Age Restriction & Associated Waiver Form Update (Kari)
- Proposal to restrict PCD dances to adults only (18 and older).
- Precipitated not only by the snafu during the 12.4.22 dance (synopsis: father arriving with 12-year-old daughter, not having found notification of age restriction via prior research on website and being miffed when this was spelled out; father subsequently submitted long email diatribe to which Mellen & Kari diplomatically responded).
- A number of PCD members have wished for this restriction for a long time, noting that (put simply) minors might not only have questions about what they encounter on the dance floor, but also that the presence of minors may inhibit full expression by adult participants.
- Concern about spatial and energetic awareness of minors.
- Mellen pointed out that the inclusion of minors was more in response to the opportunity to dance outdoors after Covid hit AND that space is already becoming a concern (again!) as we reestablish ourselves post-Covid.
- And it’s really always been an adult event.
- 18 is culturally/legally established as the cutoff for being an adult, so that cutoff feels non-arbitrary to society.
- Unanimous passage of proposal!
- Effective immediately.
- Greeter can inquire about age of new dancer if obviously necessary.
- Waiver to drop bottom two sections referring to minors; re-print with changes, but still use BLUE paper to keep continuity…will change color at the end of the requisite three-year lifetime of the collected signatures.
Where Can We Dance? Update (Lori)
- Mellen, Kari, and Lori visited the Christian School in SoPo and view it as a contender (storage, amenities, kindness and cooperation of contact person), with the caveat that the dance space (gym) is rather boomy. Pricing TBD. Available January forward.
- Looking forward to visiting the other strong contender, 317 Main Street in Yarmouth (storage, TBD plug-and-play hookup to 317 sound system, sprung dance floor, purpose-built, aligning with 317’s desire to create community). Pricing TBD. Not available until mid-February or possibly into March if there are snags on their end (the dance hall is part of an extension of their existing facility and is presently under construction). [Visit Wednesday following Meraki revealed square footage: 2061.]
- Option to try out one/other/both locations prior to signing a contract; WCWD committee entrusted with deciding upon any such activity.
May 5 - 7, 2023 PCD Dance Retreat at Ferry Beach in Saco (Lily)
- Contract has been ironed out, signed, and provided to all committee members so that the facility's requirements are known by all.
- Lily is in contact with Kathy and will convene the committee in January to continue planning:
- Marion K.
- Sandra (?)
- Joe E.
- Shelagh R.
- Krista O.
- Rudy G. & Kari P. (available for consulting)
- 4 DJs have already voiced interest, thereby covering the 4 dances!
- 25-person minimum; maximum?
- If people can begin signing up sooner rather than later, we’ll have a better idea of numbers and therefore whether or not or when to make membership requirement changes to encourage more signups.
- John will get proof of insurance to Lily pronto for Kathy.
Facebook Group Administration and Group Membership Approvals, et al (Rudy)
- Rudy has taken the bait and is taking this quagmire on.
- Clarification: Page is official PCD business and is completely open for viewing, but only PCD admins can post; for the purpose of announcing dances, cancellations, and policies as needed. Group, however, is only accessible via acceptance into the group; it is possible for anyone in the group to post and is meant as a place for building (dance) community.
- Committee of Rudy, Mellen, John, and Lori will figure out how to better define the above and then better visually and verbally communicate the same.
- Determine any rules of engagement for Group admission.
- Can the Group be a clearinghouse for dancing in Maine?!? Rename Group to something like “Portland Dance Hub”?
Membership Requirement (Lily)
- Would it be helpful for the 5-dance requirement for PCD membership be lowered since we’re only dancing twice a month presently and the retreat is on the not-too-distant horizon?
- Suggested: 3 dances.
- Change would make the retreat available to more dancers.
- What is the retreat capacity?
- Note that annual meeting must be attended by 10% of the membership in order to make quorum; keep this in mind as we grow membership, but membership can be winnowed of dead wood.
- Are 3 dances enough to grant benefits of membership: access to Meraki meetings and therefore decision-making, access to retreats, ability to serve as an officer?
- Do retreats have to be members only?
- Lingering concerns by some present: there is a group understanding, a holding of space around touch, boundaries, consent, power dynamics, body and gender issues.
- Table for now.
Next Meraki Meetings
January 17 - possibly @Deb G.’s, weather permitting; otherwise, on Zoom
February 21
