Dancing Kloo: Dance Clues from Kimberly Loo: Honolulu Zouk Community Guidelines

We recommend all people in our community, including ourselves, read over these guidelines periodically as a reinforcement.

Hygiene and Dress

Shower. Wear clean clothes. Be mindful of emitting body odors.
Don’t overuse scented products. Some people have allergies.
Sweaty? Bring 2-6 shirts per night and a sweat towel.
Avoid clothing with spikes or sharp edges that may hurt a partner.
It is polite to empty your right pant leg (of keys, phone, anything else) and to wear supportive undergarments.

Do not be drunk or high.
Do not intentionally caress breasts or genitals.
Give the best possible dance to every partner. Dance with unfamiliar people. We want the community to grow.
You are encouraged to voice concerns about any behavior to any of the Honolulu Zouk teachers, who will hear you without judgment and work to resolve the situation.
Do not teach or give feedback on the dance floor during a social unless it is requested or the movement was dangerous or painful. If you get feedback, you may listen to the feedback or kindly decline. For instance, you can say “I’d like for feedback to be given only during lessons, if you don’t mind.”
If you want to teach something, you may teach on the side in pole areas. Examples of acceptable teaching: you may show beginners basic steps. Performers may practice a performance piece off the main dance floor.

Respect physical and emotional safety
It’s good before dancing to ask questions like “how are you feeling today?” “Is close embrace ok?” “Anything I should be careful about today?”
Ask before you do these things the first time: lifts, hugs, kisses, and more intimate relationships.
We encourage everyone to ask prior to initiating for the first time: head movement, dips, and close embrace.
We are learning to connect and use our bodies in ways that we might not be practiced at. Sometimes it will be awkward and sometimes we will make mistakes. Please be sensitive to this process
You might unintentionally violate a boundary. Please be open and humble if someone tells you this.
Others may violate your boundaries. Please be courageous in using your words to communicate your needs.

You have the right to accept or refuse any dance without needing to give a reason or apology. Learn to say “no,” “not right now,” and “yes.” Dancing with someone else during the same song may be viewed as impolite, but your safety is more valuable than good manners.
You can end a dance with a light squeeze and a thank you.
Be cautious of anyone promoting themselves as a teacher or mentor by using tactics that undermine your way of seeing the world or undermine your confidence in yourself and/or your dancing.
Practice using verbal and non-verbal methods of changing holds from close to open embrace.
Move to verbal feedback whenever you need.

Avoid yanking, jerking, or forceful movement (risk of shoulder, arm, neck, and upper-back injuries)
Avoid bending over your partner during a dip (risk of lower back injuries)
Avoid sudden weight sharing (“dropping your weight”)
Use caution with any movement that causes a dancer’s head to be lower than their hips (especially, but not limited to, dips),
If the dance feels unsafe, clearly and politely communicate what feels unsafe and what you want. For example, say “That movement is too forceful for my body, can you please be more gentle.”
If your dance partner seems in pain, ask if they are okay. For example, say “Hey, are you experiencing any pain? Is there a way we can dance together that would be more comfortable to you?”
Leads and follows should both be alert and practice good floorcraft. Be conscious of who is around. If you accidentally hit or kick another dancer, apologize and make sure they are ok.

Zouk instructors value and care for students and act in their best interest.
Zouk instructors are community role models who act honestly.
Zouk teachers have a broad knowledge base and understand what they teach.
Zouk teachers engage in learning throughout their teaching career.
Zouk teachers advertise for, and solicit students, in an ethical manner.
Zouk teachers are asked to be supportive of other teachers who follow these standards.
Zouk teachers understand that the relationship between teacher and student has a power imbalance and act with according responsibility. When romantic relationships or friendships occur within the teacher/student power imbalance there is a risk that the person with less power may feel a reduced ability to enforce boundaries. The lines that separate what is okay from what is not okay can become blurry. The student may sometimes find it hard to even figure out their own comfortable boundaries. Thus, relationships with power imbalances have a greater risk of leading to hurt and even abuse. Zouk educators are asked to be aware of these risks.
Zouk teachers use best practices for gathering accurate feedback on their teaching by including a mix of both verbal and non-verbal methods and anonymous feedback.
Zouk teachers are aware of abuses of power such as gas-lighting and other predator-victim grooming techniques so that they can avoid these behaviors and spot those actively engaging in them in the community.

Updated by Kimberly Loo & Mic Lee, January 4, 2018

For the most updated version of these, please visit this google doc