PRIVACY
POLICY.

This policy explains what personal data DanceHow collects, why we collect it, how we use it, and the rights you have over it. It is written to satisfy the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, and applies to visitors from the UK, US, Canada and elsewhere.

Who we are

DanceHow ("we", "us") operates the website at dancehow.com. We are the data controller for personal data collected through this site. For privacy questions, write to privacy@dancehow.com.

What we collect

Information you give us

• Lead and enquiry forms. When you ask us to help find a class, claim a studio, or contact a studio, we collect the details you submit — typically your name, email address, phone number (optional), the message you write, and your stated preferences (city, dance style, experience level).
• Account details. If you create an account, we store your email address and a hashed password. Passwords are never stored in plain text.
• Payment details. If you make a purchase, payment is processed by our payment processor (Stripe). We do not see or store your card number; we only receive a confirmation token and the last four digits.

Information collected automatically

• Usage analytics (opt-in). If you accept analytics cookies, we use the open-source Ahoy library to record visits and page events. This captures your IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, referring page, the pages you visit, and any UTM campaign tags in the URL. If you decline, no analytics cookies are set and these events are not recorded.
• Strictly-necessary cookies. We always set first-party cookies that are required for the site to function — session, CSRF, country preference and hero-variant assignment. These do not require consent under PECR.
• Consent cookie. When you make a decision in the cookie banner, we store that decision in a first-party cookie (dancehow_cookie_consent) for six months so we don't have to ask you on every page.
• Server logs. Our servers log standard request metadata (IP, timestamp, URL, status code) for security and debugging. Logs are rotated and deleted on a rolling basis.

You can change your analytics choice at any time by clearing the dancehow_cookie_consent cookie in your browser; the banner will reappear on your next visit.

Why we use it — lawful bases

• To deliver the service you asked for (contract / legitimate interest). When you submit a lead, we use your details to match you with a studio and contact you about your enquiry.
• To run and improve the site (consent for analytics; legitimate interest for security and abuse prevention). Analytics tell us which pages help people find classes and which don't — but only if you opt in. We aggregate this data and do not build advertising profiles.
• To take payment (contract). If you buy something, we process payment through Stripe.
• To comply with the law (legal obligation). For example, retaining records required for tax purposes.

Who we share data with

We do not sell personal data. We share it only with the processors we need to run the service:

• Studios you ask us to contact. If you submit a lead targeting a specific studio, we may share your enquiry details with that studio so they can respond.
• Stripe — payment processing. Stripe's privacy policy: stripe.com/privacy.
• Email and infrastructure providers — hosting, transactional email and error monitoring. These act as processors on our behalf under contract.
• Law enforcement — if compelled by a valid legal request.

International transfers

Our infrastructure and some processors are located outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred outside the UK / EEA, we rely on UK International Data Transfer Agreements, EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or adequacy decisions to safeguard your data.

How long we keep it

• Leads and enquiries: retained for up to 24 months after your last interaction, then deleted or anonymised.
• Accounts: retained while your account is active. Closed accounts are deleted within 30 days.
• Analytics events: retained for up to 24 months in aggregated form.
• Payment records: retained for the period required by tax law (typically 6 years in the UK).

Your rights

Under UK-GDPR you can:

• Ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Ask us to delete data we no longer need (the "right to be forgotten").
• Object to or restrict processing based on our legitimate interests.
• Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
• Receive a portable copy of data you've provided to us.

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@dancehow.com. We aim to respond within 30 days. If you're unhappy with our response, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Security

We use HTTPS for all traffic, store passwords using one-way hashing, and limit access to personal data to staff who need it. No system is completely secure — if we ever discover a breach affecting your data, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority in line with UK-GDPR.

Children

The DanceHow site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 13. If a parent or guardian believes a child has submitted data, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

We will update this page if our practices change. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be flagged on the site.

Contact

Questions, requests, or complaints: privacy@dancehow.com.