Please note High School age children are welcome to participate in our group classes. 

NO CHILDREN, PLEASE

SSQQ has a "ONCE A YEAR EXCEPTION" policy for all students.  However the "No Children" Rule is so important we rarely make an exception on this particular policy.

Our Registrars and Hall Monitors are paid to enforce our rules. We thoroughly dislike it when students show up at the studio without written permission and then ask our Staff to bend the rules. It is their job to say "no".  Please have the respect for these Staff people by not putting them in this position in the first place. 

If you want an Exception, always email first and ask for permission the right way. Thanks!

SSQQ is a place for Adults to Have Fun!

• Kids have schools, neighborhoods, front yards, backyards, parks, and playgrounds. 
• Teens have school, the mall, hangouts, and church groups. 
• Don't you think Adults deserve a place to have fun too?
   
• SSQQ is an "Adult Playground".

The main reason we do not allow children is because this is a place where boys meet girls. This is a place where flirting is allowed and where husbands should be able to let their wives sit on their laps without being self-conscious.

If everyone brought their children, SSQQ would change dramatically.  It would become a much different place.  It is very difficult for adults to act like kids when actual kids are around.  Please do not force our adults to behave by bringing your kids along!

We realize adding one kid per night would not make much a difference, but if we let your kid in, we would be disrespecting every person in the building who was nice enough to cooperate with the rule.

Since it isn’t fair for one parent to bring their child but not another parent, the rule is: No Kids.

Over the years we have had many incidents involving kids, mostly during our early years. One time we had some small boys get caught jumping up and down on a couch like it was a trampoline. Another time a kid spilled his drink all over the couch.

Backfire

The incident that made us finally draw the line was not really that spectacular. It was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.  We made an exception that backfired on us.

One afternoon in 1991 a man showed up for his first dance class at 4:30 on a Sunday with his kid in tow. I said to him we did not allow children. He said he had not been aware of our policies and could we let his son stay for the day. He said his son, age 12, was an excellent student and would read a book the entire afternoon.

I took one look at his son and sensed he was correct. The young man seemed quiet and self-contained. Finally I relented and gave permission. As promised, the kid was an angel. He sat in his chair through the entire class reading his book.  He gave us no problems.

After class the man told me he would not be able to continue to take classes since he did not have a baby sitter. Since the boy had behaved so well, I said it was okay. I decided to make an exception.

In the second week of class there were no problems. The boy read his book and things went fine.

However in the third week, a woman who in the same class brought her teenage daughter and the daughter's girlfriend along with her.  The mother had not asked permission.  I spoke to her and pointed to the sign that said "No Children."

The woman replied, "I assumed since that boy was here the first two weeks that you wouldn't mind." And what was I supposed to say to that?

These girls spent the entire afternoon talking constantly. They were very distracting.  The young man continued to read quietly.

That afternoon I taught a minor acrobatic move known as a "Dip" where the lady falls into the man's arms and hits a dramatic pose. The girls took one look at the demonstration and started to giggle. To them it was silly. Unfortunately their attitude affected the adults. Immediately several women said they would just watch. Let me add the mother was one of those women who decided not to try it.

As usual, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. If you let one child in, you have to let the next kid in. Where do you draw the line?  The only choice that makes any sense is to say "No Children" and stick to our guns.

Believe it or not, I actually like kids.

Be that as it may, we still insist that you leave your children at home for a simple reason: 

We Do Not Make Exceptions.  And Don't Ask.  The moment we permit even one child to visit, then every other parent in the room who has left their child at home to respect our wishes is slapped in the face. 
 

QUESTION: CAN YOU ARRANGE FOR CHILD CARE AT THE STUDIO?

February 2000

My husband and I took a class at SSQQ back around November 1998, and we really loved it, but we haven't taken another one, because we've found it really tough to arrange reliable childcare for four consecutive weeks. Is there any way you guys could maybe help us solve this problem, maybe by soliciting someone's teenager to come supervise a play corner in the lobby during classes, or some sort of cooperative arrangement? Maybe at least put up a note on the web page to see if there's sufficient interest, or if anyone has good ideas? Thanks for any help you can offer; we'd love to be able to take another class before our little guy grows up! :)
Thanks,  Kristi

REPLY:
I wish we could help you, Kristi, but the studio changes its energy when children are around.  It is true that many of our students agree with you completely. However I have found that having children at the studio is either very distracting for some people or "inhibiting" for others. Whenever kids are in the room, many adults feel a need to behave and set a good example.

I would rather have my adults feel free to act like big kids. I hope you understand.
 

QUESTION: I THOUGHT YOU SAID "NO CHILDREN"?

August 2003

I am writing to complain about the kids in the Zydeco class who have been there on Saturday afternoons. In one case, I think the same kids were there 3 weeks in a row. They would come from Room 2 through my room (room 3) to go to the bathroom each week....first the little boy (about age 9), then the girl (about age 11). Each time they would come through, they would interrupt me to ask where the bathroom was. What aggravated me was that the girl's bathroom was in Room 2. What was the girl doing coming into my room?  I never figured that one out.

One week the little boy even hid behind the curtain in the room to jump out and scare the little girl. This really disrupted my class. The first 2 weeks I asked them to please hurry and do whatever they were doing. I told them that they really weren't supposed to even be there. I guess I'm wondering why someone let them in 3 weeks in a row?! (and why their mother didn't make them sit still...we have a break half way through the lessons...bathroom breaks should have been taken care of at that time).

I'm sorry. I don't mean to go off on a tangent. I know it's no t your fault. It just seemed to happen quite a bit this last month, and I found it very distracting. I guess it bothered me more because I KNEW you had SPECIFICALLY mentioned "no kids" at the studio. Anyway, I just wanted to keep you up to date on what happened.

Patricia Jackson


REPLY:
This is a very alarming story, Ms. Jackson. I wish I had known about the problem sooner.  There is no excuse for this.  However since I am not there on Saturdays, this is the first time I have heard about it. 

The situation you describe is exactly why the rule says: "No Kids. No Exceptions".

I will make sure the Hall Monitor is aware of the problem and takes the correct action.
 

QUESTION: CAN MY 13-YEAR OLD JOIN YOUR CLASS?

February 2005

-----Original Message-----
From: Hector Guerrero
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 1:21 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: 13 year old daughter

Rick, I am interested in bringing my entire family to your salsa class next month. This would include my wife, my 17 year old son, my 15 year old daughter, and my 13 year old daughter.  I read very carefully your rules regarding children and realize my youngest daughter is not in high school.  Would you consider letting her join the class?

REPLY:
This is a very alarming story, Ms. Jackson. I wish I had known about the problem sooner.  There is no excuse for this.  However since I am not there on Saturdays, this is the first time I have heard about it. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Archer
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 1:21 PM
To: Hector Guerrero
Subject: Re: 13 year old daughter

Mr. Guerrero, I would love for you to bring your daughter.  As long as she doesn't mind dancing with adults in addition to you and her brother, she is more than welcome. I think you have correctly analyzed that your situation calls for an exception.