Terms of Use

Last updated: January 26th, 2026

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your use of the Kizomba Foundations website and services, including event listings, competition management, instructor profiles, and private lesson booking facilitation (collectively, the "Services") provided by Kizomba Foundations ("we", "us", or "our"). By using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our Services.

1. Accounts and Registration

To access some features of the Services, you must create an account. You are responsible for providing accurate and complete information during account registration and for keeping your account information up-to-date. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account password and for all activities that occur under your account.

2. Fees & Charges

We reserve the right to change our fees and billing methods at any time, with prior notice to you.

Event Submission Fees

Kizomba Foundations charges the following fees for event submissions:

Competition Events: $25.00 USD one-time submission fee
General Events: Free to submit (social dances, workshops, community gatherings)

Participant Registration Fees

When event organizers collect participant registration fees through Kizomba Foundations, the following fees apply:

Kizomba Foundations Platform Fee: $0.50 USD per registration
Stripe Processing Fee: Stripe's standard processing fees apply (currently 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). See Stripe's pricing for details.

Note: Fees may vary depending on the payment method used. International cards, currency conversions, and other payment types may incur additional fees as determined by Stripe. Please refer to our Pricing page for a detailed breakdown and fee calculator.

Service Fee Pass-Through

Event organizers have the option to pass service fees (platform fees and/or payment processing fees) to attendees. When this option is enabled, these fees will be displayed separately during checkout and added to the ticket price. The total amount including any service fees will be clearly shown before you complete your purchase.

Stripe Connect

Kizomba Foundations utilizes Stripe Connect to facilitate secure payment transactions between event organizers and participants. Stripe Connect allows event organizers to directly collect payments from participants, providing a seamless and integrated payment experience.

Account Setup and Use

To collect payments through Kizomba Foundations, event organizers must set up a Stripe Connect account. This process is facilitated through our platform but requires agreement to Stripe's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. By setting up a Stripe Connect account, you authorize Kizomba Foundations to act as an intermediary, facilitating the secure transfer of funds between participants and yourself.

Fees and Transactions

Users utilizing Stripe Connect to collect payments are subject to the fees outlined above. Stripe processing fees are directly charged by Stripe and are separate from any platform fees collected by Kizomba Foundations.

Event organizers are responsible for all Stripe Connect fees associated with their transactions. Please refer to Stripe's documentation for detailed information on processing fees, chargebacks, and dispute resolution.

Responsibilities

Event organizers are solely responsible for ensuring that all transactions comply with applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to tax obligations and refund policies. Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for the management or oversight of individual Stripe Connect accounts or the transactions processed through them.

By using Stripe Connect through Kizomba Foundations, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Kizomba Foundations from any claims, disputes, or damages arising from your use of Stripe Connect, including transactions, refunds, and chargebacks.

Changes to Stripe Connect Services

Kizomba Foundations reserves the right to modify, replace, or discontinue the integration of Stripe Connect at any time, with or without notice. We recommend regularly reviewing Stripe's terms and conditions to stay informed of any changes to their service that may affect your use of Stripe Connect through our platform.

Transactions Through Stripe Connect

When participants make payments for events on Kizomba Foundations, all funds are transferred directly to the event organizer's Stripe Connect account. Kizomba Foundations does not receive, hold, or have access to participant payment funds at any point. Our platform fee is collected automatically by Stripe as an application fee and transferred to us separately. Kizomba Foundations acts solely as a platform to facilitate the listing and promotion of events and does not handle or process participant payments directly.

Relationship Clarification

The financial relationship regarding event payments is exclusively between the participant and the event organizer. Kizomba Foundations is not a party to these payment transactions and does not hold participant funds. All event revenue is deposited directly into the organizer's connected Stripe account. As such, any questions, concerns, or disputes related to payments, refunds, or event services should be directed to the event organizer responsible for the event.

Event Organizer Obligations

By using Kizomba Foundations to collect payments for events, event organizers agree to the following obligations:

Refund Processing:

Organizers are solely responsible for determining refund eligibility and processing refund requests from attendees in a timely manner.
When issuing refunds, organizers understand that Stripe processing fees and Kizomba Foundations platform fees are not returned by Stripe or Kizomba Foundations. If the organizer chooses to refund these fees to attendees, the amount will be deducted from the organizer's Stripe Connect balance.
Organizers should maintain a clear refund policy for their events and communicate it to attendees prior to purchase.

