A dance lesson with two equal teachers. A mindset that expects respect and rejects stereotypes. A dance floor where sexualisation and objectification aren’t entertained. There are teachers and spaces that are working hard to create safer spaces and a huge contributor to that growth are the teachers behind Role Rotation in bachata - Felipe Ramirez and Tiago Adegas. We put Role Rotation to the test and unpicked how this tool is empowering dancers around the world and creating safer and more respectful dance spaces.

In this episode:
01:06 Finding the world of dance
02:46 What is Role Rotation?
05:48 How does Role Rotation encourage teachers to include etiquette into their classes?
13:20 Rough leaders and heavy followers - how can Role Rotation help with this?
15:20 Why do Role Rotation classes create more engaged learning environments?
23:50 Isn’t it time we ditched “may styling” and “lady styling”?
25:05 Not yet? Okay, what is masculine and feminine?
28:20 What are the limitations of sex-based styling classes?
34:04 How can we remove barriers to learning in our dance scene?
38:07 The responsibility of teachers - the key filter for dancers entering the community

About Felipe and Tiago
Felipe and Tiago are both professional dancers with rich backgrounds in dance styles such as jazz and ballroom. After developing as bachata dancers and teachers individually, they began teaching together in 2019. Felipe and Tiago teach through the method of Role Rotation, where dancers rotate within a couple at any given point during a song. Born in Spain and Portugal respectively, Felipe and Tiago are based in Madrid, where they run weekly bachata classes, teach around the world at weekends and organise the twice yearly Terra Livre Role Rotation festival. Through their work, Felipe and Tiago have brought Role Rotation teaching to more than 30 countries worldwide!

About Role Rotation
Felipe and Tiago are the teachers behind Role Rotation in bachata - a tool that seeks to empower dancers to learn faster, dance with more confidence and with more respect. A beginner of bachata starting out in a Role Rotation class can expect to start learning both the roles of leader and follower from Day 1. True Role Rotation values remove gender, sexualisation and stereotypes from dance and create a space where bad intentions become harder to hide and getting to know everyone in the room becomes easier and more fun.

Connect with Felipe and Tiago
https://rolerotationacademy.com/
https://terralivredancefestival.com/
https://www.in

About Bobbie Miles:
Bobbie Miles is a social dancer and empowerment coach in the salsa, bachata, and kizomba scene. Dancing is a happy place for Bobbie, as it is for so many. In order to foster safer dance spaces for all dancers, Bobbie is on a mission to promote more accountability and responsibility surrounding boundaries, consent and safety within the community through education and conversations that matter. Bobbie is a coach and advocate for speaking up, boundary setting, and promoting respect in the dance scene. Through The Empowered Dancers Podcast, she promotes transparency, understanding, and accountability and as a coach and public speaker, she focuses on boundary setting and respect in practice, both on and off the dance floor.

Resources:
Download my 5 Top Tips to boost your confidence on any dance night! https://empowereddancers.com/5tips
Practice saying NO on the dance floor: empowereddancers.com/no

Connect with Bobbie Miles
Follow me on Instagram @theempowereddancerspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/theempowereddancerspodcast

Find me on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/bobbiemilesbailadora

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8pcAq9lXttVf9w9lDb1bQ?sub_confirmation=1

How do you protect dancers across the SBK scene? You take their safety into account when planning your event. You talk about safety at your event. You give people knowledge about how to keep themselves safe. You take their experiences seriously when talking to them. That outdated line of “If I don’t hear about it, I can pretend it didn’t happen” is not going to cut it anymore - Jason Potell has been an active part of safer spaces for over 20 years and has combined his work and learning in that space with the dance space: his events in LA are attract less inappropriate behaviour. Why is that? Because he takes safety seriously. Isn’t it time everyone did?

What to expect in this episode:
(01:06) From Michael Jackson, to swing, to salsa!
(03:00) Reports of abuse + misconduct: there is something different in the water this time
(08:08) Safer spaces overlapping with dance spaces
(09:59) The role of Safer Dance Spaces for organisers
(13:22) How Jason and his team protect his attendees: from getting safely to your car to reporting inappropriate behaviour during the event
(14:38) Zero tolerance MEANS ZERO TOLERANCE
(16:29) How Jason deals with false reports - erring on the side of safety
(23:53) Safety beyond the dance floor - it permeates the lives of everyone
(27:19) It’s hard to hold people accountable
(30:42) Moving from conversations to action: surround yourself with people who are trying
(33:42) Organiser or social dancer - vote with your feet and your money

About Jason Potell
Jason Potell been dancing for around 25 years, as well as being a part of safer spaces conversations for about the same amount of time. In terms of style, Jason dips into a little bit of everything: from swing to salsa even. Jason spent many years as a full time instructor and organiser, and as a result of the COVID pandemic, Jason, like all teachers in affected countries, took a step back. Now Jason is back to running the Melty Micro microfusion event, and teaches and DJs around LA. Also a big board gamer, singer and movie enthusiast and safety is a core value that permeates all aspects of Jason’s life.

