Earthdance Membership Program

Earthdance’s nearly forty-year history is one of a dynamic collective, continuously evolving through cycles of building, organizing, and renewing— impacting generations of dancers and seekers all the while. Now, as part of our ongoing renewal process, we are launching a membership program, with an intention to clarify who the community of Earthdance is, and to support the flow of communication and collaboration within it. We hope that this membership program will facilitate engagement, and also help us to gather insights on the needs of the Earthdance community and how to meet them.

Please check out the details of the proposed program, below. Because we want to integrate your ideas on how to make the membership program better, there’s a link to a survey at the bottom. We want to hear what you think!

In motion, 
The Earthdance Board of Directors 

Intentions

1. Clarify: Who is the Earthdance community that Earthdance the institution serves? 
2. Increase community involvement through:
   1. Structured access to board members & staff through community forums
   2. Participation in Earthdance teams (e.g., ASC, CICO, Fundraising)
   3. Pathway to Joining the Board of Directors
   4. An internal members’ communication channel
3. Support the stewardship of our facilities and the land
4. Increase the use of our facilities between events
5. Grow collective commitment to the longevity of Earthdance
6. Create a modest additional yearly revenue stream

Proposed Benefits

1. Overnight stays at a reduced rate of $35/per night between events 
2. Discounted Artist Residencies including:
   1. Studio rental
   2. Use of the farmhouse or dorm kitchen
   3. Accommodation at the gratitude lodge or camping
   4. Use of sauna and quarry
   5. Use of Earthdance audio and video equipment
3. Drop-in days for jams and other Earthdance events (these will only be available to members once this program begins)
4. Discounted rental of our studios for personal use
5. Avenues of participation and feedback; having access to community forums and a dedicated members’ channel on Slack, Whatsapp, or Signal.
6. Opportunity to form and join different Earthdance teams and committees
7. Two members-only weekends per year at-cost. These weekends will include: jamming, facilitated feedback and discussion sessions with staff and the Board of Directors, community work projects, famous kitchen dance parties, etc.

Proposed Requirements

1. To become a member, you must meet the following requirements:
   1. You are an adult who has previously attended at least one event at Earthdance 
   2. You want to claim membership in the Earthdance community, that you’re a part of this experiment in creative living that we call Earthdance. We’re asking, Who is Earthdance? By becoming a member, you’re saying, “I am.”
   3. You pay an annual membership fee of $150 (tax deductible). If cost is an issue, up to 50% can be paid off through a work-exchange agreement.
2. Members are encouraged to attend at least one members-only event each year
3. When Earthdance asks for input, members are encouraged to lend their thoughtful consideration 
4. Members support Earthdance’s mission and act as ambassadors for our community in the world