Announcements

 

Please stay up-to-date with announcements listed below as this is pertinent and important information for the community.

In person classes returning on October 3rd, 2022! Find more information here.

See our most up to date Covid guidelines here.

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES & PROTOCOLS

To keep our community safe and thriving, we have included the following guidelines for your review.

**PLEASE NOTE: Every participant is required to sign the Waiver below before participating in any class, workshop, or retreat.
If you have NOT signed the waiver (which includes the Safety Guidelines found below), please go HERE to read and sign the Waiver.
We thank you in advance for abiding by the guidelines set forth to help create out sacred container in the dance.


Safety Guidelines and Protocol --- Soul Motion® Lab

These guidelines have been created to support a safe, sacred space, and well-being for all participants.

1) We ask that you enter the dance hall with reverence and respect for the space and all humans. Please remember that Soul MotionTM is a conscious embodiment practice. Our body is our primary expression and wisdom of choice. The first commitment to safety and integrity is with our principle partner, the self.

2) This dance floor is free from talking (except as needed for safety), lifting each other off the floor, photos, videos, intoxicants, and scents. Please turn off mobile devices.

3) If you are feeling uncomfortable with the way that a dancer is engaging with you, it is your responsibility to set boundaries. Here are some suggested tools:

A. NONVERBAL BOUNDARY SETTING

There are various intentions and nuances for expressing boundaries nonverbally.

Part of our conscious dance practice is to pay attention to and respect nonverbal motions and facial/bodily gestures as complete expressions in and of themselves. Here are two examples…

  1. If you are dancing with one or more people, and your intention is to dance solo, you may try moving away and avoiding eye contact.

  2. If another person comes closer than you want, you may try extending your arms and/or legs to clearly define and carve out your comfortable personal space, avoiding eye contact, and not echoing the other person’s energy or motions.

B. VERBAL BOUNDARY SETTING

Speak your request to the person. Be audible, clear, and concise.

The verbal request must be IMMEDIATELY respected by the other person.

If your verbal request is not honored…

  1. Find the Dance Ally (photo posted on the wall) to report this incident for furthersupport.

  2. The Dance Ally will listen to you and then the other person, one at a time, and then decide the next steps for greater understanding and mutual agreement by both parties to resume on the dance floor.

  3. After resuming, the Dance Ally will maintain awareness of both dancers and check in with both parties at the end of class.

  4. At this point, if needed, there can be further communication with Valerie.

It is our hope that this function will not be needed often. We, as a community, are responsible first and foremost to speak up with each other and to listen -- to build confidence, responsibility and trust amongst ourselves, and to only call on a Dance Ally when that level of support is truly necessary.

4) If a 2nd incident occurs (not necessarily with the same reporter), the Dance Ally will give a Mindfulness Request (MR) to the person. An MR is an opportunity for the person to be curious, self-reflective, gain insight, become aware of their impact, and to take steps to shift their behavior.

5) If a 3rd incident is reported to a Dance Ally after an MR has been made, the person will be asked to leave the dance immediately and not return until the Community Council* decides the best course of action. Actions may include mediation, some form of restorative justice, and/or suspension from class. Depending on the case, there may be additional guidelines or conditions for re-integration and re-entry.

*The Community Council includes Valerie and a diverse population of trusted members of the community who have experience with public service, and have been asked to serve by Valerie. The Council will advise and support Valerie, as well as make decisions as needed according to this protocol. The Council is also empowered to make recommendations and executive decisions regarding the wellbeing and safety of every body and all bodies on Soul Motion Lab dance floor. Council decisions will be made by seeking full consensus if possible, but consensus minus one or majority vote if needed. Decisions of the Council will be conveyed in writing to the directly involved parties.