1. Introduction
DanceFlurry Organization is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote traditional music and dance. As we carry out that mission, we are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) at our events and within our community. This policy applies to our Staff, Board of Directors, organizers, participants, and performers we hire. The purpose of this policy is to outline our current DEAI policies and intent moving forward.
Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, diversity is defined as a multitude of ways individuals are different from each other, including: age, race, disability, gender, religion, sexuality, veterans, and marriage status. Equity is about operating in a fair and just manner, acknowledging that each individual has a different set of privileges. Accessibility relates to the ease of access for those who need accommodations and makes it possible for everyone to have equal opportunity to learn, understand, participate, and interact to the full extent of their abilities. Inclusion is building a culture of belonging through active engagement and dialogue.
2. DFO and the DEAI Context
Each dance and music form under the DFO umbrella has its own community of members who stay involved; and these communities include a degree of diversity – currently more so in some categories than others. And the DanceFlurry Organization is making sure to broadcast the message that everyone is welcome. This includes all ages, genders and sexual orientations including LGBTQIA+, BIPOC (black, indigenous, people-of-color), all races/ethnicities, socio-economic statuses and persons with both visible and invisible disabilities.
To achieve a welcoming and inclusive environment, we work to create a safe and comfortable environment for all attendees, and we strive to remove potential barriers to participation
Also, we acknowledge that, historically, some of our dance forms were created and popularized by marginalized communities and those same individuals are now underrepresented in our dance halls. As such, we have a commitment to educating about the history of dance forms and to creating inclusive spaces so that BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and other individuals can feel safe and welcome attending our events.
In addition, opportunities for employment are often limited for marginalized communities, so we aim to hire a diverse set of performers when possible. And we provide equivalent pay for services regardless of gender, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
We will not stop people from going to dances, events, and specific geographic areas. We ask that attendants bring with them kindness, open hearts, ears, and hands to welcome in all ages, levels and backgrounds. Any necessary arrangements will be made, as needed. We will only move away from communities or areas if absolutely necessary.
3. Existing and New Initiatives
i. Culture of our Organization
We will consistently work to create a culture that values and embraces diversity, promotes inclusivity, and encourages open communication, collaboration, and mutual respect among individuals from all backgrounds and identities. We work to recruit members for our Board of Directors from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to provide a robust platform for discussion and organizational management.
Many people think that one must be young and in perfect condition to dance, but that is not the case. The DFO provides many different types of dance that reach out to dancers at different levels of ability. The list of dance programs under the DFO umbrella currently includes: family, swing, contra, English country, African, etc. There is no one type of dance group that the DFO aims at pleasing and we hope that people will all try and reach out to see what type of exciting dance or music event they might be captivated with. There are also drumming groups going on regularly, as well as singing groups in the area. The programming with the DanceFlurry Organization is well established and continues to grow, reaching out to all people interested in music and participatory/community dance.
We are mindful of the varied access to information that community members have, and will continue to promote our activities at various venues and in numerous formats including; information tables, local events, printed flyers, internet and social-media announcements, press coverage, electronic newsletters, and public meetings. We are continually looking at other ways to spread the word about DFO’s programs.
We currently have a Culture of Consent policy published on our website and posted at many of our dance events. It outlines how to respect others’ boundaries and who to seek out and speak with if you feel uncomfortable or have issues with another individual at a DFO event. We aim to have two volunteers at each event who are trained to handle complaints and concerns (See Principles of Community Respect). We will continually work with each program under the DFO umbrella to find what will work best for them.
