Great dancing.
Even better community.

🤝 Bring positive energy

Come ready to learn, dance, connect, and contribute positively to the environment around you.

Respectful differences of opinion are normal. Aggressive confrontation, intentional disruption, hostility, or behavior that interferes with the experience of others is not.

Our goal is simple: a community where people can feel comfortable learning, dancing, connecting, and enjoying themselves.

🫶 Every boundary matters

All interactions must be respectful and consensual.

A dance invitation may always be accepted or declined. A "no," whether verbal or communicated through clear body language, must be respected without pressure, argument, repeated requests, or retaliation.

Dancers should remain mindful of their partner's comfort, physical boundaries, skill level, and experience.

No person is obligated to dance with, socialize with, give their contact information to, or interact personally with another attendee.

💃 Dance with care

Latin social dancing naturally involves movement, shared space, changing partners, close physical proximity, and, depending on the style of dance, physical connection between partners.

Incidental or accidental physical contact can and does occur in a social dance environment. Examples may include accidentally bumping into another dancer, brushing against someone while moving through a crowded area, stepping into another person's space, or making unintended contact while dancing.

By choosing to attend and participate in a social dance environment, attendees acknowledge and accept that reasonable incidental contact may occasionally occur.

When accidental or incidental contact occurs, attendees are expected to respond in a positive, friendly, courteous, and good-faith manner.

In most circumstances, the appropriate response is simple: acknowledge what happened, give a friendly glance or smile, offer a brief apology when appropriate, and continue enjoying the event.

Normal accidental dance-floor contact should not be automatically interpreted as hostility, aggression, harassment, or inappropriate conduct merely because contact occurred.

At the same time, this expectation does not prevent anyone from reporting conduct they reasonably believe was intentional, repeated, reckless, sexual, threatening, unsafe, or otherwise inappropriate.

All dancers share responsibility for:

• Remaining aware of their surroundings.
• Exercising reasonable floorcraft.
• Adjusting movements to the available space.
• Avoiding unnecessarily dangerous movements.
• Respecting their partner's physical limits.
• Responding appropriately when an accident occurs.

Dance movements, dips, tricks, lifts, close-position movements, or other physical interactions should always be appropriate for the partner, environment, experience level, and available space.

Never force a movement or physical connection on another dancer.

⚖️ Know your responsibilities

Bachata Addiction events involve physical activity, including partner dancing, movement in shared spaces, changes of direction, turns, spins, dips, footwork, close physical proximity, and other forms of physical exertion.

By entering, attending, or participating in any class, social, workshop, festival, weekender, or event hosted, produced, or presented by Bachata Addiction or ANY of its entities, associations, collaborations, or partnerships, each participant acknowledges and voluntarily accepts the inherent risks associated with dancing and other physical activity.

These risks may include, but are not limited to, falls, slips, collisions, accidental physical contact, strains, sprains, muscle or joint injuries, aggravation of a pre-existing condition, or other accidents or injuries that may occur during participation.

Each participant is responsible for:

• Assessing their own physical condition and ability to participate.
• Dancing within their own capabilities and comfort level.
• Exercising appropriate judgment regarding movements, partners, footwear, and level of participation.
• Seeking medical guidance when appropriate before participating in physical activity.
• Maintaining any personal medical, health, accident, or other insurance coverage they consider necessary.

Participation is voluntary and is undertaken at the participant’s own risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, participants voluntarily assume the inherent risks associated with participation and agree not to hold Bachata Addiction, its owners, organizers, instructors, staff, contractors, affiliates, partners, host venues, venue owners, venue operators, or other authorized event personnel responsible or liable for injuries, accidents, losses, or damages arising from the ordinary and inherent risks of participating in dance activities or attending a Bachata Addiction event.

Bachata Addiction does not provide personal medical, health, or accident insurance coverage for attendees. Participants are responsible for their own medical expenses, insurance coverage, and personal decisions regarding participation.

Attendance and participation constitute acknowledgment and acceptance of these risks and responsibilities.

🎓 Protect the learning experience

During classes and Academy programming, participants are expected to respect the instructor, fellow students, and the learning environment.

Please:

• Follow instructor and staff direction.
• Allow instructors to teach without repeated interruption or side instruction.
• Keep conversations at a reasonable level while instruction is taking place.
• Be mindful and encouraging toward students with different experience levels.
• Use constructive, respectful communication with partners.
• Follow any rotation, partner, level-placement, or safety procedures being used for that class.

