning process for us and for our non-white attendees, but we welcome everyone who is committed to learning with us.
Racism, as well other forms of systemic intolerance such as homophobia, ableism, transphobia, sexism, etc. will not be tolerated at our event. Attendees have the right to be in our spaces without discrimination, harm, or harassment.
Harassment includes but is not limited to:
offensive verbal comments (related, but not limited, to gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual language, images, or invitations - in public spaces or online)
deliberate intimidation (stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, etc.)
If you believe you have experienced harassment at our event, if there are ways the event could be more accessible to you, or if you have questions about our policies, we ask that you use this form [link to form] to contact the access team, or reach out to them directly on site.
In addition to these general expectations, we ask attendees to maintain some specific behaviors in our space to ensure that our environment matches our values. This is a non-exclusive list that should be followed in practice, but also in spirit to the best of attendees' ability.
COVID-19 & other Contagious viruses
If you feel sick, or are exhibiting the symptoms of a contagious illness that are not obviously attributable to another cause (e.g. allergies), we ask that you stay home from the event.
Please contact admin@nwbf.com to discuss your options if this happens to you. We are not requiring masks, but will have a supply available. Masking is not an appropriate substitution for staying away if you are sick.
Hand sanitizer will also be available, and attendees are expected to wash their hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, after touching pets, and any other times they are not clean. These policies are liable to change depending on current public health concerns.
Photography
While we ask attendees to sign a photo waiver, not everyone wants to be photographed. “No photo” wristbands are available at the front desk - please wear them prominently.
Do not take photos of anyone wearing a “no photo” band. Do not put personal photos online without the consent of everyone identifiable in the picture.
Consent for Physical Touch & Social Dances
Not everyone will feel comfortable dancing or touching anyone at this event.
Please take care and obtain verbal consent before touching or dancing with someone at Northwest Balboa Festival.
Anyone has the right to turn down a dance, or an element of a dance, at any time, for any reason. Say “yes” to the things you do want and “no” to the things you don’t, in the expectation that both will be received generously. .
Everyone comes to our dances with a variety of levels of ability and experience.
The social floor is not a place to offer advice or instruction.
We all have different needs and preferences. Please state your boundaries, and listen when others ask for their own needs to be met. This includes respecting attendee requests to be referred to by specific names, pronouns etc.
Our social dance floor is not a space for air steps/aerials. The space may be somewhat tight, so be mindful of where you put your own, and your partner's body, and how you use momentum. We welcome the use of words to prevent collisions.
Consent to a dance connection is not an invitation to a romantic or sexual connection. This is not an event to seek those kinds of connections. If you are experiencing a visible arousal response, please leave the dance floor until this is no longer the case.
Behavior, Alcohol/Intoxicants, Scents, and Ban of Weapons
If your mood and behavior are affected by alcohol, other intoxicants, medication, exhaustion, etc. to the point where your capacity to dance, interact, or comply with this policy are impeded, we ask you to pause until you have recovered.
No alcohol, or other intoxicants should ever be offered to a minor at our events.
Anyone approaching a minor romantically or sexually will be removed from the event.
This is a low/no scent event. Please do not wear perfume or cologne, and keep other kinds of fragrance to a minimum. Please do wear deodorant!
No weapons are permitted at this event or on event grounds, including concealed carry weaponry.
Be kind
While we completely respect everyone’s right to choose who they dance with, be aware and be kind if you have the capacity. There are people in our scene who are left out or feel uncomfortable and we have all been there.
If you are an experienced dancer, take a moment out of your friend time to find a beginner dancer and dance with them.
If you see someone who has been standing on the side of the dance and looks like they would like to dance, ask them to dance if you feel like you are up to it.
Is someone standing in the practice without any one to talk to? Be aware and ask them to practice something you are interested in or maybe just say hi.
Is there a person who is in the minority at this event? Watch out for them, make them feel welcome.
These are ways we can invite diversity in our scene, by making people feel included and uplifted. Understand the limits of your own boundaries, but together we can make a tangible difference in how our scene restarts.
Community Suggestions
While we completely respect everyone’s right to choose who they dance with, there are people in our scene who may be left out or feel uncomfortable, who don’t know anyone, etc. Attending to those who are being left out, or asked to dance less, is one way we can work to break down systemic prejudices in our scene.
If you see someone who has been standing on the side of the dance and looks like they would like to dance, ask them to dance if you feel like you are up to it.
Is someone standing in the practice without any one to talk to? Be aware and ask them to practice something you are interested in, or maybe just say hi.
Additional Resources
Do not use Dance Wax on our floors
Putting foreign wax on a dance venue’s floor can cause nightmares for the facility. The only individuals that are allowed to put down (any form of) “dance wax”, are the actual NW Balboa Festival’s board members (Taylor, Alison, Andrew, or Robin).
IF you are found to have placed unapproved dance wax on our event floors, you will be asked to leave the venue and will be billed the cleaning fee deemed by the venue to have it removed post-event.
We value your presence and ask you to keep our community safe and inclusive.
We welcome your ideas on how to do this well. Feel free to email with any suggestions or questions. admin@nwbalfest.com