TED 08 | Safer Dance Spaces with Lara Tabet

The Empowered Dancers Podcast

This episode discusses creating safer spaces in dancing communities, particularly focused on preventing sexual abuse.
Lara is a co-founder of the Safer Dance Spaces initiative and in this episode, she talks about the importance of education and bystander intervention in preventing abuse. Dancers are encouraged to speak up if they feel unsafe and to intervene if they witness inappropriate behavior.
Lara emphasizes that creating a safe dance space is a shared responsibility between organizers, dancers, and instructors. Organizers can demonstrate their commitment to safety by adopting a "safe rather than sorry" approach and having clear guidelines in place, thus creating a safer dance space for everyone.
What to expect in this episode:
(00:00) - Introduction.
(00:53) - Meeting new people through dancing.
(01:34) - All about Safer Dance Spaces.
(08:28) - Why join SDS?
(10:09) - Sharing knowledge in live workshops.
(12:42) - Collaboration promoting education mindset.
(15:00) - Active bystanders’ intervention.
(17:50) - Changing culture for safer and braver space.
(20:35) - Involving dancers and organizers.
(22:23) - Empowering voices of both men and women.
(25:35) - Sexual abuse is taboo for men.
(26:55) - Creating space that upholds respect.
About Lara Tabet & Safer Dance Spaces
Lara Tabet is a salsa and kizomba dancer who champions speaking up and creating spaces where women and men feel equally safe and respected. She is a co-founder of Safer Dance Spaces, an initiative that drives cultural change in dance communities through education and access to information. The SDS steering group is made up of dedicated volunteers, who believe that everyone can and should play an active role in creating safer and braver spaces for all dancers.
Connect with Lara Tabet
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saferdancespaces/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saferdancespaces/
Events: https://www.facebook.com/events/1914812198971037
About Bobbie Miles
Bobbie Miles is a social dancer and local teacher based in Bristol. The Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba scene is special to so many, Bobbie included. However, the more she danced, the more she became aware of inappropriate behaviours in the scene, ranging from low-level “creepiness” to undeniable abuses of power. After being bullied by a teacher one time too many, Bobbie realised that she would no longer keep quiet and be subject to any sort of misconduct, and nor should anyone else. Bobbie is an advocate for speaking up, boundary setting, and respect in the dance scene. Through The Empowered Dancers Podcast, she promotes transparency, understanding, and accountability and as a public speaker, she talks about putting boundary setting and respect into practice, both on and off the dance floor.
Resources:
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https://empowereddancers.com/5tips
Connect with Bobbie Miles!
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Follow me on Instagram @bobbiemilesdancer https://www.instagram.com/bobbiemilesdancer
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