Dance Facts

Our dances can typically accommodate 300 youth (based on staffing and other considerations), and the majority of participants are preteens that live in, and/or attend school, in West Vancouver.

The primary responsibility for a youth's attire resides with each youth and their parent(s), guardian(s), or caregiver(s). The District of West Vancouver is responsible for setting an atmosphere conducive to fun and safety in our programs, and for seeing that no one person's attire interferes with the health or safety of, nor contributes to a disrespectful, hostile, or intimidating atmosphere for, any participant in our programs. 

This Dress Code is in place in order to: 

•    Encourage youth to wear clothing of their choice that reflects their personal style, is comfortable, and that expresses their self-identified gender. 
•    Prevent youth from wearing clothing with offensive images or language, with images or language depicting or advocating violence, or the use of alcohol or drugs.
•    Ensure that all youth are treated equitably regardless of sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, body type/size, religion, and personal style. 

Dress code

Basic principle: clothes must be worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks, breasts, and chests (including nipples) are fully covered with opaque fabric. 

Youth must wear:
•    top (shirt, tank top, sweatshirt, etc.) 
•    bottom (pants, sweatpants, shorts, skirt, dress, yoga pants, leggings, etc.) 
•    shoes (consider secure footing appropriate for dancing and moving around safely). 

Youth cannot wear: 
•    Violent, sexual, or racist language, images, or associations. 
•    Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal-for-minors item or activity), or use of the same. 
•    Hate speech, profanity, sexualization, pornography, or gang-related affiliations, logos, or images. 
•    Images or language that create a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class. 
•    Visible underwear (waistbands or straps on undergarments worn under other opaque clothing are NOT a violation). 
•    Accessories that could be dangerous or considered as a weapon or promote any illegal-for-minors activity. 
•    Any item that obscures the face or ears.

To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of this dress code, staff shall enforce the dress code consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income, or body type/size.
 

Check-in begins at 6:15 p.m. and the dance begins at 7 p.m.

Upon arrival, please line up at the sign-in table and we will check-off that you are registered and have arrived! You will then receive a wristband. For faster check-in, please consider bringing a piece of identification. 

If you are not on our registration list, this means you have not registered with us and will not be able to enter the dance—you must register and sign in under your own name. 

You will also be asked to “check” or leave all of your personal items with us (phones, jackets, sweaters, backpacks, purses, etc.). 

These items will be monitored by staff during the event. We cannot guarantee the safety of all items, so we strongly recommend you leave anything of value at home.

The District of West Vancouver prohibits the use of personal cell phones or cameras to take photos or videos of dance participants, staff, volunteers, or our facilities while attending our events.

We recommend that you leave your phone and/or camera with a parent/guardian, or you will be required to check those items in our coat check for the duration of the dance.

If you would like to have a photo taken of you and your friends at the dance, please arrange to do this before or after the event.
 

Once inside the dance, re-entry will not be permitted. Please come prepared with everything you’ll need, including a small amount of change for the concession. Only small change will be accepted—nothing over $5, please!

Our dances are parent-and guardian-free zones! In fact, we encourage parents/guardians to take advantage of the few hours of freedom and go for a nice dinner or a walk, knowing that all dance participants are safe and having a good time.

Our dances end at 9 p.m. and parents/guardians should be ready to pick up on time. Parents/guardians are welcome to return as early as 8:45 p.m. to watch the fun wrap up and to meet their preteens as they exit the dance.
 

We want everyone to have a great time at the dances, and remind youth that their behaviour impacts the whole event. Any behaviour that is unsafe or inappropriate—such as violence or the use of alcohol or other drugs—will result in the youth being supervised by a staff member until a parent or guardian arrives. In extreme cases, 911 will be called.

We maintain a minimum ratio of one dance crew member for every 20 youth and we adjust this based on the number of participants. The dance crew is made up of staff from the Youth Services team, other District staff, and trained volunteers, many of whom are additionally trained in first aid.

Same-day registration is not recommended, so please plan ahead! Our dances are very popular and often sell out days in advance. Early registration also helps us prepare by ensuring the right number of dance crew members are scheduled, allowing us to create the safest and most enjoyable event possible.

We value your feedback and participation and are pleased to offer the following options for a refund:

• Refunds and transfers are permitted until the end of the business day on the Wednesday before the scheduled dance.

• A full refund will be issued if a program is cancelled by the Community Services Department.

Please note that due to the popularity of this event, frequent waitlists, and important safety considerations, dance registrations cannot be transferred directly from one preteen to another at any time.

By registering your child for the dance, you are giving permission for your child to attend and confirm that your child or any child you are registering is in the appropriate grade for the dance. 

You understand that your child is not allowed to walk home or leave the dance without a parent/guardian. Accidents can be the result of the nature of the activity and can occur with or without fault on either the part of your child, the District of West Vancouver, its employees or agents, or the facility where the activity is taking place. 

By allowing your child to participate in this activity, you are accepting the risk of an accident occurring, and agree that this activity, as described above, is suitable for your child.