Association Charter

Backbeat is an association dedicated to the promotion and celebration of Afro-American dances from the swing era. As such, Backbeat and its members commit to approaching swing dances with curiosity, love, and respect; and to not only be interested in the dances and music of the swing era, but also in the social context of their birth, particularly the social and racial issues that are inseparable from their history.

Backbeat considers this approach necessary to avoid the stigmatization, exclusion, or lack of respect that inevitably result from the frivolous use of historical references and models, and from using cultural elements without seeking to understand the meaning they had in the context in which they appeared. Backbeat also believes that this approach allows for a richer and deeper practice of Afro-American dances from the swing era, which are then transmitted as meaningful traditions and community creators, rather than simple couple dance techniques that can be reduced to formulas.

More generally, Backbeat is an egalitarian, and therefore feminist, association that does not tolerate any form of racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of discrimination, whether explicit or implicit.

In this spirit, Backbeat and its members commit to showing good manners and being respectful towards all individuals participating in the activities organized by the association. Aware of the mistakes that will inevitably be made, Backbeat and its members commit to acknowledging these mistakes and trying to learn from them, despite doubts (or in doubts), with seriousness, but also with curiosity and enthusiasm.