Students are welcome to bring a partner and remain together when permitted, and participation in partner rotation is encouraged because it helps develop real-world social dance skills.

However, rotation should never override an individual's personal boundaries.

Placement in advanced Academy levels may be subject to skill requirements, mastery standards, prerequisites, or instructor approval.

📷 Capture the moment respectfully

Bachata Addiction is a social environment, and guests are welcome to capture normal, organic personal content on their phones when doing so is respectful and does not interfere with classes, dancing, or the experience of others.

Casual photos, short videos, selfies, and social-media clips are generally welcome.

However, professional, staged, commercial, or third-party photography and videography require prior approval from Bachata Addiction.

This includes bringing in or hiring a photographer, videographer, content creator, or other person specifically to capture professional or promotional content.

Without prior approval, guests may not:

• Bring in professional photography or videography equipment for a planned shoot.
• Use tripods, large lighting setups, bright continuous lights, flashes, or similar equipment that disrupts the environment.
• Conduct staged, commercial, promotional, or professional content shoots.
• Hire or arrange for another person to professionally photograph or film them at one of our classes or events.
• Record students, guests, instructors, or staff in a way that is intrusive, disruptive, or disregards an individual's expressed wishes.
• Position themselves or equipment in a way that obstructs classes, dance floors, walkways, entrances, exits, or event operations.

Professional photographers, videographers, media personnel, and content creators must receive approval directly from Bachata Addiction before capturing content at our programs or events.

Because many Bachata Addiction events take place at partner venues that maintain their own photography, videography, equipment, access, and commercial-content standards, Bachata Addiction coordinates directly with the venue as part of our internal approval process.

All photography and videography requests for Bachata Addiction events should therefore be directed to Bachata Addiction. Attendees, photographers, videographers, and content creators should not independently coordinate access or approval with the venue for our private events.

Additional consent considerations may apply when students, instructors, artists, or other attendees are being intentionally featured.

Bachata Addiction may photograph or record its own classes and events for promotional, educational, documentation, social-media, and marketing purposes while coordinating with applicable venue requirements.

Our intent is not to prevent guests from naturally capturing and sharing their experience. We simply ask that personal content remain respectful, unobtrusive, and consistent with the comfort of the people around you.

📚 Respect the work behind the learning

Academy curriculum, teaching materials, class structures, choreography, educational resources, and instructional content are created for participating students.

Recording, reproducing, distributing, publishing, commercially using, or presenting organized Academy instructional material as one's own without authorization is not permitted.

Students are absolutely encouraged to practice what they learn, dance socially, share their progress, and incorporate their developing skills into their own dancing.

This guideline exists to protect organized instructional and proprietary educational material - not to restrict students from actually using what they learn.

🎶 Give dancers room

Bachata Addiction events are first and foremost dance events, and active dancers have priority within designated dance areas.

We want everyone to feel welcome whether they are dancing, socializing, watching, or having a drink. At the same time, when dance space becomes limited, the available dance floor and surrounding usable dance area should be preserved for people who are actively dancing.

Please help us protect that space.

• Drinks are not permitted on the active dance floor, whether held or placed on the floor.
• Attendee drinks must never be placed in staff-only areas, on staff-only tables, behind the DJ booth, or on our sound equipment. Please use designated guest tables or approved drink areas.
• Please avoid standing, gathering, socializing, or holding conversations in areas being actively used for dancing.
• If the dance floor becomes crowded and dancers naturally begin expanding into adjacent open space, please be aware of that shift and give dancers room to move.
• Guests who are standing, watching, or drinking should move to available social areas whenever additional dance space is needed.
• Do not block the perimeter of the dance floor in a way that prevents dancers from entering, exiting, or safely expanding their movement.
• Keep entrances, exits, walkways, and operational access points clear.
• Report spills or unsafe floor conditions promptly.

When there is a reasonable choice between preserving space for active dancing and using that same space for standing or socializing, dancing takes priority.

This does not mean non-dancing guests are unwelcome. Our venues provide space for people to talk, watch, rest, and enjoy a drink. We simply ask everyone to remain aware of the purpose of the event and help make sure dancers have the room they need.

At especially busy events, staff may ask guests to shift where they are standing or socializing in order to open additional dance space. Guests are expected to cooperate promptly and courteously.

🎧 DJ Booth & Staff Operations Area

The area behind and immediately surrounding the DJ booth is a designated staff and operations area and must remain clear so DJs, organizers, and staff can move in and out freely throughout the event.

