How We Care About You

Where's The Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect your information and the resources our community has entrusted to us. Below are our Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Data Retention Policy, and nonprofit governance policies.

Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Data Retention Policy
Governance Policies

Privacy Policy

Effective date: [to be set upon Board adoption — drafted July 8, 2026]

Where's The Dance ("WTD," "we," "us," or "our") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 41-4275349) incorporated in the State of California, dedicated to helping square dancers, round dancers, callers, cuers, and clubs find each other, find events, and find dance partners. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect through wheresthedance.com and our related services (the "Site"), how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices available to you.

If you have questions about this policy or about your own information, contact us at Update@WheresTheDance.com.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

  • Account information: name, email address(es), phone number(s), postal address, city/state/country, and a password (stored using industry-standard one-way hashing — see Data Security below).
  • Dance profile information: square/round dance experience level, whether you dance/call/cue, club affiliations, and — if you opt into our partner-matching feature — your sex, your dance-partner preference, and the events for which you're seeking a partner.
  • Optional profile media: a profile photo or video, if you choose to add one.
  • Messages: content you send through our anonymous partner-matching message relay, and any personal contact information you voluntarily choose to include in such a message.
  • Donation and payment-related information: processed entirely by our third-party payment providers, described in Section 7 — WTD does not directly collect or store credit card numbers.
  • Communications: anything you send us directly, such as emails to Update@WheresTheDance.com.

We also collect limited information about how you were invited to WTD: if an existing member invites you using our "Invite a Friend" feature, we log who sent the invitation, the invitee's name and email, and the date, so we can track whether the invitation resulted in an account and a successful first login.

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Site, we automatically log certain technical information, including:

  • IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, and referring page.
  • The time, outcome (success/failure), and approximate location context of login attempts, kept in a security log used to detect abuse and troubleshoot account access.
  • General usage and traffic patterns via Google Analytics (see Cookies below).

3. Cookies

We use a small number of first-party cookies to make the Site work and to remember your preferences. We do not use cookies to sell your information or to track you across other companies' websites.

CookiePurposeDuration
user, user_emailKeeps you logged in1 year
clubPrivRemembers club-level permissions during your sessionSession/varies
wtdTimeFormatRemembers your preferred 12/24-hour time display1 year
wtdNewVisitor, wtdOverlaySeenAvoids re-showing onboarding/welcome overlaysVaries
wtdDonateClicked, wtdPartnerClickedRemembers that you've already seen certain promptsVaries
wtdPostalSkippedRemembers if you chose to skip entering a postal codeVaries
Search/filter cookiesRemembers your last event or club search filtersVaries

Google Analytics separately sets its own cookies (typically _ga and _gid) for aggregate usage statistics. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though disabling essential cookies will prevent you from staying signed in.

4. How We Use Information

  • To create and maintain your account and dancer/club profile.
  • To operate our partner-matching feature and relay messages between matched dancers.
  • To show you relevant nearby events and clubs, using your postal code or address.
  • To send you account-related email (verification, password reset, match notifications, profile-completion reminders) via our transactional email provider, Postmark.
  • To process donations and event payments through our payment providers.
  • To maintain Site security, investigate suspicious activity, and enforce our Terms of Service.
  • To understand overall Site usage and improve WTD, using aggregated/anonymized analytics.

We do not use your information for third-party advertising.

5. Partner Matching & Anonymous Messaging

WTD's partner-matching feature is built around one core promise: we never share your name or contact information with a matched dancer unless and until you choose to. When you and another dancer are identified as a potential match for an event, each of you receives a private email with options to accept, ask a question, or opt out — all communicated anonymously through WTD's own relay system.

If you choose to share your phone number, email address, or any other personal contact information with your match, that is always your own choice, made inside a message you write. You can exchange messages back and forth as many times as you'd like before deciding whether to proceed, and opting out of a match only affects that one event.

6. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service providers acting on our behalf: Postmark (transactional email), Zeffy (donations), Square (event payments, via hosted checkout with a verified webhook), Google Geocoding API and the Ziptastic / Zippopotam.us / Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) lookup chain (converting a postal code into an approximate location, cached to reduce repeat lookups), and Google Analytics (aggregate usage statistics).
  • Other dancers, in the limited, opt-in ways described in this policy.
  • Legal requirements, if required to comply with a subpoena, court order, or similar legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of WTD, our users, or the public.
  • Organizational changes, in the unlikely event of a merger or reorganization, subject to the same privacy commitments described here.

7. Donations & Payment Information

Donations are processed by Zeffy, and event payments are processed by Square, through their own hosted, secure checkout pages. WTD never sees or stores full credit card numbers, CVV codes, or expiration dates.

Historical note: WTD previously used a custom, in-house payment flow that stored full card numbers directly. That flow was retired and replaced with Square in 2025; every historical record's card-number, CVV, and expiration fields have since been permanently cleared, while non-card transaction history was preserved for financial reporting.

8. Data Security

  • Passwords are stored using a modern, industry-standard one-way hashing algorithm (bcrypt) — WTD staff cannot see or recover your actual password.
  • The Site is served over HTTPS.
  • Administrative functions are restricted to authenticated staff/board accounts with role-based access controls.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we are committed to protecting your information and promptly addressing any issues we discover.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide services, comply with our legal and financial obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. See the Data Retention Policy tab above for our detailed schedule.

10. Your Choices & Rights

  • Access and correction: review and update most of your profile information at any time by logging in.
  • Partner matching opt-out: opt out for a specific event, or disable the feature entirely, at any time.
  • Account deletion: request deletion by emailing Update@WheresTheDance.com. Some information may be retained where required for legal, financial, or fraud-prevention purposes.
  • Communications preferences: account and match-related emails are necessary to the service; you can decline non-essential communications where offered.

11. Children's Privacy

WTD is intended for adult dancers and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted here with a new effective date. Continued use of the Site after a change becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

Where's The Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 41-4275349) incorporated in the State of California. Questions or requests: Update@WheresTheDance.com.

Terms of Service

Effective date: [to be set upon Board adoption — drafted July 8, 2026]

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of wheresthedance.com and related services (the "Site"), operated by Where's The Dance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 41-4275349) incorporated in the State of California ("WTD," "we," "us"). By creating an account or otherwise using the Site, you agree to these Terms.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account on WTD. By creating an account, you represent that you meet this requirement and that the information you provide is accurate and current.

2. Accounts & Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at Update@WheresTheDance.com if you suspect unauthorized use of your account.

3. Description of Service

WTD provides a directory of square/round dance clubs, callers, and cuers; a listing of dance events; a donation platform supporting our nonprofit mission; and an optional partner-matching feature to help dancers find a compatible partner for a given event.

4. Partner Matching & Messaging

WTD's partner-matching feature is a communications portal only. WTD does not vet, background-check, or verify the identity, intentions, or suitability of any user, and does not select, endorse, guarantee, or recommend any match.

Your safety is your responsibility. If you choose to share personal contact information, meet in person, or otherwise interact with another user, you do so entirely at your own discretion and risk. We strongly encourage meeting for the first time in a public setting, such as at a scheduled dance event.

You may opt out of being matched for a given event, or disable partner matching entirely, at any time through your profile.

5. User Conduct

When using the Site, you agree not to:

  • Provide false or misleading information about yourself.
  • Harass, threaten, or abuse another user, including through the partner-matching message relay.
  • Use the "Invite a Friend" feature to send unsolicited invitations or spam.
  • Attempt to circumvent the anonymity of the message relay system.
  • Use the Site for any unlawful purpose, or in a way that could disable, overburden, or impair the Site.
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any account, system, or network connected to the Site.

