Terms of Use — Raising the Barre

Draft notice. These Terms of Use are currently in draft form and are being reviewed by legal counsel. They are published here for transparency about RTB's intended terms. The binding version will replace this draft once attorney review is complete.

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Raising the Barre website at raisingthebarredance.org (the "Site"). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

If you are under 18 years of age, your parent or legal guardian must accept these Terms on your behalf. For users under 13, additional protections apply under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) as described in our Privacy Policy.

This document covers the Raising the Barre public website only. The Dance Positive research platform operated under University of Pennsylvania IRB Protocol #857840 is a separate platform governed by the Dance Positive Terms of Use.

About This Site

The Raising the Barre website is an informational website operated by Raising the Barre, a 501(c)(3) youth-service nonprofit organization (EIN 72-1281893) based in Livermore, California. The Site provides:

Information about RTB's youth-development program for dancers ages 10–19
Information about RTB's peer-reviewed research on dance and well-being
A directory of affiliated RTB chapters
Information about RTB's scholarship program
Channels to contact RTB by email or postal mail

The Site is not a transactional platform. We do not maintain user accounts, do not currently accept online donations, and do not host an interactive research application on this Site. Research participation through the Dance Positive platform is governed separately.

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. We may update these Terms from time to time, and continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Permitted and Prohibited Uses

Permitted Uses

Reading and reviewing information on the Site
Submitting contact form inquiries to RTB
Sending email to RTB's published email addresses
Sharing links to RTB pages
Printing pages for personal, non-commercial use
Citing RTB's publicly published research in accordance with academic norms

Prohibited Uses

Submitting false, misleading, or fraudulent information through any RTB contact channel
Attempting to gain unauthorized access to the Site or its underlying systems
Using automated tools (scrapers, bots) to harvest data from the Site in ways that interfere with normal operation
Using RTB's name, logo, or content in a way that suggests endorsement of unaffiliated products, services, or causes
Reproducing, modifying, or redistributing Site content for commercial purposes without express written permission
Using the Site or contact channels to harass, threaten, or harm any person
Interfering with the security or operation of the Site

Intellectual Property

Site Content. The Raising the Barre website, including its text, design, photographs, illustrations, and structure, is owned by Raising the Barre and protected by copyright and trademark laws. The Raising the Barre name and logo are property of Raising the Barre.

Research Content. Peer-reviewed research published in academic journals is owned by the journals under their respective publishing agreements, with rights reserved to authors as specified by those agreements. Any quotations or summaries of research on this Site should be attributed properly. Links to the original published research are provided where available.

Photographs. Photographs of dancers, instructors, and program participants appear on the Site with appropriate consent on file. If you appear in a photograph on the Site and wish to request its removal, contact privacy@raisingthebarredance.org.

User Submissions. If you submit content to us through a contact form or email (questions, suggestions, photos, etc.), you grant RTB a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, store, and respond to the submission for the purpose of providing information about RTB and its programs. You retain ownership of your own content.

Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

Informational Site. The Raising the Barre website provides information about RTB's programs, research, and organizational status. We strive for accuracy, but the Site is not a substitute for direct consultation with RTB staff, your dance instructor, your physician, or other qualified professionals.

No Professional Advice. The Site does not provide medical, psychological, legal, financial, or therapeutic advice. Information about dance, youth development, and well-being research is general in nature and not a substitute for professional consultation.

Research Findings. Research findings published by RTB and our academic partners are reported with the methodological care described in the original publications. Findings should not be interpreted beyond what the original research supports. The mood study published in Frontiers in Psychology (DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1719704) notes that "the observational design precludes causal attribution"; readers are encouraged to consult the original paper for full methodological context.

No Warranties. The Site is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

Limitation of Liability. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Raising the Barre and its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and contractors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Site, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of opportunity, or any other intangible loss, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Third-Party Links and Services

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including academic publications, partner universities, donor-advised fund platforms, and IRS or state nonprofit lookup tools. We do not control these third-party sites and are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or terms of use. Inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement.

Donations

The Raising the Barre website is not currently configured to accept online donations. Information about donating by check, donor-advised fund, employer match, or other offline methods is provided on the Donate page for informational purposes. RTB will accept and acknowledge donations made through those channels in accordance with applicable nonprofit regulations and IRS requirements. Donation acknowledgment letters will be provided as required for tax substantiation.

Termination

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of the Site at any time, with or without notice. We may also restrict access to the Site for users who violate these Terms.

You may cease using the Site at any time. If you wish to have any personal information we hold about you deleted, see the Privacy Policy section on Your Privacy Rights.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Site will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Alameda County, California, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

Contact

General questions about the Site or these Terms:

Raising the Barre
Email: contact@raisingthebarredance.org
Mail: 4046 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550

Privacy or data questions: privacy@raisingthebarredance.org

Research ethics questions (Dance Positive research platform):
Email: research@raisingthebarredance.org
IRB Protocol Number: 857840 (University of Pennsylvania)