Guests are absolutely welcome to briefly step into the area to:

• Say hello to a DJ or staff member.
• Give a quick hug or greeting.
• Make a song request.
• Briefly communicate with staff when needed.

However, guests should not remain or gather behind the DJ booth for extended periods.

Please do not:

• Camp out, socialize, or congregate behind the DJ booth.
• Block staff access into or out of the area.
• Stand in a location that interferes with the DJ or event operations.
• Store purses, bags, jackets, drinks, phones, or other personal belongings behind the DJ booth.
• Treat the area as additional guest seating, standing, or storage space.

Personal belongings are not permitted behind the DJ booth at any time.

The goal is not to make our DJs or staff inaccessible - we love when our community comes over to say hello. We simply need the area to remain open, functional, and available for the people actively working the event.

👗 Dress for the setting

Bachata Addiction events are public social dance environments, and attendees are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate for the specific event, venue, and activity.

Attire should provide appropriate coverage while standing, walking, turning, bending, spinning, and dancing with a partner.

Please avoid attire that:

• Exposes intimate areas through sheer or transparent fabric.
• Uses thong-style, extremely minimal, or lingerie-style garments as the primary visible coverage when they are not appropriate for the event setting.
• Creates the appearance of underwear or lingerie being worn as event attire.
• Becomes significantly more revealing during normal dance movement.
• Is likely to create repeated wardrobe issues or unnecessary exposure while dancing.

Sheer, mesh, or transparent clothing may be worn as part of an outfit, but it should be layered over appropriate underlying clothing that provides suitable coverage for the setting.

For example, a mesh skirt or cover-up over a very minimal thong-style garment would not generally meet the standard for a regular social dance or Academy event simply because an undergarment technically provides coverage.

Attire standards may vary based on the nature of the event. Swimwear may be appropriate for an officially designated pool or beach event, and Latin dance costumes or performance attire may be appropriate for performances, showcases, competitions, themed programming, or other circumstances where that style of clothing is consistent with the setting.

Determinations regarding whether attire is appropriate for a particular Bachata Addiction event will be made at the sole discretion of Bachata Addiction and its authorized staff, while remaining consistent with the standards outlined in these guidelines and any applicable venue requirements.

When venue-specific requirements apply, Bachata Addiction will coordinate directly with the venue and communicate any necessary restrictions or adjustments to attendees. Guests should direct attire-related questions or requests to Bachata Addiction rather than independently seeking approval from the venue.

Our intention is not to restrict personal style. Dance attire can be fashionable, fitted, expressive, glamorous, and sexy while still maintaining an appropriate level of coverage for the setting.

Bachata Addiction staff may address attire that does not meet these standards and may ask an attendee to adjust, cover, or change an item before participating.

✨ Care for your dance partners

Social dance involves close interaction with other people.

Attendees are expected to maintain reasonable personal hygiene and consideration for dance partners and classmates.

If you are actively ill or experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, please avoid attending until you are well.

Participants should also be mindful of clothing, footwear, jewelry, accessories, or personal items that could unintentionally injure or significantly inconvenience a dance partner.

🥂 Keep dancing safe

Participants must remain capable of interacting and dancing safely.

Behavior that becomes unsafe, disruptive, aggressive, inappropriate, or difficult to manage because of alcohol, drugs, or other impairment is not permitted.

Individuals who are significantly impaired should not participate in partner dancing.

Bachata Addiction staff or venue management may stop an individual from dancing, participating in class, or remaining at the event when safety or behavior becomes a concern.

📣 Ask before promoting

Bachata Addiction events and classes are community and learning environments - not open solicitation spaces.

Active promotion, recruiting, selling, canvassing, lead generation, or solicitation requires prior approval from Bachata Addiction.

This includes organized efforts to recruit attendees for outside:

• Classes or dance teams
• Events or festivals
• Businesses or professional services
• Organizations or memberships
• Paid programs or opportunities
• Promotional campaigns

Normal conversation between friends and members of the community is absolutely welcome.

Mentioning another event, discussing something you enjoy, or casually inviting a friend somewhere during an ordinary conversation is not automatically solicitation.

The distinction is organized, repeated, targeted, or group-directed promotional activity - particularly approaching multiple guests, distributing promotional materials, collecting contacts, or intentionally using a Bachata Addiction gathering as an audience for another offering.

