Meeting Notes from Dec 15, 2014

Present:  Parks, John, Cherie, Blair, Liz, Ella, Nev, Eva, Neil, Chloe, Ken


Topic 1: New Year's Dance - Capacity 150
Chloe shared details about the New Year's dance.   PCD will provide a a big fruit plates or so, veggie plates, etc.  The committee will determine what to bring food wise.  And the word will go out for the potluck bootie to be limited to finger foods.  Bottles of seltzer were requested.

There is an intention to keep the dance hall to a reasonable level of quietness.    

Greeters:  1 in the beginning; 9 - 11 (1/2 hr shifts, with two people) 1 person from 11 - 11:30 then it's a free-for-all.

Estimate is that we have sold 40ish tix to date.

If the event tix sales reach 150 then we will turn people away at the door.

The NYD Crew will be sending out reminders to all who have registered for the event about the rules.

People have volunteered to bring pillows and blankets - and the message for pillows and blankets will go out in the email.

Lighting  - Ken is happy to provide the lighting for the event.  Ken can be called at 347-1381 if anyone has lighting info/ideas/materials/support.

Setup starts at 8.  The NYD Crew will coordinate volunteers for setup and breakdown.

Topic 2: Retreat  Proposal Passed
Deb will contact Snowbird regarding placing a deposit on the space for a March 20 weekend retreat if available with a caveat (shared with the snowbird owners) that until the date of the next Meraki, PCD will be looking for a larger space to accommodate our retreat, and will consider larger spaces, if any are found only until that Meraki meeting.  If, at the time of the meeting, no other spaces are deemed superior, then PCD will make good on it's commitment to rent the Snowbird and the retreat shall go forth on said date.  The proposal passed unanimously.

Topic 3:  DJ Compensation
Meraki agreed to pay DJs up to $130, and DJs are requested to present invoices.   DJs will get $90 for new year's eve.

Meraki (Steering Committee) Meeting Notes December 1, 2014

Meeting took place at Jill Eng's apartment, 39 North St., Portland, 12/1/2014, 7-9PM. Thanks Jill!

Present: Eva (Facilitating), Nev, Julie, Neil, Chloe, Blair, Jill, Ken, Liz, Amy, Jim, Xiknawi, Parks, Cherie, Rebecca, Mellen, John (notes)

Welcome to new Meraki participants Amy and Rebecca, and to returning Ken

Thanks to all who were involved with the successful First Annual Membership Meeting


Lost and Found

Concern was expressed about people leaving high value items behind at dance and what to do about them. Specifically a set of keys was left last Sunday, that we didn't know whether or not belonged to one of our dancers.

• John to talk with Kristin about having a safe place at Avant to put high-value lost and found items.
• Wizengamot (Operations Committee) to follow up.

Safety and Silence

With more people coming to dance, there's a concern about excessive conversation on the dance floor, and persistent unwanted attention by new dancers.

      Safety

• Liz mentioned that the Cambridge dance group she belongs to had volunteers with special training in safety. (After the meeting, John requested more information; Liz to get information from contacts there.)
• Neil suggested posting pictures of Wizenagmot so that people will know who to turn to in the event they're not feeling safe. (Ed: We decided to do this previously, but it didn't happen.)
• We need something more proactive. Not specifically sexual, but non-threatening approach and sensitivity to nonverbal cues (eye contact, moving away, body language) and when that fails, suggesting that dancers take care of themselves and feel free to say "no". Also establish that 
• just because you danced once with a partner, it doesn't at all mean you have to dance again.
• Solo dancing is part of the norm at PCD.
• Suggestion was made to have a specific safety sheet and board that goes into more detail about what our expectations than what's on the new member sheet.
• Other suggestions/ideas:
• Have a designated "on-duty" safety person for each dance
• Have a 2nd greeter whose responsibility it is to welcome and orient new dancers
• Have a sign-off on the safety sheet that the dancer has read and agrees to abide by guidelines
• Let's not micro-manage this, but have something specific in place.
• Regular announcements at closing circle
• Whatever rules we establish, we use "so that ... " language to establish the benefit of following the rule. Example: "So that partnering is a comfortable experience"
• Wizengamot will follow up

      Silence

• We had a suggestion in the suggestion box that the way we ask for quiet now is overbearing. Too much "shooshing."
• "On the dance floor, movement is language."
• It's not silence we're asking for, but freedom from social conversation on the dance floor.
• On the other hand, DJs could provide more time for silent wind-down at the end. Make sure there's time for this at the end of the set before we have to leave the space. (Chloe to take to the DJs.)
• We need to model ourselves what we're asking from others.
• The current "silence" sign is not clearly legible enough. We need something that can be grokked at a glance.

New Year's Eve Dance

• John: what we need right now are start and end times, and how much, so we can publish the event.
• Capacity is likely to be a problem. We decided to sell tickets in advance. Price: $15-$20.
• Not a dance party per se. Our usual dance with waves.
• Event is from 9-1. We'll rent the space from 8-2.
• Committee formed to follow up: Eva, Julie, Chloe, Ken, Liz
• Chemical-free, alcohol-free
• Julie and John to coordinate Eventbrite registration
• Liz offered having laptop or tablet at dance for registration
• Question to DJs: what is fair compensation assuming approximately 30% tax burden?

Compensation

• DJs: John said that some DJs have approached the $600 limit over which we are required to issue 1099-MISC forms to DJs. He wants to be able to pay DJs more because they are the lifeblood of PCD. So we could pay DJs enough that taxes are a don't care. DJs to take up at their next meeting. John will provide information on Sunday Dance income and expenses for informed consideration.
• Other positions: Nev's experience with Dance New England says that compensation should/could be considered before it is actually needed. DNE developed a patchwork of inequitable compensation policies based on desires expressed by individuals. We tabled the issue for now.

Taxes/Nonprofit status

Treasurer John's discussion with the accountant/tax advisor recommended by Mellen suggested that it would be advantageous to organize as a tax-exempt organization. Tax filing becomes much simpler. John: 501(c)(7) organization (Social Club) fits us best. We wouldn't be a charitable, tax-deductible 501(c)(3), which requires a much higher standard of charitability. Would require amending Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. John and Mellen to follow up.


Health during Cold & Flu Season:

•  Xiknawi to bring facial tissues and scent-free hand wipe or alternative
•  Liz: Stay home if you're sick

Retreat

Chloe solicited anyone who might know of a good retreat space for our 2015 winter retreat to let her know. Otherwise, further discussion about the retreat was tabled.


DJ Support

Neil suggested that PCD could buy one or more iPads with DJ software and a PCD spotify account for use by DJs, which would make their lives easier and save on music acquisition expenses. Agreed that this is a possibility. DJs to take up at their next meeting.


Promotion/Announcement of community resources

Neil and Chloe suggested possible ways that PCD community members could let other dancers konw about events of potential interest to them. Ideas: add links to Sunday Dance announcement, have a once/month special "Happenings" newsletter, put links to related dance resources on our website, have a table at Sunday Dance (we do now, but Liz said she'd never seen it). There was need for more discussion about this. What to include/exclude? Whose events are eligible? Email/website/physical or ? We tabled this for now.


Next Meeting

We'll be devoting the next meeting mostly to the New Year's Eve dance event and the PCD 2015 Winter retreat. Monday December 15, 7-9PM, at Nev and Chloe's, 24 Pitt St., Portland ME