Attending: Traca, Don, Blair, Mellen, Xiknawi, Parks, Chloe, Liberty, Neil, Eva, John, Sherrie.
Eva led the meeting and ran a tight ship. We finished early! John took notes.
- Uncovering mirrors: A community member asked why we covered the mirrors. Perhaps a holdover from Ecstatic Dance? Suggestion: experiment with having mirrors uncovered. We discussed this earlier when we decided to do it, and: we like to have mirrors covered. Self-consciousness, able to drop deeper into an internal experience. Suggestion: try an experiment of uncovering one or more mirrors. We arrived at no consensus on the experiment. So: leave them as they are (covered, except for the two closest to the entryway).
- Blankets: When Xiknawi was hurt, there were no blankets to cover him with. Suggestion was made to donate a couple of blankets and keep with the first aid kit. A few at the meeting said they might be able to donate one. Blair will take on making sure this happens as part of his Wizengamot safety lead role. Also, we'll leave the first aid kit by the greeter table so people know to find it.
- DJ Criteria doc: Xiknawi wanted to see it. Contact DJ Coordinator (now Sage) who will provide copy of the doc.
- DJ Compensation: Still as sense of wanting more compensation. Now $80/local, $100/travelers. DJs want to acquire music legally, which means $$. A suggestion: at year end, buy gift cards for DJs when we know we have funds. Another idea: get an iPad and a paid PCD Spotify account. Any DJ could put together a playlist and play it on the iPad. Challenge: logistics + DJ's pride of ownership. Meraki to DJs: we're willing to consider buying iPad and Spotify account. DJs to discuss. Meraki will also review funds at the end of the year and consider paying a bonus to the DJs.
- Domain names: We have portlandcommunitydance .com and .org, but haven't turned on .org. We should redirect from one to the other and publish just one: portlandcommunitydance.com. Neil fronted domain registration cost out of his pocket. Treasurer: submit a bill for reimbursement.
- Name conflict: Mellen saw an ad in Go magazine for another group called Greater Portland Community Dance. This raised some concern, but Mellen feels she's not the right person to contact them. She will provide contact info to Don, who will contact them about the name.
- Social Services: Eva could have used some conflict resolution/social service person. We are equipped to provide neither medical nor counseling services. But the Wizengamot is the first go-to point for interpersonal or conflict resolution or mediation. Xiknawi and Blair will put some reference or crisis hotline number(s) into the first aid kit.
- Photos: Terrell posted a note on facebook about the picture-taking incident and tagged several PCDers. Parks and Eva responded, but Eva felt we needed to discuss as a group. We discussed; we don't need a photographer right now. PCD to send private message to Terrell.
- Bylaws: We're working on them; nothing else to report now.
- Membership: Read Dave's document, discussed. Want to include but deemphasize Meraki participation. (Not make it sound like you're signing up for Meraki if you become a member.) Don suggested to boil it down to simple bullet points:
- 5 or more dances
- Free
- Allows participation in Meraki
- Announcements
- Vote on board at annual and special meetings, and bylaws
- Can be an officer
- Can serve on the Wiz (ed: or any other committee)
- Membership committee needed:
- Initial membership information sheet and signup
- Keep track of membership contact info
- Be involved in membership meeting
- Committee: Xiknawi, Blair, and Dave
- Let's neither rush nor delay on getting membership going
- Mellen will review Dave's draft
- Membership meeting deferred to membership committee
- Retreat: Neil and Chloe presented ideas for retreat. Suggest a different venue than ED retreat. Neil has looked at a possible alternative (lodge as part of a camp). Last ED retreat: hardly any dancing. Want to have organized dances. Needs more structure to makes sure dance happens.
- Do we want a retreat? Yes
- Should PCD subsidize cost? => Partly
- What time of year? Spring or fall. Spring 2014 probably not possible at this point.
- Let's research costs etc. and report back.
- Traca: consider EarthDance. Great facility. Xiknawi: may exclude some because of distance and travel expense. Others: we could rent a few vans for the trip.
- Committee: Neil, Chloe, Sherrie, with Mellen advising on camps
- Timing: This fall or next spring. Perhaps pull a daylong event soon? Maybe in the summer on the beach with a bonfire?
- Next meeting: May 6, 7-9PM, tentatively at Traca's (39 Highland Ave., Gorham), with Eva's as a backup
