Sexual Assault & Harassment Links and Resources
“Renaissance” rehearsal with Smuin Contemporary Ballet
Choreography by Amy Seiwert
Photography by Chris Hardy
Courtesy of Smuin Contemporary Ballet
Articles and Papers (U.S Based)
- Alleging rampant sex abuse, alumni backed by powerful lawyers sue elite UNC arts campus | By Sara Coello and Carli Brosseau | 04 October 2021
- A Culture of Abuse, Religion and Dance, and the “West Side” Trailer | By Margaret Fuhrer | 23 September 2021
- Learned Behaviour: Luke Jennings on abuse at the Royal Ballet | By Luke Jennings for London Review of Books | 23 September 2021
- Stop the Silence: It’s Time to Confront Sexual Misconduct in Dance Education | By Chanel DeSilva for Dance Magazine | 27 January 2021
- What Will It Take to End Sexual Abuse in Dance Education? | By Garnet Henderson for Dance Magazine | 27 January 2021
- How 19th Century Ballerinas Were Sexually Abused | By Alexander Yung for History of Yesterday | 23 July 2020
- Alvin Ailey dance theater official fired after sexual misconduct allegations | By Ashley Fantz, Casey Tolan and Alessandra Freitas for CNN Investigates | 20 July 2020
- Minnesota’s dance community needs to confront sexual consent, say former TU Dance dancers | By Kelly Smith for Star Tribune | 25 April 2020
- Dance in the Era of #MeToo | By Kiara Justine Kinghorn for Master of Fine Arts in Dance Thesis for University of California, Irvine | 2020
- #DancersToo: Is The Dance World Ready To Address Sexual Harassment? | By Lauren Wingenroth for Dance Magazine | 21 May 2018
- Responding to Sexual Harassment in the Dance World | Just for Kix Dance Talk Blog | 16 May 2018
- Sexual Violence Against Children in Sports and Exercise: A Systematic Literature Review | By Ingunn Bjørnsetha and Attila Szabo for The Journal of Sexual Child Abuse | 16 April 2018
- The Theater Has a Consent Problem | By Courtney Harge for The Clyde Fitch Report | 13 August 2016
- When Dancing Becomes Groping: Time To Clean Up The Dance Scene! | By Richie Kirwan for Go! Latin Dance
- What Does It Take to Create a Healthy Working Environment for Dancers? | By Rachel Rizzuto for Dance Magazine | 4 November 2021
- When women are urged to change their bodies to perform, is it really about aesthetics? | By Jane Coaston for The New York Times | 6 November 2021
- Signs of an Emotionally Abusive Choreographer | By N., Pam M.S., remixed by Whistle | 10 January 2016; 22 January 2020 (remix)
Articles and Papers (International)
- Paris Opera: a supervisor of the boarding school of the dance school indicted for touching minors | By Le Monde avec AFP for Le Monde 26 April 2021
- Ballet dancer used his fame to abuse students, London court told | By Lucy Campbell and Agency for The Guardian | 26 April 2021
- Argyll’s Ballet West dance school closes after sexual misconduct claims | BBC News | 24 August 2020
- Royal Ballet Suspends Choreographer Over Sexual Misconduct Claims | By Alex Marshall for The New York Times | 30 January 2020; Updated 4 February 2020
- Big Little Secrets: Part II | Jo-Anne La Flèche | The Dance Current | 21 December 2019
- Paris Opéra Ballet Sues One of Its Own Dancers | By Laura Capelle for Dance Magazine | 19 July 2018
Dance-Related Organizations
Safer Dance
Created by like-minded academics and professionals in the dance school and safeguarding sectors, Safer Dance’s mission is to help protect children and vulnerable adults who attend dance teaching in out-of-school settings (“the sector”) in the UK by supporting and facilitating the implementation of high standards of safeguarding.
Whistle While You Work
Whistle While You Work is a platform co-directed by Frances Chiaverini (dancer/choreographer) and Robyn Doty (writer/dramaturg) that promotes conversation around harassment, discrimination, and violence towards women and marginalized groups particularly while at work in the arts, especially in professional dance and performance.
Youth Protection Advocates in Dance
YPAD believes that when you know better, you do better. As a result, YPAD courses are research based, educational courses with a trauma-informed approach for dance professionals and the dance industry as a whole. The mission of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance® is to provide dance professionals with the skills and resources to protect and develop healthy, happy dancers. Through the use of online courses, YPAD courses educate dance studios and communities worldwide on the core elements in constructing an environment focused on the well-being of kids and a sustainable, safe future for dance.
