Before You Register Options

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Talk!

Anyone can read our message board. If you'd like to post on the board, though, you'll need to register. Registration is free. After you register, you will also be able to use our search function.

Unfortunately, there's been a recent trend for spammers to register on message boards, even to automate the confirmation email activation process, and to post links to the usual suspects: lotteries, pornography, drugs, etc. As a result, we've had to change our registration process in January 2007, so that all new registrants will become part of a group called "Registration Completed." Anything posted by members of this group will not be visible to the board until manually approved by a Moderator, and members will stay in this group until status is changed to "New Member" by an Administrator. We are sorry to have to put up a barrier to posting, but we've received hundreds of spam registrations.

After you've made 10 substantial posts, you'll become part of the "Member" group. Only Members can use Personal Messenger (PM), board email, and Member Search. (For details, please click here.)

Some prospective members have a lot of experience on Internet message boards, and for some, Ballet Talk will be their first. Our rules and policies are a bit different than other discussion boards, and it's important that you understand what you're signing up for. The information below is to help you get started. When you do register, you must agree to the Terms and Conditions, which include reading the general Rules & Policies, which are found here. To troubleshoot common registration and New Member issues, please see our FAQ.

Ballet Talk is a moderated site. Information on how our site is moderated can be found here.

The purpose of Ballet Talk is to discuss ballet -- performances, issues, news. If you want to discuss class (including adult), pointe shoes, summer intensives, ballet as a career, or issues concerning parents of dancers, please register at our sister site Ballet Talk for Dancers.

What Ballet Talk Is Not:

* A fan board. Expect that your favorite dancers and companies will be criticized as well as applauded. We encourage courteous, well-reasoned criticism. While we are primarily a site for audience members, critics and ballet professionals are always welcome to post.
* A marketplace. No tape trading, links to free music downloads (unless offered commercially as a promotion by the publisher), or commercial offers.
* A chat board
* An all-purpose meeting place: If one of your first posts is "I'm looking for choreographers for my music" or "Here's a link to my gallery opening" it will be removed. Announcements are limited to members who have made a contribution to the discussion, with rare exception.

Age Requirement.

You must be 16 or older to become a member of Ballet Talk.


Registration is a two-part process.

First, you apply by clicking the "Register" link from the Ballet Talk homepage, confirming that you've read the Terms & Conditions, and completing the sign-up form successfully.
Second, you click the confirmation link from the email you will receive from ballettalk.com. Almost always, this email will be sent within seconds of completing the application process.
Please check your Inbox right after you apply. If our mail is not there, please check your spam folder.

Sign-up Information:

You'll be asked to choose:

1. A username For username rules and guidelines, please see below.
2. A password

You'll also be asked for the following information:

1. Your email address. This will not be visible to the public.
* This must be a paid email address. We do not accept hotmail, gmail, or other free mail addresses.
* It must be a working email, and we reserve the right to reject those that we think are offensive or otherwise unsuitable.
* It must be a permanent email, not temporary email such as mailinator.
* It may not be issued by an organization whose purpose is to provide email to block any trace.
2. Your First and Last Names: These will not be visible to the public. They will be accessible to a limited number of administrators, including the site registrar.
3. Connection to/Interest in ballet: This will be visible to Members.
4. City: This can be the nearest city or metropolitan area. This will be visible to Members.
5. State (US) Country (Outside US). This will be visible to Members.

We review all applications. If we have questions, we will contact you, and you won't be able to post until we are satisfied with your response. If you don’t fill in the required information, you won’t be able to become a member. If you're being downright silly or profane, consider yourself deleted.


Choosing a Username:

1. If you're a member of Ballet Talk for Dancers, we ask that you use the same username on both sites. If you are a BT4D member and have a child who is in pre-professional training and are concerned about anonymity if you use the same username, please use the "Contact Us" link at the top of the page and tell us your concern.

2. If you are under 18, please do not use your full name or last name as your username or in your signature.

3.The username is the name that will appear on your posts. If you do not want your real name to appear, especially if you are affiliated with a company or school, you may choose an alternative, as long as it doesn't misrepresent you as someone else. Please do not ask us to change your user name after you've registered.

4. The No's:

* Registering with your full name if you are under 18.
* Registering with someone else's name, including that of a dancer (who you're not) or other celebrity. If your name is the same as a well-known dancer, we'll ask you to choose another or add a second name or initial. (i.e., no "Misha," "Misha B," "Margot.") Adding “fan” is okay (ex: "Mishafan") is okay if not already taken.
-->Not using your real name in your username is fine. Trying to make us think you're someone you're not is not.
* Using a name that we think is offensive, provocative, or otherwise unsuitable for the board, however tame it may seem, or how acceptable in another language. Examples of what we'd reject are "Stinky Feet" -- yes, someone tried -- "balletsucks," "ihatedirectorx."

* Using a name that is very close to another member name. (Example: "Michele" if we already have a "Michelle," “MishasFan” if we already have “Mishafan.”)
-->We'll ask you to add a second name or initial, or to choose another username not based on a person name. We do this to protect both of you from being confused with each other.

Once you register, you can find our New Poster Guidelines here.

This post has been edited by Helene: Jan 21 2007, 07:04 PM