Our Commitment to Safety in Dance

At BAILA Society, safety is not just a priority—it is a fundamental part of how we build and sustain our community. We believe that dance spaces should be places of joy, learning, and connection, free from harm and exclusion. To uphold this commitment, we take concrete steps to foster a culture of safety, respect, and accountability.

We are proud members of Safer Dance Spaces, an initiative that provides resources, training, and best practices to improve safety in dance communities worldwide. Our founder, Ahtoy Juliana, helped establish Not Just Chisme, a coalition of sexual assault survivors dedicated to education, prevention, and advocacy within the salsa scene.

In our school, safety is actively maintained through our Code of Conduct (see below), which is enforced at all classes and events. We also have a Care Team—volunteers trained in bystander intervention—who are present and easily identifiable at socials by their LED wristbands.

Education is central to our approach. Our instructors incorporate discussions on consent, mutual respect, and dance etiquette into every class, ensuring that these principles are an integral part of the learning experience. We also hold everyone we work with—teachers, artists, DJs, and event organizers—to the same standard. Anyone collaborating with us must be committed to creating a safe and respectful environment before working with our community.

More than policies or practices, our commitment to safety is rooted in the values of mutual respect and collective well-being. We hold ourselves and our community accountable to these principles, creating a dance environment where everyone can participate, learn, and grow without fear. We invite you—our new students and friends—to join us in creating a safer and braver dance space, because we are all responsible for each other.

Code of Conduct: BAILA Society is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and safe social dance experience for everyone regardless of dance ability, dance background, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion or any other characteristic or trait. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Individuals violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the space at the discretion of the instructor(s) and/or host(s). We encourage everyone to keep each other safe. Please notify us if you experience or witness anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or harmed. You can reach us here. 

If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault and need help, please see a collection of resources compiled by Not Just Chisme here.