Service Fee Configuration:

When organizers choose to pass service fees to attendees, they are responsible for ensuring attendees understand the total cost including all fees before completing their purchase.
Organizers should not misrepresent ticket prices or hide fees from attendees. All pricing must be transparent and clearly communicated.

Fund Management:

Organizers are responsible for managing funds deposited into their Stripe Connect account, including ensuring sufficient balance to cover potential refunds and chargebacks.
Payout timing is determined by Stripe based on the organizer's account status and Stripe's policies. Kizomba Foundations does not control or guarantee payout schedules.
Organizers are responsible for any negative balances resulting from refunds, chargebacks, or disputes that exceed their available balance.

3. Private Lesson Booking Services

Platform Role and Relationship

Kizomba Foundations acts solely as an intermediary platform that facilitates connections between dance instructors ("Instructors") and students ("Students") for private lesson bookings ("Booking Services"). Instructors are independent individuals and are not employees, agents, contractors, or representatives of Kizomba Foundations. Kizomba Foundations does not employ, recommend, endorse, or guarantee any Instructor listed on the platform. The relationship between Instructor and Student is solely between those parties, and Kizomba Foundations is not a party to any agreement, arrangement, or transaction between them.

No Verification of Instructor Qualifications

Kizomba Foundations does not verify, validate, or confirm the qualifications, credentials, certifications, experience, skill level, insurance coverage, background, or identity of any Instructor on the platform. All information displayed on Instructor profiles, including but not limited to teaching experience, dance genres, certifications, and biographical information, is self-reported by the Instructor and has not been independently verified by Kizomba Foundations. Students bear sole responsibility for evaluating the suitability, qualifications, and trustworthiness of any Instructor before booking a lesson.

Booking Process and Approval

The Booking Services operate on a request-and-approval basis. Students may submit booking requests to Instructors, but submission of a request does not guarantee that a lesson will be approved, confirmed, or take place. Instructors have thirty-two (32) hours to approve or decline a booking request, after which the request will automatically expire. Upon approval, a twenty-four (24) hour grace period applies during which the booking may be cancelled without penalty. After the grace period, the Instructor's cancellation policy governs any cancellations. Calendar invitations are generated automatically based on the booking details; however, Kizomba Foundations does not guarantee the accuracy, delivery, or synchronization of calendar invitations or events.

Payment for Private Lessons

Kizomba Foundations does not currently process, collect, hold, or facilitate payments for private lesson bookings. All payment arrangements for private lessons, including pricing, payment methods, timing, and terms, are made directly between the Instructor and the Student. Kizomba Foundations is not a party to any payment transaction between Instructors and Students and bears no responsibility for payment disputes, non-payment, overcharges, or any other payment-related issues. We reserve the right to introduce payment processing for private lesson bookings in the future, which would be subject to updated terms.

Lesson Locations

Studio Lessons:

When a lesson is designated to take place at a studio or other third-party venue, Kizomba Foundations has no affiliation with, control over, or responsibility for the venue. Students and Instructors are solely responsible for confirming venue availability, suitability, and safety. Kizomba Foundations is not liable for any issues arising from the venue, including but not limited to property damage, injury, access issues, or venue cancellations.

Online Lessons:

For lessons conducted online via video conferencing or other digital means, Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for the technology, platform, or tools used to conduct the lesson. Kizomba Foundations bears no responsibility for technical failures, connectivity issues, recording of sessions (authorized or unauthorized), or the quality of the online lesson experience.

Home Visit Lessons:

When a lesson is designated to take place at a private residence (either the Instructor's or the Student's), both parties expressly acknowledge and assume all risks associated with meeting at a private location. Kizomba Foundations strongly recommends exercising caution and good judgment when arranging home visit lessons. Kizomba Foundations disclaims all liability for any injury, harm, property damage, theft, or any other loss or damage arising from or related to home visit lessons, including but not limited to personal safety incidents, property damage, or any interactions that occur at the private residence.

Physical Activity and Assumption of Risk

Dance instruction involves physical activity that carries inherent risks of injury, including but not limited to muscle strains, sprains, joint injuries, falls, and other physical harm. By booking or participating in a private lesson through the Booking Services, you voluntarily assume all risks associated with participation in dance instruction and physical activity. Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for any injury, illness, physical harm, or death that may result from participation in private lessons booked through the platform.

