OB, I think you mentioned in a post that you started a dance club. I think you wrote that you had instructors come to the club to teach on a regular basis. Is this right or am I dreming? If so could we exchange some emails on the club as I would like to start one in the east.

anyone else is welcome to post what they do in their clubs too.

thanks

shawn

shawn,

Our club started as an offshoot of the University of Victoria's (BC, Canada) Ballroom Dance Club.

After people graduated they formed a seperate Club that has been going for 12 years now.

Club members do all the organizational activities (halls, registration, advertising, monthly dance, workshops, etc.). The teachers just drop in and teach. The teachers all have their own private initiatives as well: groups, dances, workshops & privates. Teachers can make people aware of their privates (as the Club does not offer privates) and dances that don't conflict with the Club's dance. Teachers cannot advertise or solicit for private group classes or workshops, however, the Club knows the word gets out. They just don't assist the word getting out.

As for workshops, the Club does allow the teachers to advertise special workshops if we bring a clinician in from outside the community as they see that as a benefit to members and the Club itself does not bring in outside people. e.g. on Nov. 24 th my wife and her friend are bringing in Pamella Podmoroff who finished 2nd at the 2003 (??) US Open Swing Championships to teach West Coast Swing. The Club will allow us to actively advertise this if we acknowledge them at the event.

The Club's website is:

http://www.vbds.org

OB

cruisedancer (AT) hotmail (DOT) com

Just to add:

We are not using teachers that own their own studios.

We are using independent teachers, certified by CDTA, ISTD or CDF who rent seperate space for their own private initiatives.

There is nothing that prevents us from hiring a private owner.

OB

thanks OB

Shawn,

We are organized under our province's Non-Profit Societies Act. You should have something similar where you live.

We have a Board of Directors (11) that submits a financial statement to the government annually.

Our Club has a very strict policy about not paying members. Everything is done by volunteers (including the BoD) until this year when we hired a 1/2 time office administrator. I assume she has given up her membership now.

OB