Our Values and Policies

Our Values

For us, Balboa, as a partnered social dance, is about joy and connection and community. To that end, we wish to foster an environment where everyone has fun, and where we always treat one another with respect and kindness, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, cultural background, or dance role.

At our events, we want each person to feel comfortable asking anyone for a dance, and equally comfortable declining any such request. We encourage all dancers to learn and socially dance whichever role they enjoy, or to embrace both. We believe partner dancing works best with active and enthusiastic participation from both partners.

In order to support our values and create a productive and welcoming environment for all students and teachers we must ask everyone to please observe the following policies:

 
The Boston Balboa Code of Conduct

Boston Balboa is dedicated to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, dance skill level, or dance role. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event without a refund at the discretion of the event organizers.

Harassment includes but is not limited to deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, and offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, dance skill level, or dance role. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact an event organizer or instructor immediately, or email info@bostonbalboa.org if you’d prefer. Organizers will be happy to help participants contact local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe during our classes. We value your attendance.

The Boston Balboa Code of Conduct is adopted from the Philadelphia Lindy and Blues Anti-Harrassment Policy and is licensed in the public domain under a Creative Commons Zero license. Please feel free to adopt our policy to your establishment as you see fit.

 
General Policies

  • We want our classes and events to be a comfortable environment for all our students, so we take our Code of Conduct seriously. DON’T HARASS ANYONE FOR ANY REASON. WE (THE ORGANIZERS AND INSTRUCTORS AT BOSTON BALBOA) RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE ANY ACTION WE DEEM APPROPRIATE IN THE EVENT THAT HARASSMENT IS OCCURRING.


  • Out of respect for the instructors and your fellow dancers, please do not give unsolicited feedback to other dancers unless directed to do so by an instructor. To quote Mobtown Ballroom in Baltimore, “In our experience the people who do this are usually wrong (and always annoying).”


  • Turn off or silence all cellular devices before the beginning of class. If you must take a call, please step outside the studio to avoid disturbing other students.


  • Throw out all trash, and respect any rules of the hosting studio itself.


  • Sometimes, an instructor will determine that a student is not prepared for a particular higher-level class. In these cases, instructors may ask the student to change classes or to withdraw from the course at their discretion. We will gladly issue full refunds for any classes not taken, or issue a credit for future classes when this occurs.

 
Cancellation and Refund Policies

  • In general, we do not cancel classes for inclement weather. However, in the event that class or an event is canceled, we will announce it on the website, and we will attempt to email all registered users to let them know as well.


  • We cannot refund students for classes that they have registered for but do not attend.


  • Our weekend events have a no-refunds policy. However, transfers are allowed within the specific rules described for the specific weekend event. For events with a capacity limit: Pass transfers are the only option. For events without a capacity limit: Up to two weeks before the event, pass can be transferred OR funds retained as a credit and applied to a future Boston Balboa event or class; within two weeks prior to the event, the only option is to transfer the pass. Contact info@bostonbalboa.org if you cannot attend an event for which you’ve registered and want to arrange a transfer or a credit.


  • Any credits (which must be requested prior to the class or event) will be good for up to one year from the date of the class or event.


  • In cases of very low enrollment, we may be forced to cancel a class series. If this happens, we will email any enrolled students prior to the first class, and we will provide those students with a full refund.

 
Above all, if you have any questions, please contact us at info@bostonbalboa.org.
See you on the dance floor!