The National Association of Blacks in Dance
The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) preserves and promotes dance by people of African ancestry or origin, and assists and increases opportunities for artists in advocacy, audience development, education, funding, networking, performance, philosophical dialogue, and touring. Their vision is for dance, by people of African ancestry or origin, to be revered, respected, and preserved in the consciousness and cultural institutions of all people.
Resources and Allied Field Organizations
- Dance/NYC Sexual Harassment ResourcesDance/NYC has identified a list of sexual harassment resources in New York, which it continues to update, including:
- Hands on… Hands off
- Rachel Rist and Jeanette Siddall consider teaching through touch for People Dancing
- Whistle While You Work Resources
- Whistle While You Work Zine
- WWYW on Sexism, Harassment, Feminism
- Consent Touch Worksheet for Dancers
- Messy Talk: a format developed by Whistle as we continually attempt to promote destigmatizing difficult conversations in dance, or more simply, to promote speaking (up) in dance students and professionals.
- Practical Tips for Talking to a Journalist
- RESOURCES – WWYW on Sexism, Harassment, Feminism
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America Resources
- Youth Protection Advocates in Dance Resources
- The International Association of Blacks in Dance Resources
- Actors Fund
- American Guild of Musical Arts
- Better Brave
- The Crime Victims Treatment Center
- Human Resources for the Arts
- Intimacy for Stage and Screen
- League of Independent Theater
- National Organization for Women
- The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
- Partnership Against Domestic Violence
- The Recovery Village
- Safe Horizon
- Theatre Communications Group
- SexualHarassmentTraining.com
- Dance/USA
Example Policies, Handbooks, and Guidelines
- USA Dance Policy on SafeSport and Harassment
- “Things to Consider When Considering Touch” by Whistle While You Work
- #NotInOurHouse Chicago Theatre Standards
- Code of Conduct by The American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting
- Guidelines on Touch, Boundaries, and Consent via Utah Valley University Department of Theatrical Arts for Stage & Screen
- Theatrical Intimacy and Instructional Touch Policy via UMBC Department of Theatre
- Safety Policies and Actions via Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Code of Conduct and Professionalism and Code of Practice to Address Workplace Harassment by Ontario Public Service
- Code of Conduct by Writers Theatre
- Public Theater Code of Conduct
- The National Women’s Law Center Terms of Use
- Stage Directors and Choreographers Society’s Rights and Responsibilities
- American Guild of Musical Arts Code of Standards
- Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts’ Code of Conduct
- Geek Feminism’s Code of Conduct
- SAG-AFTRA
- Association for Electronic Music’s Code of Conduct
- Americans for the Arts’ Code of Conduct
- The We Have Voice Collective
- Chicago Theatre Standards
Dance Company Codes of Conduct
- Gina Gibney Dance Inc Employee Handbook
- Propeller Dance Anti Harassment and Anti Violence Policy
- Reigning Victory Academy, Inc Anti Bullying Policy
- Chicago’s Non-Union Theaters
- Mankato Ballet Company Code of Conduct
- Dance Factory Code of Conduct
- City Ballet Raleigh Code of Conduct
- Sacramento Ballet Code of Conduct
- Dance Habit Code of Conduct
- National Ballet of Canada Code of Conduct and Ethics
- Rejoice! Ballet Academy Code of Conduct
- BALLET 21 Code of Conduct
- Safe Haven Ballet Code of Conduct
- Virginia Ballet Company Rules, Regulations and Policies
- Charlotte Youth Ballet Code of Conduct
- Ballet West Academy Whistleblower Form
- Sacramento Ballet School’s Code of Conduct
- Macomb Ballet Company’s Code of Conduct
2021 State Specific Sexual Harassment Training
2021 State-Specific Sexual Harassment Training Requirements
- British Columbia
- Illinois
- New York
- California
- Florida
- Texas
- New Jersey
- Ohio
- Michigan
- Massachusetts
- Pennsylvania
Legal Guidance
- Equal Rights Advocates
- Anti-Violence Project
- New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault
- New York City Bar
- New York State
- Safe Horizon
- Callisto
- The Dance Safe
- NYC Transformative Justice Hub
- TransformHarm.org