Connect with Jason
https://www.facebook.com/fuseandmuse

Connect with Safer Dance Spaces:
https://www.instagram.com/saferdancespaces/

About Bobbie Miles:
Bobbie Miles is a social dancer and empowerment coach in the salsa, bachata, and kizomba scene. Dancing is a happy place for Bobbie, as it is for so many. In order to foster safer dance spaces for all dancers, Bobbie is on a mission to promote more accountability and responsibility surrounding boundaries, consent and safety within the community through education and conversations that matter. Bobbie is a coach and advocate for speaking up, boundary setting, and promoting respect in the dance scene. Through The Empowered Dancers Podcast, she promotes transparency, understanding, and accountability and as a coach and public speaker, she focuses on boundary setting and respect in practice, both on and off the dance floor.

Resources:
Download my 5 Top Tips to boost your confidence on any dance night! https://empowereddancers.com/5tips
Practice saying NO on the dance floor: empowereddancers.com/no

Connect with Bobbie Miles
Follow me on Instagram @theempowereddancerspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/theempowereddancerspodcast

Find me on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/bobbiemilesbailadora

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8pcAq9lXttVf9w9lDb1bQ?sub_confirmation=1

“Why didn’t she report it to the police?” “This is not my problem, this belongs with the police.” We are hearing these comments in the salsa, bachata and kizomba spaces, where people are speaking from a point of little understanding of being a victim or survivor (and that’s great!) or little understanding of the official process of sexual assault cases. Rikki is a lawyer and a dancer, teacher and organiser who also volunteers by supporting victims of sexual assault and she walks us through how to remove people from an event and the process of what a person may expect and be prepared for when reporting a case of sexual assault or assault.

What to expect in this episode:
(00:56) From salsa follower to kizomba leader
(03:33) Teaching and creating safer spaces: it goes hand in hand and it’s a responsibility
(05:37) “Oh, he’s just like that” - Rikki does NOT accept this
(11:35) What is the point of reporting to an organiser who won’t do anything? First reactions are critical.
(15:47) The ACTUAL process of reporting sexual assault to the police is
(18:32) Be clear about your “why” for reporting - it can be healing, but it’s a tough process
(22:03) Rikki can support you if you have questions or thinking about making a public or police statement
(23:17) You need to be prepared there may not be enough evidence to conclude the case
(26:20) Why didn’t she just go to the police?
(27:37) Not “believing” someone until there is a police report

About Rikki Archibald
Rikki Archibald is a passionate dance educator and advocate, currently specialising in Urban Kiz and Ginga ladies' workshops. With years of experience teaching, Rikki’s goal has always been to empower individuals to reconnect with their bodies and celebrate their unique expression through dance. Alongside her teaching, Rikki is dedicated to promoting a respectful and safe dance environment and this comes through in her approach to teaching, organising and attending events. Rikki is also an Australian lawyer with years of experience working in courts, tribunals, and women’s refuges, supporting victims of sexual and domestic violence. She combines her legal expertise, dance knowledge, and trauma-informed approach in the work that she does in the dance community to address inappropriate conduct. Rikki is also host of The Empress Podcast, where she shares practical tips for healing from trauma.

Connect with Rikki
https://open.spotify.com/show/0mPj3OGeliYLJIEZfDZ23B
https://www.instagram.com/riktoria_andalucia/

About Bobbie Miles:
Bobbie Miles is a social dancer and empowerment coach in the salsa, bachata, and kizomba scene. Dancing is a happy place for Bobbie, as it is for so many. In order to foster safer dance spaces for all dancers, Bobbie is on a mission to promote more accountability and responsibility surrounding boundaries, consent and safety within the community through education and conversations that matter. Bobbie is a coach and advocate for speaking up, boundary setting, and promoting respect in the dance scene. Through The Empowered Dancers Podcast, she promotes transparency, understanding, and accountability and as a coach and public speaker, she focuses on boundary setting and respect in practice, both on and off the dance floor.

Resources:
Download my 5 Top Tips to boost your confidence on any dance night! https://empowereddancers.com/5tips
Practice saying NO on the dance floor: empowereddancers.com/no

Connect with Bobbie Miles
Follow me on Instagram @theempowereddancerspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/theempowereddancerspodcast

Find me on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/bobbiemilesbailadora

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8pcAq9lXttVf9w9lDb1bQ?sub_confirmation=1