Instructor Conduct

Kizomba Foundations does not supervise, monitor, or control the conduct of Instructors during lessons or at any other time. Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for any misconduct, negligence, harassment, inappropriate behavior, or unlawful acts by any Instructor. If you experience any inappropriate or unlawful conduct, you should immediately contact local law enforcement and report the incident to Kizomba Foundations at contact@kizombafoundations.com.

No-Shows

Kizomba Foundations is not liable for no-shows by either the Instructor or the Student. If an Instructor or Student fails to appear for a scheduled lesson, any remedies, including rescheduling or refunds, are solely between the Instructor and the Student.

Scheduling and Calendar Errors

While Kizomba Foundations provides scheduling tools and calendar integrations to facilitate lesson bookings, we do not guarantee the accuracy of scheduling information, timezone conversions, calendar synchronization, or the absence of scheduling conflicts. Users are responsible for confirming lesson details directly with the other party.

Instructor Obligations

By listing services and accepting bookings through the platform, Instructors agree to:

Provide accurate and truthful information in their Instructor profile, including teaching experience, genres, and biographical information
Maintain any skills, licenses, certifications, or insurance they represent as holding
Respond to booking requests in a timely manner
Honor confirmed bookings or cancel within a reasonable timeframe according to their stated cancellation policy
Conduct themselves professionally and respectfully during all interactions with Students
Comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations related to their services
Maintain appropriate insurance coverage, particularly for lessons conducted at home or private locations

Student Obligations

By using the Booking Services, Students agree to:

Be at least 18 years of age or have parental/guardian consent
Provide accurate contact information and booking details
Attend confirmed lessons or cancel within the applicable cancellation policy timeframe
Independently evaluate the suitability and qualifications of Instructors before booking
Assume all risks associated with participation in dance instruction and physical activity
Conduct themselves respectfully during all interactions with Instructors

Misrepresentation

Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for any misrepresentation by either Instructors or Students, including but not limited to misrepresentation of qualifications, experience, identity, intentions, or any other information provided on the platform or during interactions facilitated through the platform.

4. Data Sharing in Private Lesson Bookings

When you use the Booking Services, certain personal information is shared between Instructors and Students to facilitate the booking process. By using the Booking Services, you acknowledge and consent to the following data sharing:

Information Shared with Instructors

When a Student submits a booking request, the following information is shared with the Instructor:

Student's full name
Email address
Phone number
Timezone
Message included with the booking request
Requested service, date, time, and location type

Information Shared with Students

The following Instructor information is visible to Students through the platform:

Instructor's name and profile photo
Teaching biography and dance genres
Services offered, including descriptions, durations, pricing, and available location types
General availability schedule
Cancellation policy
Accepted payment methods
Email address (included in booking confirmation communications)

Acceptable Use of Shared Data

Both Instructors and Students agree that shared personal information may only be used for purposes directly related to the private lesson booking and must not be:

Shared with any third party without the other party's explicit consent
Used for marketing, advertising, or promotional purposes unrelated to the booked lesson
Retained beyond what is reasonably necessary for the lesson arrangement
Used for any unlawful purpose

Kizomba Foundations is not responsible for the misuse of personal information by either Instructors or Students once that information has been shared through the Booking Services. For more details on how we handle your data, please see our Privacy Policy.

5. Refund Policy

Event Organizer Responsibility

Refunds for event registrations and pass purchases are handled directly by event organizers through their Stripe Connect accounts. Kizomba Foundations provides the tools for organizers to process refunds but does not determine refund eligibility or make refund decisions.

Refund Process

If you believe you are entitled to a refund, you must contact the event organizer directly. Event organizers have the ability to issue full or partial refunds through our platform. Refunds are processed back to your original payment method and may take 5-10 business days to appear.

Fee Handling on Refunds

When a refund is issued, attendees receive a refund for the pass or ticket price. Any additional service fees (Kizomba Foundations platform fee and/or Stripe processing fees) may or may not be refunded at the event organizer's discretion. If the organizer chooses to refund these fees, the amount comes from the organizer's fund balance. Kizomba Foundations and Stripe do not directly refund their respective fees to maintain platform operations.

Disputes

For disputes regarding refunds, please first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the event organizer. If you are unable to reach a resolution, you may contact Kizomba Foundations, but we cannot guarantee refund processing as the funds are held in the organizer's Stripe Connect account.

Private Lesson Bookings

As Kizomba Foundations does not process or facilitate payments for private lesson bookings, any refund requests related to private lessons must be directed to the Instructor with whom the payment arrangement was made. Kizomba Foundations has no ability to issue, process, or mediate refunds for private lesson payments.

