Creating a safe and welcoming space for dancers of all gender identities and preferences is something all scenes should strive toward. But how do you make sure that LGBTQ+ folks feel welcome at your dance or studio? DJ Mary Blendermann has compiled a boatload of helpful tips on how to run your classes, dances and competitions in ways that are open and accommodating for everyone.

Some helpful tips:

We want to know that we can dance any role. All of your classes should open with a vocal acknowledgment from the instructors that anyone may dance any role. This may seem almost too obvious to say out loud, but I promise, this is really important – it makes us feel seen, and it makes us feel like we have the instructors’ support in case we experience discrimination from other dancers in class…. “We want a safe person to talk to if needed. I really like it when scenes or events explicitly appoint one of the organizers to be a ‘safety coordinator’ or something similar, whose job is basically to be a really understanding and informed person who is the go-to contact point for code of conduct violations.”

Want more help? Check out the LGBTQ+ Swing Dancers Network on Facebook and a LGBTQ+ panel we hosted here on Yehoodi.

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