We reserve the right to remove content, suspend, or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

6. Donations & Payments

Donations are processed through Zeffy, and event payments through Square. WTD does not directly collect or store your full card number. Because WTD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law — consult your own tax advisor. Event-fee refunds are subject to the policies of the organizing club, not WTD.

7. Club & Event Listings

Club, caller, cuer, and event information is provided by clubs and other third parties and may change, including cancellations, without notice. WTD does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any listing — please confirm directly with the organizing club before traveling to an event.

8. Intellectual Property

The Site's design, text, graphics, and other content owned by WTD are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. You retain ownership of content you submit (such as a profile photo), but grant WTD a license to display it as part of operating the Site.

9. Disclaimers

The Site is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied. WTD does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that any match, introduction, or event listing will meet your expectations.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, WTD, its board members, officers, and volunteers will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the Site — including any interaction, meeting, or relationship arising from the partner-matching feature. WTD's total liability is limited to the amount, if any, you paid to WTD in the twelve months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless WTD and its board members, officers, and volunteers from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your interactions with other users.

12. Termination

You may stop using the Site and request deletion of your account at any time by contacting Update@WheresTheDance.com. We may suspend or terminate your access for conduct that violates these Terms or is otherwise harmful to WTD or other users.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state or federal courts located in California.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted here with a new effective date.

15. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms can be sent to Update@WheresTheDance.com.

Data Retention Policy

Adopted: [date of Board adoption]  —  Draft prepared: July 8, 2026

1. Purpose

Where's The Dance ("WTD") collects certain personal, operational, and financial information in order to operate its website and fulfill its mission of connecting square and round dancers, callers, cuers, and clubs. This policy establishes how long WTD retains that information, and how it is disposed of, so that WTD retains only what it reasonably needs — protecting both the users who have trusted WTD with their information and the donated resources WTD relies on to operate.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all personal data, operational data, and financial/corporate records held by WTD, whether stored in its website database, email systems, third-party service providers (Postmark, Zeffy, Square, Google Analytics, geocoding providers), or physical/board records. It works alongside WTD's Privacy Policy, which describes retention from a user-facing perspective, and its Document Retention & Destruction Policy, which governs corporate and governance records.

3. Responsibility

The Board of Directors designates a member of WTD's technical/administrative staff (currently accessible via the Update@WheresTheDance.com inbox) as responsible for implementing this schedule, including periodic purges of expired data and responding to user deletion requests. The Board reviews this policy at least annually.

4. Retention Schedule — Website & User Data

Data CategoryRetention PeriodTrigger / Starting PointDisposition
Account & profile information (name, email, phone, address, dance experience, password hash)Life of account, plus 3 yearsAccount creation / last loginAnonymized or deleted 3 years after the account becomes inactive (no login) or upon a verified user deletion request, whichever is sooner
Partner-matching preferences & match historyLife of account, plus 1 yearEvent date / account statusDeleted or anonymized with the parent account, or 1 year after the related event, whichever is later
Message relay content (anonymous partner-matching messages)1 year after the related eventEvent datePermanently deleted
Login security log (IP, device, success/failure)2 yearsLogin attempt datePurged on a rolling basis
Invite-a-Friend log (inviter, invitee, dates, login outcome)3 yearsInvitation datePurged on a rolling basis; may be retained longer in aggregate, de-identified form for leaderboard/recognition purposes
Email delivery logs (bounces, rejections, blast history)1 yearSend datePurged on a rolling basis
Donation transaction records (Zeffy) and event payment records (Square)7 yearsTransaction dateRetained per financial recordkeeping requirements (Section 5), then purged or archived
Legacy paymentInfo table — non-card fields (amount, event, payee, date)Retained indefinitely for historical reportingN/A — already in placeCard number, CVV, and expiration fields were permanently cleared in 2025 and must never be repopulated
Geocode cache (postal code → approximate coordinates)IndefiniteN/ANot personal data on its own; retained for performance
Google Analytics usage dataPer Google Analytics account configurationN/AWTD will configure GA4 data retention to the shortest practical setting available

