Code of Conduct

The Pune Tango Community (PTC) is a warm and welcoming community of Argentine Tango dancers, fans, and well-wishers.

We adhere to the following code of conduct for all our tango events, tango-related activities, and our digital properties such as WhatsApp groups and other social media:

• Dancers of all dance abilities and physical abilities are welcome.
• We welcome beginners and experienced dancers of all genders, religious persuasion, ethnicities, and age groups.
• Young dancers (under 18 years) should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• Our primary purpose as a community is to dance, celebrate, and enjoy tango. No other discussions or activities are encouraged as part of the community agenda.
• We require graciousness in your words, behaviour, and actions. Please treat other community dancers and visitors with kindness, courtesy, and respect, on and off the dance floor and on online digital platforms.
• Personal hygiene is important. Please take care to ensure your breath and body odor smell clean and fresh.
• No partners are required for you to attend any tango event.
• The community runs via contributions. You are required to pay the contribution amounts for any events you attend. Do not wait to be asked to pay or reminded.
• Do not tango if you are too intoxicated to dance. You may be asked to leave the event if this is noticed.
• Similarly, do not tango if you are unwell with a cold, cough, or the flu.
• For digital properties, adhere to the purpose of the groups. Do not share off-color, incendiary, or irrelevant messages or forwards.
• Do provide assistance and help especially in matters of safety. Please escort event attendees to their car or a safe zone if asked.

Invitation, Contact & Personal Space

Argentine tango is an intimate dance. We do not abuse the close nature of the dance through unwanted behavior.

• We ask that participants use cabacéo to initiate dances. 
• We respect a “no” when interacting with each other. The preference may be stated in words “No, thank you” or by cabeceo (no eye contact = refusal). 
• If the invited participant declines your invitation, their response shall be respected without question or need for explanation. Accept it gracefully and with humility. If instead, you choose verbal invitations for dancing (this is discouraged), the same rule applies.
• If the upper body contact is too close for you, you should adopt a more open stance or embrace and clearly communicate your desire for a more open stance or embrace to your partner. It’s your partner’s responsibility to respect your choice. 
• At any point in a Tanda if you feel uncomfortable with your partner you can refuse to dance further. 
• If a dancer/teacher invites you for a private practice alone at their home, you can choose to refuse, invite them to a dance studio or inform them you are more comfortable in a group class.  

Tango Learning and Classroom Etiquette

A class or guided session is your opportunity to gain knowledge that distills years of investment and investigation into tango by the teacher. These guidelines will allow you to gain the most while respecting the teacher and your fellow students.

• Don’t be late, be early. Plan to keep time to change your shoes and settle in. Seek the teacher’s approval before joining a class that has started.
• Come with a mind keen to learn and an attitude to work hard. Be ready to be challenged and to rework what you already know.
• Ask questions to clarify but take overly intellectual questions or perspectives to a discussion outside the class. Questioning to primarily show off intellectual prowess stalls the class. 
• Understand that different people have different capacities to absorb or to implement concepts into a physical partner dance. If you can get things quickly, be patient while others catch up. If you feel overwhelmed by the instruction, feel free to sit out that segment and chat with the teacher later. 
• Be respectful of the teacher and other students. The tango community is warm and friendly but be mindful that everyone is in the class to impart or gain knowledge.
• In group classes, teachers may try but may not have the time or space to answer questions specific to you as an individual. Allow the teacher space to arrive at what is necessary for you. Private classes may be more appropriate for specific improvements.
• Please find out the fees in advance and pay them before the class.

Harassment

The safety and wellbeing of all our tango dancers is essential for the health and longevity of our community.

• We prohibit behaviors that create a hostile environment through verbal or physical abuse or intimidation. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Harassment includes but is not limited to, inappropriate verbal comments, verbal abuse, deliberate intimidation, stalking, unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention, or displaying sexual/inappropriate images or videos in public spaces or our digital spaces.  Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.
• Offenders may be warned or asked to leave an event (without a refund) in the case of inappropriate behavior. Additionally, formal complaints may be filed (see below).
• Harassment and inappropriate behaviors include (but are not limited to):
  • Inappropriate touching or talk or remarks or comments at a milonga, practica, workshop, classes or other tango events
  • Offensive message or video broadcast on any of our WhatsApp groups
  • Offensive message sent with an @ mention or targeted to specific persons on any of our WhatsApp groups
  • Offensive message/video sent as a DM to a tango community member with whom there is no other relationship other than tango.
  • Offensive message posted on a personal social media platform (e.g. Instagram) with @pune.tango or any of our social handles tagged
• Inviting dancers or beginners to your home, office, studio, or other location with the express purpose of teaching, practicing, or discussing tango and then engaging in inappropriate behavior or harassment is also prohibited.

How to Complain?

• Our policy is gender-neutral. Any gender may feel harassed and complain about the harassment.
• Complaints are to be sent within 3 months of the incident.
• Complaints will be written via email to punetangocommunity@gmail.com. WhatsApp messages, oral conversations, or other forms of messages are not treated as formal complaints.
• Complaints should include all documentary information, if available such as screenshots, photographs, text messages, other evidence, and names of witnesses. Make the complaints as detailed as possible.

Procedure to Address Harassment Complaints

• A grievance committee (with at least 50% female representation) will be set up or in place for addressing harassment complaints.
• The grievance committee shall review the complaint. The complaint will be forwarded to the respondent(s) within a reasonable time
• Respondent(s)  will need to respond in writing within 10 days after the complaint has been forwarded to them. One reminder will be sent. If no response is received from the respondent within 5 days after the reminder,  the committee can make an ex-parte decision on the actions.
• The committee can review the complaint and pursue conciliation or choose to investigate. This may or may not include meeting and debriefs with the complainants and respondents.
• The grievance committee can take up to 30 days after the respondent’s reply (or upon expiration of the reply period) to draw up its findings and outcomes.
• Complaints are to be resolved no later than 90 days after the filing.

Actions

The grievance committee can take appropriate actions following complaints to ensure the safety of the dancers and the health of the community. These actions may include one or more of educating the offender, warnings, expelling without refunds, restraining instructions, restrictions from the use of our digital properties (such as WhatsApp, and social media), banning the offender from future events, or other actions as decided by the committee. These actions may be disclosed to the community or to other tango communities.

In Closing

Participants in tango events and our digital spaces should be aware of our community values. This code of conduct document should be made available publicly and shared frequently within the community and to participants of tango festivals and events. 

As a community, we can thrive as long as each of us individually upholds these values.

The Code of Conduct of the Central Oregon Tango has been used as a resource and inspiration for this document.