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[Helene]

Our Admin Beanies have been busy lately, so it's time for us to do a periodic review of our rules and policies.  It may seem brusque, but we've received requests for fewer words in one, consolidated place, and we've narrowed it to eleven bullet points, with specifics on official and unofficial news.

• Follow the Golden Rule.
  
• Write what you think of the subject, not other posters, i.e., no ad hominem attacks, characterizations, or psychoanalysis
  
• We are not a fan site or booster club, and criticism is encouraged and welcome, but, please, try not to screech, and think about whether you'd say it to the person directly if you were face-to-face in an elevator and whether if you don't write under your full name, whether you would say the same thing if you did.
  
• Don't re-post links to articles/videos anywhere on the site except in the Obituaries and Videos forums, unless you have a specific discussion point to make about the content in a relevant thread. We'll remove links for articles that belong in the "Links" forum (and probably have been/will be posted in the daily threads).
  
• Discuss critics' opinions in the "Writings on Ballet" forum, your own in the Company forums.
  
• Official news only, defined below, unless the "Group" in your profile reads Editorial Advisor
  
• Don't discuss the discussion.  If you have a problem with a post, click the "Report" button at the bottom of the post, and the Moderators will review it.  If you commit board suicide, assume your suicide note will be removed.
  
• Identify your interest -- parent, dancer, AD, employee, board member, rival -- if writing about an interested party or topic.
  
• Post it once; we'll remove duplicates and most cross-posts.
  
• To keep us in copyright compliance, please limit quotes from articles/reviews/books to a maximum of 250 words.
  
• Politics and religion are off-limits unless they are part of a ballet issue, like NEA funding for the arts or religious symbolism in a work.
  
• If you have an issue with the contents of a PM you received, contact an Admin or Moderator.

English-language news, including interviews, that can be posted:

Yes:  Official news, i.e. news from the following public sources:

• Mainstream media – Newspapers, magazines, journals, TV
  
• Books, blogs, tweets, podcasts by ballet professionals, including professional critics, and companies
  
• Public ("Like") Facebook Pages of ballet professionals and companies
  
• Announcements by ballet spokespeople
  
• Company Q&A's
  
• Programs, including substitution slips, and cast lists and other info posted in the lobby.
  
• Non-spoken behavior on stage that signifies a retirement
  
• Company YouTube or other videos
  
• News posted by Editorial Advisors and non-English press news posted by Foreign Correspondents
  
• Some discussion board magazines, like ballet.co.uk Magazine (only)

Non-English-language news from the same official sources can be posted, if there are photos/video that need no translation or a translated summary of the points/link to the translated article using an online translator.

No: Unofficial news, except when posted by Editorial Advisors

• News from non-official blogs and websites
  
• Anything that starts "I heard", "Dancer X/her mother/Peter Martins, etc. told me"
  
• Information on other discussion boards
  
• Anything backstage or in public that is not part of a performance or official event.
  
• Info from company volunteers unless part of official talks (ex:  NYCB Fourth Ring talks), presentations, and tours not limited to major donors. (Added 5 Jun 12)

What can be reviewed in the ballet forums:

• Professional ballet companies
  
• Performances by non-professional ballet companies, if a professional dancer performs with the company
  
• Workshop/graduation performances by schools affiliated with professional companies or the following elite schools: Harid, CPYB, and Kirov Academy.
  
• Open rehearsals
  
• Rehearsals open to low-level donors ($50 or less)
  
• Seminars, lectures, exhibits by companies and museums or curated by institutions like the Guggenheim (Works in Process)

If a ballet, modern, or other dance professional performs dance other than ballet, review it in the Modern and Other Dance forum.

Why did your post/part of your post disappear?  It contained:

• Unofficial news, including that posed as a question
  
• News links without comment
  
• Link to professional reviews on the company forums
  
• Duplicates
  
• Ad hominem attacks on other posters, characterizations and psychoanalysis of other posters
  
• Racist, sexist, and disparaging remarks about sexual orientation
  
• Discussions of the discussion
  
• Gratuitous attacks on performers' appearance
  
• Political and religious references that aren't part of the performance, arts policy, or the subject
  
• Off-topic posts
  
• Self-interested posts that don't disclose the interest
  
• Posts on subjects that belong on Ballet Talk for Dancers (ex:  ballet classes, summer intensives, auditions, tutus, toe shoes)
  
• A plug for your product and service, unless you are a long-time member
  
• Agendas, obvious or part of a pattern
  
• Housekeeping:  all-quote posts, extensive quotes not directly addressed by the answer
  
• Quotes longer than 250 words or for short articles, all or most of the article
  
• Discussion of politics and religion not related to ballet

Moderation:
If we have to repeatedly remove/edit a member's posts, we'll put the member on "Moderated" status, which means any future posts will not appear on the board unless we approve them manually, which we do as our schedules allow.  Personal Messenger, if applicable, will be suspended at the same time.

Edited by Helene, 22 April 2013 - 05:36 PM.
To add info on volunteers (5 Jun 12)