6. Messaging and Communications

Kizomba Foundations provides messaging functionality that allows event organizers to communicate with event participants. By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree to the following terms regarding messaging:

Message Content and Usage

Event organizers may send messages to participants for purposes directly related to their events, including but not limited to:

Event updates and important announcements
Schedule changes or venue information
Event-specific instructions or requirements
Emergency communications

Acceptable Use

When using the messaging feature, you agree to:

Send messages only to participants who have registered for your events
Use the messaging system for event-related communications only
Respect participant privacy and not share their contact information with third parties
Comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding electronic communications

Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited when using the messaging feature:

Sending spam, unauthorized advertising, or promotional content
Harassment or sending unwanted messages after a participant has opted out
Sharing or collecting participant information for purposes unrelated to the event
Using the messaging system to distribute malicious content or phishing attempts

Kizomba Foundations reserves the right to monitor message content and suspend or terminate messaging privileges for users who violate these terms.

Data Sharing with Event Organizers

When you purchase tickets or register for an event through Kizomba Foundations, you acknowledge and agree that certain personal information will be shared with the event organizer. This information includes:

Your full name
Email address
Registration details and preferences
Any additional information you provide during the registration process

This information sharing is necessary to facilitate event management, communication, and participation. Event organizers are required to handle your personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and may only use it for purposes directly related to the event you registered for.

7. User Content and Conduct

When using our Services, you agree not to:

Upload or share any content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable;
Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;
Violate any applicable laws or regulations;
Engage in any conduct that may harm us or our users, or expose us or our users to liability;

8. Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of our Services, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, and software, are the exclusive property of Kizomba Foundations and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, or exploit any part of our Services without our prior written consent.

9. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

Our Services are provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. We do not warrant that the Services will be error-free or uninterrupted, or that any defects will be corrected, or that your use of the Services will provide specific results.

In no event will Kizomba Foundations be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or other intangible losses (resulting from the use of or inability to use our Services), even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Kizomba Foundations specifically disclaims all liability for, and you agree that Kizomba Foundations shall not be responsible for, any of the following arising from or related to the Booking Services:

The quality, safety, or suitability of any private lesson or instruction provided by an Instructor
The accuracy, completeness, or truthfulness of any Instructor profile or self-reported information
Any physical injury, illness, death, or property damage arising from participation in private lessons
Any disputes between Students and Instructors, including payment disputes, scheduling conflicts, or disagreements regarding lesson content
The conduct, behavior, or actions of any Instructor or Student, whether during a lesson or otherwise
No-shows by either Instructors or Students
Errors in calendar invitations, scheduling, timezone conversions, or calendar synchronization
Technical failures, connectivity issues, or quality problems during online lessons
Misuse of personal information shared between Instructors and Students through the Booking Services
Payment disputes, non-payment, or other financial disagreements arising from direct payment arrangements between Instructors and Students
Any issues arising from the use of third-party venues or locations for lessons, including property damage, injury, or access issues
Failures, errors, or inaccuracies in calendar integrations, including Google Calendar synchronization

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain warranties or liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you. In such jurisdictions, Kizomba Foundations' liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Kizomba Foundations, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising out of or in any way connected with:

Your access to or use of our Services, including the Booking Services
Your violation of these Terms
Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights
Any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Services
If you are an Instructor: your conduct during lessons, the accuracy of your profile information, and your interactions with Students
If you are a Student: your conduct during interactions with Instructors and your participation in lessons
Any injury, loss, damage, or death arising from or related to private lessons booked through the platform, regardless of the location or format of the lesson
Any disputes between users arising from bookings, payments, cancellations, no-shows, or conduct during lessons
Any claims by third parties related to the use of their property or locations for lessons, including property damage, personal injury, or trespass

This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of your account and these Terms.

11. Termination

We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to terminate your access to all or part of our Services, with or without notice, for any reason, including, without limitation, breach of these Terms. In the event of termination, you will no longer be authorized to access the Services, and you must promptly destroy all materials obtained from the Services and any copies thereof.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Terms on this page and updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. You are advised to review these Terms periodically for any changes. By continuing to use our Services after we post any such changes, you accept the Terms as modified.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Washington (USA), without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the state of Washington (USA) for the resolution of any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or the use of our Services.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms or our Services, please contact us at contact@kizombafoundations.com.