Charter Proposal

This document contains proposed changes to the Saltare charter by a former Steward, Lorenzo Petrucci.

Saltare Charter
A Kingdom-Wide Dance Guild of Meridies

Name: The name of the Guild shall be Saltare, Latin for “to dance.”

Purpose: The purpose of the Guild shall be to promote the learning and teaching of Medieval and Renaissance dances from both European and Eastern cultures throughout the Kingdom of Meridies, as well as the creation of new dances in these styles.

Goals: The goals for the Guild at the time of chartering shall be five-fold:

  1. To facilitate communication between local groups on the subject of dance, and to assist any local group in organizing dance practices for itself.
  2. To assist any local group which wants to have formal dance classes, either at meetings or events.
  3. To maintain a roster of dance teachers throughout the Kingdom.
  4. To provide access to music, reconstructions, research, and other resources necessary to teach and perform dances.
  5. To encourage widespread teaching and research of Medieval, Renaissance, and SCA dances.

Membership: Any person who is interested in researching, teaching, or leading dance may become a Member of Saltare. Membership in Saltare is not required for those who simply wish to participate in dancing.

In furthering the goal of teaching dance throughout the kingdom, the Guild is often called upon to provide teachers and revel organizers for various local and kingdom events. Those members who wish to be called upon to serve in this capacity will be so listed on the Guild web page, and may also be contacted by the Steward.

Local Dance Leaders: Those people who are officially in charge of dancing for their local group are especially encouraged to be Members of the Guild. These people will be contacted first regarding requests for teachers and organizers for events local to them.

There will be regular communication between the Steward and Local Dance Leaders, to aid in propagating a cohesive repertoire of basic dances throughout the kingdom.

Regional Dance Practices: At the request of a local group or interested individuals in a particular region of the Kingdom, the Guild will sponsor Regional Dance Practices. These may or may not be official SCA events, or part of another official SCA event. The purpose of these practices will be to teach basic dances and provide opportunities for new teachers to hone their skills.

The Saltare Dance Collegium: Once per year, the Guild will sponsor a Dance Collegium. This event will be an official SCA event, for which the Steward will solicit bids from local groups interested in hosting it. The location of the Collegium will ideally vary from year to year, so as to serve the various regions of the Kingdom equally. The date will be determined based on the bids provided to the Steward. The purpose of the Collegium will be to teach new dances and present new research, in addition to providing basic dance instruction.

Guild Steward:

The person in charge of the Guild shall be called the Guild Steward. The Steward’s duties are as follows:

  • To maintain a current roster of dance teachers in the Kingdom of Meridies.
  • To assist local groups in finding teachers for dance classes at events, local meetings, revels, etc.
  • To assist local groups who wish to start their own dance practices.
  • To keep informed on the progress, projects, and other dance activities of local groups (either through formal reports or informal correspondence).
  • To report to the Kingdom Minister of Arts Sciences (by way of the KA&S Guild Deputy) on the progress, projects, and activities of both Saltare and local dance groups.
  • To maintain a current list of dance resources and music.
  • To solicit bids for the Saltare Collegium in a timely manner, and organize teachers and classes for the Collegium.
  • To organize Regional Dance Practices as requested. This may be delegated to a Member in the region in question as necessary.
  • The Guild Steward may appoint deputies as needed. This may include a Web Deputy to maintain the Guild web site. If the Steward is primarily focused on either European or Eastern dance, they may also appoint a deputy with a focus in the other area. The Steward may replace any deputies as necessary at any time.
  • The Steward shall call for a Replacement Deputy at least eight months before planning to leave office. The Steward will train the Replacement Deputy in the duties required to take over the office. The office shall be handed over at the Saltare Collegium.

The process for selecting a Replacement Deputy is as follows:

  1. Eight months before planning to step down from the office, the Steward will announce polling for a Replacement Deputy.
  2. Nominations will be accepted for a period of one month following the announcement. Those nominees who wish to be considered for the position shall submit a brief biography including any credentials relevant to the office. Nominations may be sent to the Steward by email or any other method of communication.
  3. Voting will take place on the Saltare website for a period of one month following the nomination period. Biographies of nominees will be posted along with the ballot. Votes may be changed at any time during the voting period.
  4. Votes will be tallied at the end of the voting period. In the case of a tie, the current Steward will make the final decision. Final ballot results will be available upon request.

Amending The Charter:

Amendments to this charter require the agreement of a two-thirds majority of Guild Members. Prospective changes shall be sent to the Guild Steward. After prospective changes are announced, there will be a one month discussion period to allow Members a chance to consider the proposed change. The vote will be conducted on the Saltare website over a period of one month following the end of the discussion period.

By-Laws:

Further rules may be added as by-laws in a separate document. Additions and changes to the by-laws require the agreement of a simple majority of Guild Members. Prospective changes shall be sent to the Guild Steward. After prospective changes are announced, there will be a one month discussion period to allow Members a chance to consider the proposed change. The vote will be conducted on the Saltare website over a period of one month following the end of the discussion period.