I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
code of conduct
Safety of our students, staff, and guests is above all else. Follow instructions from instructors regarding technique, movements, and proper use of the dance floor in order to prevent even unintentional injury. If you ever feel that someone is creating a dangerous environment, whether through their dancing or any other actions, please reach out to one of the BSO staff or instructors.
Those who create an unsafe environment through a lack of dance technique or other misconduct will not be welcome at our school's classes, events, or socials.
We are committed to maintaining a safe reporting environment. If you experience or witness any form of uncomfortable or inappropriate behavior, we encourage you to report it to BSO staff or instructors without fear of reprisal. We are dedicated to addressing and resolving any issues in a fair and supportive manner. Reports are kept confidential.
Reporting Options:
Speak to any BSO staff member. At time of writing this includes Anastasia, Jovanny, and Gema.
Speak to any AyJ Team member. They can speak to staff on your behalf.
Write to us on Facebook or Instagram
Text us at 407-479-4923 (don't call, I won't answer lol)
Email us at ayjbachata@gmail.com
All dancers, instructors, students, and staff members must respect the studio's guidelines and respect each other's decisions, ideology, culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, time, studio equipment, personal property, personal space, and speak with respect.
While this obviously includes disrespectful speech, this also extends to being disruptive in classes. Any students who are disruptive in class, or are intoxicated during classes, may be asked to leave.
We kindly request all participants to maintain good personal hygiene during our classes and events. This includes wearing clean dance attire and shoes, using deodorant, and ensuring personal cleanliness.
Our dance school is dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all participants. We kindly ask that all individuals refrain from using our classes or events as a platform for seeking romantic relationships or engaging in inappropriate advances. Even well intentioned and respectful approaches can create an uncomfortable environment. Our primary focus is to foster a positive learning experience and create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone. Of course it is natural for people to grow close over time of doing an activity like this, but that is very different than someone attending with the intention of finding a date, or sexual encounter, at every song - don't be that person. This is also closely related to technique, so see that rule too!
Of course, you can feel free to BRING a date to our events - they are fun! But please do not find one there.
Examples:
- Asking for their phone number during the dance
- Asking if they have a boyfriend/girlfriend
- Touching someone's face, butt, genitals, breasts during the dance
- Running your fingers through, or pulling someone's, hair during the dance
In many dance events around the world it is considered taboo to say no when asked to dance - not here. If you are tired, don't like the song, do not want to dance with that person for any reason, or you just are not feeling it - you can say no to the dance. Please balance this right with being respectful of others, and being supportive of our new beginners who are scared to try something new in a new environment.
Bachata Sensual practiced with a disregard for technique can lead to serious injury. We want to encourage all participants to seek guidance from instructors, and dance within their current ability, to ensure a safe environment. A lack of technique can also lead to uncomfortable and creepy encounters, intentional or otherwise. Feel free to always refuse to dance with someone who lacks technique or is making you uncomfortable, and report to anyone you feel comfortable talking with.
Our school structure is designed to reward those who are investing in themselves and improving their technique through training and classes.
Examples:
- Touching someone's face, butt, genitals, breasts during the dance
- Running your fingers through, or pulling someone's, hair during the dance
- Rubbing yourself on someone during the dance (see Rule #1 of Bachata Sensual)
- Keeping someone close to you for an uncomfortable amount of time
All reports are confidential. After a report is made BSO Staff will investigate the report to determine its level of severity and course of action, especially regarding repeat reports. Those who have a report against them can expect the following,
1st Report: The individual will be informed and given recommendations on how to avoid this in the future. BSO assumes most reports come from a place of ignorance, not malice, and people can have a chance to correct behavior.
2nd Report: The individual is given an official written warning.
3rd Report: Removal from appropriate BSO event participation.
The Rules of Bachata SENSUAL
By far the most important rule of being a great Bachata Sensual dancer - SMELL GOOD. Breath, body odor, perspiration control, etc. It is really unpleasant to dance with a stinky person, no matter how good they are! This includes being sweaty, if you know you sweat a lot, bring a towel to wipe your face, bring an extra shirt (or two), and if you continue to be sweaty just take a break and cool off.
Bachata Sensual is often danced in close position, to avoid any awkward (or worse) scenarios, make sure this is nothing in your right pocket. For guys, make sure you move EVERYTHING to the left.
Bachata Sensual is famous for its shapes and figures that make it beautiful, but people often misunderstand how these shapes are accomplished and made beautiful!
Leads - If you cannot do the move yourself, do not attempt to lead it. This is how roughness and injury happens. Only when you can lead a movement with your body will it be comfortable and achievable. To this end, practice your isolations and movements on your own so that you will have more ability.
Follows - You also need to be able to complete these moves without a partner. Relying on a partner to accomplish your movements will not only make you difficult to lead, and limit the lead's options, but you will never LOOK good. The shapes look good when the follow can already do them well alone and use the lead to help them make it even more beautiful!
People learn Bachata Sensual for FUN, and everyone started somewhere. Be patient with your classmates, everyone learns at different rates, and everyone has different goals. Especially follows tend to lose their patience with the leads and want to move up in level before they are ready.
Follows - We often hear you say, "When I go with the advanced guys I can do the move, but with the beginner guys I cannot do it." When you feel this way keep a few things in mind.
In the beginning, leading is more difficult than following. Leads are learning how to dance and move their bodies, like you, but also learning to prepare ahead, have proper leading technique, and manage another person's body. While following is simpler in the beginning, LOOKING GOOD while following is difficult.
In class you are learning how to follow and look good, not the patterns. Really focus in on the tension, weight transfer, and shapes, rather than the pattern. In social dancing you will not be tasked with remembering or executing a pattern. You are tasked with executing weight transfer, shapes, and tension.
Remember rule 2! It feels good with more advanced dancers because they are taking on the responsibility for your success, often limiting their options. An advanced follow, like Anastasia, is able to go with the same beginner students and make the movements look good and make her partner feel good, she is able to add styling and embellishment so that even if her partner is not doing THE pattern, she is still dancing her dance.