Some dances have created a title of “Ambassadors” who are either organizers, instructors, or fellow dancers who have been trained on the role. The Ambassadors have access to a document called ‘Procedures to Handle Complaints.’ This outlines the protocol to follow if a complaint or issue is brought to their attention at an event in an effort to keep a safe and welcoming environment wherever possible. Ambassadors or other volunteers will then also complete an Incident Report Form afterwards to alert the Board of what occurred and how it was handled. If necessary, the board can take any follow-up actions needed to support the Ambassadors/volunteers and maintain our Principles of Community Respect process.
v. Sliding Fees and/or Scholarships
DFO-sponsored programs provide a number of routes for participation for persons with limited financial resources. Volunteering is a great way to participate in a program, usually then for free. There are also sliding scale admission fees at many of the dances. Ask ahead, and/or check on the DFO website, about scholarship opportunities for attending the Flurry Fest or Adirondack Festival. Remember, there are multiple ways to have the chance to experience the music, the dance, and the community feeling and the friendships that are all part participating in DFO-supported or sponsored programs and events.
vi. Recruitment of New Participants
The DFO has created several initiatives to recruit new dancers and music lovers; specifically youth and adults with disabilities with our DF-YO! Grant programs. As we move forward we would also like to look into ways we can gain a younger and more diverse set of organizers, musicians, callers, instructors, and board members/staff through collaboration, outreach, grants, workshops, and other opportunities when possible.
The DFO does not officially organize, and is therefore not responsible for, carpooling arrangements. We have developed new tools for carpooling by arranging online and phone communication for those who would like to make their own arrangements to carpool to swing or contra dances sponsored by or affiliated with the DanceFlurry Organization (local, non-Flurry events). Group members are responsible for arranging their own rides and assessing the comfort and safety of their carpool arrangements.
All those who need help with transportation can look at our Facebook page DanceFlurry and the website, danceflurry.org; https://www.danceflurry.org/carpooling-groups/, https://groups.google.com/ or, email carpool@danceflurry.org.
If you are interested in starting a small group for carpooling to another local event, please do not hesitate to get it going before we put it up online and available to everyone.
viii. Facility Access for Persons with Disabilities
We aim to make dance venues accessible to all people who wish to participate. We will do the best we can to help the community engage in dancing, singing, and music-making as well as serving on committees and the board, if interested. Every effort will be made (within reason) to use venues that have ADA accessible doors and ramps (or elevators).
4. Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying
The DanceFlurry Organization provides equal opportunities for enjoyment. We base decisions of outcome on merit: considering qualifications, skills, and performance. We do not tolerate discrimination against any individual based on personal characteristics, such as age, disability (physical or mental), gender or sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnic, national or social origin, family or marital status, veteran or military status/service.
Everyone has a right to enjoy music and dance free from the demoralizing effects of harassment, unwelcome, offensive, or improper conduct. We will not tolerate any harassment, bullying or conduct that could lead or contribute to the intimidation of others by fellow dancers and performers.
The DanceFlurry Board works with event organizers directly and through board Liaisons who can raise concerns and provide information about issues that need addressing and/or improvement. We will continually work to ensure that our diversity policy will protect individuals who raise concerns, complaints, or grievances related to diversity and inclusion from retaliation in any forms.
5. Policy Document Outlook
This Diversity Policy will be a continual work in progress and will be updated as needed to meet the needs of the organization. We are interested in more ideas for ways to help the community grow stronger and looking for new ways to increase the diversity of our events.
6. Source List
Albany, SUNY. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy – SUNY.” Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy, September 10, 2015. https://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=804.
Dancing Classrooms “How Dancing Classrooms Define I.D.E.A” June 30,2022. https://dancingclassrooms.org/idea/
“Diversity Policy.” Everything You Need to Know. Accessed October 25, 2023. https://www.contractscounsel.com/t/us/diversity-policy.
Inclusion, Utah Center for. “Sample Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policies.” Utah Center for Legal Inclusion, 2023. https://www.utahcli.org/diversity-policies/.
Johnson & Johnson. “Johnson & Johnson Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy.” Johnson & Johnson Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy. Accessed October 26, 2023. https://www.jnj.com/about-jnj/policies-and-positions/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-policy.
Johnson, Taylor. “What Any Diversity and Inclusion Policy Should Contain.” Insperity.com, October 18, 2022. https://www.insperity.com/blog/what-any-diversity-and-inclusion-policy-should-contain/.
Smallheer, Randi-Lynn. “Six Components of a Diversity Policy for Your Corporate Legal Department.” Community, June 16, 2021. https://www.lexisnexis.com/community/insights/legal/b/product-features/posts/six-components-of-a-diversity-policy-for-your-corporate-legal-department.