Ballroom team waltzes into conflict

Money and mismanagement allegations have thrown Tufts' award-winning ballroom team into turmoil.

The controversy began when the three co-captains of the team, sophomores Kirsten Linder, Ashley Ward and Dave Johnston, decided to remove several alumni instructors from the team.

"They're bad for the team. They clouded personal issues with business," Johnston said.

One of the alumni was escorted by four Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers out of a practice last week.

Johnston said the alumni intruded in the affairs of the organization and misrepresented the team. He cited a "rude e-mail" the alumni sent to the Yale Ballroom Team regarding a scheduling conflict, strained relations with local professional dancers, and conflicts with other team members as reason behind the termination.

The three alumni, who all graduated last year, were responsible for giving paid, twice-a-week lessons to first-year dancers. This position has historically been held by upperclassmen dancers but was held by the alumni this year.

A letter left by the captains at a practice last year signed by all three captains also questioned the location of funds given for the lessons.

Captain Kirsten Linder said one of the alumni, Stephanie Chin, was using funds from teaching for personal expenses.

"It's against the teams policy because [Chin] isn't paid for teaching, her lessons are supposed to be covered," Linder said. "If she doesn't need the money for lessons, then she shouldn't get anything from the team."

Chin denied these allegations. "I have not stolen any team money. Every cent that went to me was earned as you have all witnessed," she wrote in a statement to the team. Chin said her private lessons were paid by monies earned as secretary of Studio 665, where she works full-time. The costs of the lessons were deducted from her salary.

Mark Herschberg, who works with the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancing Association (USABDA), said amateur dancers were barred from accepting any payment for lessons. Amateur dancers are not allowed to make any money unless they are at the elite level; Tufts has no dancers in this category.

Violating these rules could lead to disqualification from amateur competition, but Herschberg said the USABDA does typically does not investigate before a formal complaint is filed with the organization.

Herschberg said teaching amateur lessons was often a "thankless job." He said some clubs require service, while "many [dancers] do it because they care and want to give back to the community."

Many dancers have defended the alumni. At a meeting last Wednesday which the captains did not attend, 24 of 26 attendees voted to reinstate the alumni. There are approximately 50 students on the team.

The captains and a moderator attended previous meetings, but Johnston called these meetings "absolutely fruitless."

The Ballroom Team's constitution states that an officer can be impeached for missing meetings, "not fulfilling office duties," or "not treating the team mission and/or members with respect." Any vote must be approved at a meeting where three-quarters of the team must be present, and two-thirds in attendance must vote to impeach an officer.

No impeachment hearing is currently scheduled.

TCU Judiciary Chair Abby Moffat said the Judiciary would not be involved as every group has "their own procedures for impeachments."

Moffat said the alumni could not be considered members of the organization, since they did not pay the student activities fee.

"[Alumni] can't make decisions for undergraduate groups," she said.

No formal complaints have been filed with the Dean of Students Office. Linder said this was more because of the effort involved in the process.

"I feel so tired and worn down that I'd almost rather just be impeached, she said, "Even though I know in my heart that what we're doing is right and [the alumni] are a detriment to the team."

Any embezzlement hearing would be held by the Dean of Students, and carries the punishment of expulsion, according to the Judicial Affairs Handbook. This punishment would be meaningless to the alumni.

At Wednesday's meeting, the team members present decided to make a proposal to present to the alumni. Sophomore Emily Mangone said "the captains would accept [the proposal] or we would impeach them."

The compromise calls for lessons to be taught by a combination of students and alumni. An additional lesson would be given to first or second year dancers by a professional instructor.

The proposed plan would cost $285 per week, or $3,420 for the rest of the term. This would vary from the team's budget from the TCU Treasury, which only calls for $2,860 in instruction per semester, which would come entirely from a professional instructor. Additional money comes from a reduction of competition fees, which would only be covered for experienced members. The group's budget calls for the payment of the entire team's concert fees.

TCU Senator Jose Vasquez said the "the budget subcodes are just mere guidelines." Groups are allowed to transfer monies between different areas of the budget with the approval of the TCU Treasurer.

Vasquez refused to comment on whether paying alumni to give lessons was in violation with TCU policies.

Team members were also concerned about the quality of newcomer lessons as they were taught by the captains.

"I'm not against [captains] teaching, I personally don't feel as if their skills are as strong as the other alumni," Mangone said.

The team has not voted on any proposal, but the process has had an effect on the team's performance. While several team members won ribbons at Sunday's competition at Boston University, it was a disappointing finish compared to previous competitions. "I don't think we are as prepared as can be," sophomore Ilya Lozovsky said before the competition. Mangone said the multiple meetings had cut into the team's practice time.

Members are now trying to find a solution which would allow the team to concentrate on dancing.

"I don't think there's a way the current administration can stay," Mangone said. She said, however, that the captains would be welcome to continue dancing with the team.

"They are a huge help, I hope they will stick around," Lozovsky said.

Lozovsky said everyone had a piece of the blame. "I think the captains were wrong in kicking out the alumni unilaterally," he said, "on the other hand, I think the captains did have some legitimate complaints."

Brian Loeb, Allison Roeser, and Daniela Perdomo contributed to this article.