Approved partnerships, vendors, artists, sponsors, and promotional collaborations are exempt when operating within the scope of their authorization.

🛡️ Look out for each other

Behavior that makes another person reasonably feel unsafe, pressured, threatened, or persistently uncomfortable is not permitted.

This may include:

• Inappropriate physical contact.
• Repeated unwanted attention.
• Refusing to respect a clearly communicated boundary.
• Invasive conduct.
• Reckless or intentionally dangerous behavior.
• Following or repeatedly approaching someone after being asked for space.

A single misunderstanding or accidental interaction is not automatically misconduct. Context, intent, repetition, communication, and the surrounding circumstances matter.

🚫 Respect a request to stop

Harassment, intimidation, bullying, threats, stalking, aggressive conduct, sexual harassment, or repeated unwanted attention is not permitted.

This includes behavior occurring in person as well as behavior connected to a Bachata Addiction event or community through electronic communication or social media when it materially affects the safety, operation, or environment of our community.

If someone asks you to stop an interaction or give them space, respect the request.

🛡️ Protect our community

Bachata Addiction may intervene when behavior reasonably indicates coercion, exploitation, predatory conduct, manipulation, or the intentional targeting of vulnerable participants.

Examples may include persistent boundary violations, using pressure or status to obtain unwanted personal or sexual attention, deliberately isolating someone against their wishes, or continuing unwanted behavior after being asked to stop.

🚨 Safety comes first

Threats of violence, fighting, physical aggression, intentionally dangerous behavior, or conduct that creates an unreasonable safety risk will not be tolerated.

Anyone presenting an immediate safety concern may be removed without prior warning.

When appropriate, venue security or law enforcement may be contacted.

💬 Keep communication honest

Bachata Addiction does not regulate ordinary personal conversations, disagreements, criticism, or differences of opinion.

However, behavior intended to harass, intimidate, retaliate against, target, or deliberately disrupt another person, an event, or the community may result in action.

This may include:

• Knowingly spreading materially false allegations about another person.
• Deliberately misrepresenting an incident in order to harm another person.
• Organizing or encouraging targeted harassment.
• Impersonating Bachata Addiction organizers, staff, or representatives.
• Repeatedly using community spaces to provoke interpersonal conflict.
• Interfering with classes, events, business operations, attendees, instructors, or venue relationships.
• Knowingly presenting false information when reporting an incident.

Good-faith reports, questions, concerns, disagreements, or misunderstandings are not violations simply because an allegation cannot ultimately be substantiated.

🧭 Follow reasonable direction

Attendees must comply with reasonable instructions from Bachata Addiction organizers, instructors, authorized staff, security personnel, and venue management.

Instructions may relate to:

• Safety.
• Class placement.
• Access.
• Photography or videography.
• Dance-floor management.
• Venue requirements.
• Event operations.
• Check-in procedures.
• These Community Standards.

Failure or refusal to comply may result in removal or restrictions on future participation.

If Something Feels Wrong, Please Tell Us

If you experience or witness conduct at a Bachata Addiction event that makes you feel unsafe, pressured, threatened, or seriously uncomfortable, please notify a Bachata Addiction organizer or authorized staff member as soon as possible.

Whenever possible, tell us right away.

If an interaction occurs during a dance, class, or social interaction that you believe crosses a boundary, you do not need to wait until the end of the night. Step away from the interaction and come find us.

⏱️ Why Timing Matters

Timing can significantly affect our ability to understand what happened and respond appropriately.

Reporting an incident while the individuals involved are still present gives us the greatest opportunity to:

• Identify and speak with the individuals involved.
• Locate people who may have witnessed the interaction.
• Understand what happened while everyone’s memory is still fresh.
• Address inappropriate behavior immediately when appropriate.
• Clarify misunderstandings before they become larger problems.
• Take reasonable steps to prevent additional issues during the event.

We will still take later reports seriously.
However, waiting days or weeks can substantially limit the information available and what we are realistically able to do.

The individual being reported may have danced or interacted with many people since the incident and may no longer clearly remember the particular interaction—or remember it at all. Witnesses may also have difficulty recalling details.

If you do not know the person’s name, a delayed report can make it particularly difficult for us to determine who was involved once everyone has left the event.

Reporting promptly gives everyone involved the best opportunity for the situation to be understood accurately and handled fairly.

