Anti-Racism and Fusion Dance NYC
We believe that we unfortunately exist within a pervasive system of racism in our country. While we have a zero tolerance policy for any kind of harassment, we believe that it is necessary at this time to elaborate on our beliefs and efforts to specifically be an anti-racist organization.
What is anti-racism? Anti-racism is the policy or practice of opposing racism and promoting racial tolerance.
In the dance spaces of Fusion Dance NYC, we seek to model social norms that reflect our values. These values may or may not be what we experience in our everyday lives outside of the dance space, but we hope that by living out these values together we can help inform the world outside of our dance community. We can make a difference to the general public, one interaction at a time.
Process and Conversations:
We acknowledge that regardless of one’s own race or ethnicity, individuals are at various points along an anti-racist journey. We understand that bias can be unconscious or unintentional and that racism is the combination of social and institutional power plus racial prejudice. Identifying these two specific forms of oppression and disparate outcomes do not automatically mean that those involved intended negative impact, but nevertheless harm is done. Having these conversations requires courage, respect and compassion, and may not always be comfortable. We encourage attendees and organizers to be introspective and critically think about their actions, both before they make them, and when feedback is given. It is a gift to be given the opportunity to see how someone else might hear your words or actions, regardless of your intent.
If anyone notices or experiences racism, or harassment of any kind, you are asked to bring it up to our staff so we can monitor and take action on the interactions happening in our space.
Respect and Values:
With the highest form of respect and dignity, without shame or hatred, we ask you to hold each other accountable in this dance space we have created together. We can all strive to be better, together.
Here are some of the values we have always worked to normalize through our dance space. Each of these values is an anti-racist statement in itself:
- The freedom to move all of our body parts, individually, in partnership, and as a group
- Freedom to move our hips without considering it a sexual statement
- Consider all dance forms as equally valued and equally based on technique
- Personal freedom to make our own choices about who and when we touch people
- Exhibiting emotion through movement
- Touch and communication amongst all genders, sexual preferences, and skin colors
- Intimacy, sensuality, and sexuality are all separate concepts, to be combined as you wish at the appropriate times
- The intimacy and gained empathy of connecting to other humans through movement and music is a gift and should be treated as such.
For more information on expectations when attending our dances, please check out our Brave & Safe Policy. If there are parts of this statement that you don’t understand or have questions about, try reading some of the material provided below, and then feel free to reach out.
For Resources on Anti-Racism, check out Dance.NYC
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