Dance Teams Policy

  1. OBJECTIVE
    1. Dance teams will be formed in both terms of the BDC dance year to perform a dance routine at the end-of-term dinner dances. The primary objective is to enable team members to learn new patterns and improve their technique in specific dances. In addition, dance teams provide an opportunity for team members to perform for, and meet, other BDC members.
  2. ELIGIBILITY AND SKILLS
    1. Dance team routines may require advanced skills. Therefore, the minimum level of skill required for registration in a dance team is the completion of one year of the BDC intermediate level curriculum, or, at the discretion of the team choreographers, previous dance team experience. Auditions to determine skill level will not be held due to time constraints. Instructors are not permitted to register in dance teams, unless they have paid to reserve a dance space in a specific BDC class.
  3. LIMITS
    1. Participating in a dance team is similar to registering in a second class. Therefore dance teams have implications for the Club and its instructors that are financial, space-related and dependent on availability of instructors. A dance team must have a minimum of 8-10 couples and a maximum of 20-25 couples. The mid-point of this range (15 couples) should be the point at which forming a dance team is revenue neutral.
  4. REGISTRATION
    1. Timing and Priority
      1. Registration in dance teams will normally take place in the second week of BDC classes in each term. Registration will be allowed only with a dance partner. One partner of a dance couple (and preferably both partners) must be present on the first day of team registration. If more than the maximum number of couples come to dance team registration, registration will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Usually Club resources will not be sufficient to divide registrants into two dance teams.
      2. BDC members without dance partners (single members) wishing to register in a dance team may appear at registration and seek a potential partner there, or put their names on a waiting list for the following week. After this announcements may be made in intermediate and advanced BDC classes that single members are seeking partners in the dance team. In the third week of BDC classes, single members on the waiting list who have found a partner will be allowed to register before new couples are registered. Any additional registrations after the third week of BDC classes will be at the exclusive discretion of the team choreographers.
    2. Price and Refunds
      1. The price of registration in a dance team will be determined each year by the Club Executive based on two components: (a) the cost of a BDC member dinner dance ticket at the end of term, and (b) the cost of registration of a student beginner in a second class. The only exceptions to payment of the full registration price will be for members of the Executive who will pay only component (b) because they normally receive complimentary dinner dance tickets.
      2. Refunds of the dance team registration fee will be made to members who wish to withdraw only during the first two weeks of team meetings (Weeks 2 and 3 of BDC classes). Special circumstances that may lead to withdrawal after that date will be reviewed by the Executive to decide if a refund can be allowed.
  5. COMPORTMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY
    1. Since the success of dance team routines depends on all members of the team, a high level of commitment is required. Team members are expected to attend all dance team classes, extra practices scheduled near the end of term at different locations, and the final rehearsal on the afternoon of the dinner dance. The Club will normally budget for 2 hours of extra practice time. Team members should also be attentive to the choreographers and courteous to other couples in the team. The choreographers will have the discretion to request withdrawal of team members who fail to show sufficient commitment.
    2. At the dinner dances specific tables will be reserved for dance team members. Each dance team member will have the right either (a) to sit at a dance team table and invite only one other person to join them at the table, or (b) to reserve a seat at a table designated for any other BDC class. Team members are expected to honor the table reservations they have made in advance. Non dance team members may sit at a dance team table by invitation only.
    3. If members of a dance team choose to perform their routine at additional venues, the BDC takes no financial or other responsibility for these performances.
  6. COSTUMES
    1. Costumes worn for performing dance team routines should be simple and inexpensive because the Club will assume no responsibility for purchasing, storage or maintenance. As far as possible, costumes should consist of garments that the team members already own. Dance teams will appoint two costume coordinators, one for leads, one for follows, who will be expected to meet and discuss costumes and to liaise with the choreographers and the rest of the team.
  7. SPECIALTY DANCE TEAMS
    1. From time to time the Club will invite members to form a specialty dance team (e.g. for "masters" - people over 50 years old). Announcements on the Club website and in classes will be used to gauge interest in such a team and the type of dance wanted. Specialty teams will operate simultaneously with regular teams and the policies that apply to specialty teams will be the same as for all dance teams. Thus, a special provision for a second or specialty team must have been made in the budget for terms in which specialty teams are formed. In addition, space for the team classes and availability of choreographers must have been assured. Eligible members of the Club will be allowed to participate in both a specialty team and a regular team if they are willing to make the necessary time commitment.

History

  • July 4th, 2018 Revised
  • August 27th, 2009 Approved by Executive Vote