🤝 Come to Us for Event-Related Concerns

For concerns occurring during one of our classes, dances, socials, or other event activities, please come to Bachata Addiction first whenever it is safe and practical to do so.

Many situations can be addressed in real time through a conversation, clarification of expectations, a warning, separation of individuals, or other appropriate action.

A report does not automatically mean someone will be removed or banned.

A misunderstanding, accidental interaction, or isolated incident is not automatically misconduct. Context matters, and our goal is to understand the circumstances and respond appropriately.

Whenever reasonably possible, concerns will be handled discreetly and with consideration for the people involved.

🚨 Emergencies Are Different

If you believe you or someone else is in immediate danger, there is violence or a credible threat of violence, someone requires urgent medical attention, or a situation otherwise requires emergency intervention, contact venue security, call 911, or seek appropriate emergency assistance immediately.

Please also notify Bachata Addiction as soon as it is safe to do so.

⚖️ Our Role Has Limits

Bachata Addiction can address conduct affecting our classes, events, attendees, operations, and community environment.

However, we are not law enforcement, medical professionals, or investigators of private disputes, relationships, medical matters, or conduct unrelated to our events.

It’s not that we don’t care. Our commitment to our community should make clear that we do. It’s that our authority has limits.

Some situations may need to be directed to law enforcement, medical professionals, venue security, legal counsel, or another appropriate authority.

🔎 How We Review Concerns

When reviewing a concern, Bachata Addiction may consider:

• The nature and seriousness of the conduct.
• Context and surrounding circumstances.
• Information provided by the people involved.
• Witness accounts when available.
• Video, photographs, messages, or other relevant information when available.
• Prior incidents or patterns of behavior.
• Safety considerations.
• Venue requirements.
• The overall interests of the community.

Reporting a concern does not guarantee a particular outcome.

Bachata Addiction may determine what action, if any, is appropriate based on the information reasonably available and the circumstances involved.

🛡️ Good-Faith Reporting

Good-faith reporting is encouraged.

A report is not considered false simply because it cannot ultimately be substantiated, there is insufficient evidence to determine exactly what occurred, or the individuals involved remember an interaction differently.

We ask everyone submitting a concern to provide information as accurately, objectively, and completely as reasonably possible.

⚠️ False Reports & Deliberate Misrepresentation

At the same time, knowingly making a materially false report, deliberately fabricating or misrepresenting an incident, or intentionally providing false information for the purpose of harming, retaliating against, intimidating, or targeting another person is a serious violation of these Community Standards.

Deliberately false reporting is taken very seriously and may result in disciplinary action, including permanent removal and a ban from Bachata Addiction classes, events, programs, and other activities.

Good-faith mistakes, differences in perception or recollection, and allegations that cannot ultimately be substantiated are not the same as intentionally making a false report.

See Something. Say Something.

We would rather know about a genuine concern while we still have an opportunity to help.

Prompt, accurate, good-faith communication gives us the best opportunity to understand what happened, support the people involved, and protect the positive, respectful community environment we are committed to maintaining.

⚖️ How standards are upheld

Bachata Addiction and its authorized staff reserve the right to take reasonable action necessary to protect the safety, operation, integrity, and atmosphere of our programs and events.

Depending on the circumstances, action may include:

• A friendly reminder.
• A verbal warning.
• Ending a particular interaction or activity.
• Restricting photography or recording.
• Removing someone from a class or dance floor.
• Requiring someone to leave the venue.
• Restricting participation in certain programs.
• Temporarily restricting attendance.
• Denying future attendance.
• Permanent removal from Bachata Addiction programs or events.

The appropriate response depends on the circumstances.

Serious conduct does not require a prior warning.

Participation in a Bachata Addiction class, event, membership, ticket, program, or prior attendance does not guarantee continued access to future activities.

When an individual is removed or participation is restricted because of conduct that violates these standards, refunds are not guaranteed and will be handled in accordance with applicable policies and law.

📍 Know the event requirements

Individual venues, Academy programs, festivals, workshops, open houses, socials, or special events may have additional requirements.

These may include:

• Age restrictions.
• Identification requirements.
• Venue access policies.
• Dress or footwear recommendations.
• Ticketing requirements.
• Registration procedures.
• Check-in requirements.
• Photography or production restrictions.
• Alcohol policies.
• Safety procedures.

These requirements apply in addition to these Community Standards.

When venue-specific coordination is necessary for a Bachata Addiction private event, Bachata Addiction communicates and coordinates directly with the applicable venue.