5. Retention Schedule — Financial & Corporate Records

As a 501(c)(3) organization, WTD follows standard nonprofit-sector recordkeeping practice:

Data CategoryRetention PeriodTriggerDisposition
Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, IRS determination letterPermanentN/ARetained permanently
Board meeting minutes and resolutionsPermanentMeeting dateRetained permanently
IRS Form 990 filings and supporting workpapersPermanentFiling dateRetained permanently
Annual financial statements / audit or review reportsPermanentFiscal year endRetained permanently
General ledger, bank statements, donation & payment records7 yearsFiscal year endMay be securely destroyed after 7 years unless under legal hold
Contracts and agreements7 years after expirationContract expirationMay be securely destroyed after 7 years unless under legal hold
Insurance policiesPermanent for expired policies through the period of possible exposurePolicy expirationReview before destruction
Personnel/volunteer records7 years after end of serviceEnd of serviceSecurely destroyed after 7 years

6. Deletion & Anonymization

When a user requests deletion of their account, WTD will remove or anonymize personally identifying fields (name, contact information, profile content) associated with that account. Where a record must be retained for financial, tax, or legal reasons, WTD retains only the minimum information necessary for that purpose and removes the rest.

7. Legal Holds

If WTD becomes aware of pending or reasonably anticipated litigation, a government investigation, or an audit, all relevant data — regardless of the schedule above — will be preserved until the matter is resolved and the hold is formally lifted.

8. Security of Retained Data

While data is retained, it is protected under the same safeguards described in WTD's Privacy Policy: passwords are stored using bcrypt one-way hashing, the Site is served over HTTPS, and administrative access is restricted to authenticated staff/board accounts.

9. Annual Review

The Board of Directors, or a committee it designates, reviews this policy at least once per year and updates it as WTD's systems, service providers, or legal obligations change.


Adopted by the Board of Directors of Where's The Dance on: ______________________

Signature: ______________________   Title: ______________________

Nonprofit Governance Policies

Draft prepared: July 8, 2026

This section contains three related, independently adoptable policies: (I) Conflict of Interest Policy, (II) Whistleblower Policy, and (III) Document Retention & Destruction Policy.

I. Conflict of Interest Policy

Article I — Purpose

This Conflict of Interest Policy is intended to protect the interests of Where's The Dance ("WTD") when it is contemplating entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of WTD, or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction. This policy supplements, but does not replace, any applicable state or federal laws governing conflicts of interest for nonprofit corporations.

Article II — Definitions

1. Interested Person. Any director, officer, or member of a committee with governing board delegated powers who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an "interested person."

2. Financial Interest. A person has a financial interest if the person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family:

  • An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which WTD has a transaction or arrangement,
  • A compensation arrangement with WTD or with any entity or individual with which WTD has a transaction or arrangement, or
  • A potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which WTD is negotiating a transaction or arrangement.

A financial interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest — a person who has a financial interest may have a conflict of interest only if the appointed governing body or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists, as set forth in Article III below.

Article III — Procedures

1. Duty to Disclose. An interested person must disclose the existence and nature of their financial interest to the directors and committee members considering the proposed transaction or arrangement.

2. Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists. After disclosure and discussion, the interested person shall leave the meeting while the remaining board or committee members discuss and vote on whether a conflict of interest exists.

3. Procedures for Addressing the Conflict. The interested person may make a presentation but shall leave the meeting during the discussion of, and vote on, the transaction. The board or committee shall determine whether WTD can obtain a more advantageous transaction with reasonable effort from a party without a conflict of interest, and shall determine, by majority vote of disinterested directors, whether the transaction is in WTD's best interest and is fair and reasonable.

4. Violations. If the board or committee has reasonable cause to believe a member has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it shall inform the member of the basis for such belief, afford an opportunity to explain, and — if the failure to disclose is confirmed — take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.

Article IV — Records of Proceedings

Minutes shall document the names of interested persons, the nature of the financial interest, actions taken to determine a conflict, the board's decision, and a record of votes taken.

Article V — Compensation

No voting board or committee member who receives compensation, directly or indirectly, from WTD may vote on matters pertaining to that member's own compensation.

Article VI — Annual Statements

Each director, officer, and committee member with board-delegated powers shall annually sign a statement affirming receipt, understanding, and agreement to comply with this policy.

Article VII — Periodic Reviews

The board shall periodically review this policy, including whether compensation arrangements and benefits are reasonable and the result of arm's-length bargaining.

II. Whistleblower Policy

1. General Policy

Where's The Dance requires directors, officers, staff, and volunteers to observe high standards of business and personal ethics. This policy is intended to encourage and enable anyone associated with WTD to raise serious concerns internally, without fear of retaliation, so that WTD can address and correct improper conduct.

2. Reporting Responsibility

This policy covers reporting of any action or suspected action that is illegal, dishonest, fraudulent, financially improper, or in violation of any adopted policy of WTD, including this policy and the Conflict of Interest Policy above.

3. No Retaliation

No director, officer, staff member, or volunteer who in good faith reports a concern shall suffer harassment, retaliation, or adverse consequence. Anyone who retaliates against a good-faith reporter is subject to discipline up to and including removal from their position.

4. Reporting Procedure

Concerns should first be shared with a direct supervisor or relevant program lead, if comfortable doing so. Otherwise, concerns should be reported directly, in writing, to the Board Chair (or, if the concern involves the Board Chair, to any other officer of the Board), at Update@WheresTheDance.com.

5. Handling of Reported Violations

The recipient will acknowledge receipt within a reasonable period and arrange for an appropriately independent investigation. The Board, or a committee it designates, will oversee the investigation and take corrective action as necessary, up to and including notifying appropriate authorities.

6. Confidentiality

Reports and investigations shall be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.

7. Distribution

This policy shall be distributed to all directors, officers, staff, and volunteers of WTD.

III. Document Retention & Destruction Policy

1. Purpose

This policy ensures that WTD retains its important corporate, financial, and governance records for an appropriate period of time, disposes of other records when no longer needed, and complies with legal obligations regarding preservation of documents — including under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act's prohibition on destroying documents in connection with an official proceeding.

2. Corporate & Financial Records Schedule

Retention periods are set out in WTD's Data Retention Policy (Section 5), incorporated here by reference. In summary: governing documents, board minutes, and Form 990 filings are retained permanently; general financial records, contracts, and personnel records are retained for at least 7 years.

3. Website & User Data

Retention of personal data collected through wheresthedance.com is governed by WTD's Data Retention Policy (Section 4) and Privacy Policy, both incorporated here by reference.

4. Electronic Documents and Records

Electronic documents are retained as if they were paper documents. Emails related to financial transactions, contracts, or board business should be preserved for the periods indicated in the Data Retention Policy; routine correspondence with no ongoing business or legal significance need not be retained beyond its useful life.

5. Document Destruction

WTD's designated administrator is responsible for identifying records that have met the required retention period and overseeing their destruction — by shredding for paper records containing personal or financial information, and by secure deletion for electronic records.

6. Legal Holds / Suspension of Destruction

If WTD is served with a subpoena or becomes aware of pending or threatened litigation, audit, or government investigation, all relevant document destruction must cease immediately and not resume until the Board (or its designated officer) confirms the matter is fully resolved.

7. Compliance

Failure to comply with this policy, including improper destruction of documents subject to a legal hold, can result in personal criminal liability under applicable law, in addition to any organizational consequences.

8. Periodic Review

The Board reviews this policy, and the retention schedules it incorporates by reference, at least annually.


Adopted by the Board of Directors of Where's The Dance on: ______________________

Signature: ______________________   Title: ______________________

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