Coming soon Video Tutorials will be added!

What is a forum?

A forum is an online discussion site. It's sometimes also called a 'bulletin board'. It may contain several categories, consisting of threads and individual posts.

How is all this structured?

The forum as a whole contains various categories (broad subject areas), which themselves contain threads (conversations on a topic) which are made up of individual posts (where a user writes something).

The board home page has a list of categories with threads, with basic statistics for each - including the number of threads and posts, and which member posted the most recent message.

How do I find my way around?

When you click on a forum's name, you are taken to the list of threads it contains. A thread is a conversation between members or guests. Each thread starts out as a single post and grows as more individual posts are added by different users. Threads can be rated (coming soon) to show how useful or popular they are and may contain polls (coming soon).

To start a new thread (aka: discussion) simply click on the ‘create a discussion’ button. You must be a member to do this. The default is to have the thread with the most recent activity at the top. But this ordering can easily change, for example to have the thread with the most posts at the top, or the highest rating or “Featured”.

How do I read a thread?

To read a thread, click on its title. Each post in a thread is created by a member or a guest. You'll see some brief information about the member who created the thread above the main post message. In some cases it will be to the side of the post.

To post a reply to an existing thread, just start typing where it says 'Reply to this'. If the 'Reply to this' area does not appear, it could mean that you are not logged in as a member, or that you do not have permission to reply, or that the thread has been closed to new replies. Yes if there is no more to be said about something it can be closed.

How do I find out more about members?

To view information about a particular member, click on the user name. This will take you to their public profile page

What is the Navigation Bar?

The navigation bar at the top of every page has links to help you move around. A 'breadcrumb' area at the top left shows where you are now. A form on the right allows you to quickly login. With one click you can reach areas such as: the Invite, “MyPage” (your’s really) , Forum, Groups, Members, Pictures, Videos, Main Site or FAQ

Can I use RSS to keep up with new posts?

If the administrator has enabled RSS syndication, this lets you view newly created threads in guest-viewable forums without visiting the board. Make sure you click the RSS icon and save it to your computer to start receiving them.

The RSS feeds stand for Really Simple Syndicate. Sites that use this offer content in text format [no or limited graphics and media] which makes it easier for busy people to get the updated information wit out having to always log into the website. Quite ideal for those that can’t access certain sites at work, can still be informed.

Most modern browsers have facilities for reading RSS feeds and will automatically detect the availability of feeds on forum pages. If you need a feed reader try Google. Google provides many convenient tools.

What can people see here?

In addition to our security certificate and sweeps, each member has a "Settings" feature on the top right column. Here, you have full control over what anyone can see and who can see it. We encourage everyone to visit, edit and understand this area as it pertains to you personal profile and security. We want all of our members to feel safe and comfortable, as we build and grow the dance community.

Can I block posts, emails and messages from specific users?

If there are particular members that bother you and you do not want to see their posts or receive Private Messages and Emails from them, then you can add these members to your 'Block List'. There are several ways to do this:

Through your User Control Settings: Choose either remove as friend (if they were a friend) or Block messages

What if I see something offensive?

You can report them to us by sending us an email and we will take action accordingly.




Can I email other members?

Yes. To send an email to another member, you can either find them on the member list and click "send message" or hit reply to their personal message they set you. [Keep in mind to view "PM"/ email messages check you inbox on top of the right column]

This will usually open a page that contains a form where you can enter your message. When you have finished typing your message, press the 'send email' button and your message will be sent instantly.

Can I see email addresses?

NO! For privacy reasons, the recipient's email address is not revealed to you during this process. [Aren't you glad?] Anyone who tries anything malicious will be banned instantly with out warning and their IP address will be tagged and submitted so they can not re-enter under a different name. [At least with out buying a new computer...Zero tolerance :)-]

Why can't I send an email to someone?

If you cannot find an email button or link for a member, it means either that the administrator has disabled email functions for this forum, or that the member has said that they do not wish to receive email from other members.

Can I email a link to a friend?

Another useful email function is the ability to send a friend a link to a thread you think they may find interesting. Whenever you view a thread, you will find a link below it on the page called "Share" which will allow you to send a brief message to anyone you like. Your member name is added to the link you send, so if your friend will see that it is you sending it from the community site. [Note- You can also invite friends to join the community in the same manner]

What is private messaging [a.k.a. "PM"?] How can I send a message to only that person?

Registered members may send messages to other members of this forum using the private messaging system. Just choose the member and look on the left column under their name for "Send Message". This is viewable only by them.

Lost My Password

I forgot my password. What can I do?

If you forget your password, you can click on the 'Forgotten Your Password' link. This will appear on most pages that requires you to fill in your password.

This link brings up a page where you should enter your registered email address. An email will be sent to that address shortly, with instructions for resetting your password.

Since passwords are encrypted, there is no way to resend your original password. This option provides you with the ability to reset your password.

You must be able to receive emails to your registered email address for this to work. You may need to check your spam filters and folder if you do not see this email in a few minutes.

What is 'Automatic Login'?

When you register (and also when you login using the form at the top of the screen), you will be given the option to 'Remember Me'. This will store your identity securely in a cookie on your computer. If you are using a shared computer, such as in a library, school or internet cafe, or if you have reason to not trust any other users that might use this computer, we recommend you do not enable this.

How do I clear cookies?

You can clear all your cookies set by the forum by clicking the 'logout' link at the top of the page. In some cases, if you return to the main index page via the link provided and you are still logged in, you may have to remove your cookies manually.

In

Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP: Click the 'Tools' menu. Select 'Internet Options' from the menu that appears. Click 'Delete Cookies' on the dialog box that appears. It will be in the center area of the 'General' tab.

In

Internet Explorer 7: Click the 'Tools' menu. Select 'Internet Options' from the menu that appears. Click 'Delete...', beneath 'Browsing History' on the dialog box that appears. It will be in the center area of the 'General' tab. Click 'Delete cookies...' on the next dialog box that appears.

In

Firefox: Click the 'Tools' menu. Select 'Options' from the menu that appears. From the dialog box, select 'Privacy' on the left. Find 'Cookies' on the main pane, and click the 'Clear' button adjacent to it.

In

Safari: Go to Preferences, Security, then show Cookies and either select 'Remove all' or select individual cookies and then the 'Delete' button.

In

Opera: Go to Tools, Preferences, Advanced, Cookies, Manage cookies then select the name of this site and click the 'Delete' button. Your cookies should now be removed. You may want to restart the computer and revisit the forums to be sure.

Other browsers may have a different method of clearing cookies. Refer to the documentation for your own browser if you are unsure.

You will see a 'Calendar' link on the home page of the community site (if this option is enabled by the administrator). By default, the forums will have one Calendar that can be viewed and used by all members.

Members can add upcoming events that might interest the community. You can also sign up to get email alerts about upcoming events.

In addition, the administrator could create additional private calendars for individual members or for specific user groups.

How do I add an event to the Calendar?

If you go to you Google account and click ‘iCal’ you can create an event and save it to ical format. [importable by Outlook also.] Then send us the ical and we can easily merge the event right into the calendar. [Please follow all directions when filling out the icalendar event.

You can also copy the existing ical we have and merge it into either Google calendar [most convenient] or Outlook. Google provides detailed instructions on this and it’s really quite easy. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be snatch everyone’s calendars and merging them onto yours. BTW once created by someone no other can edit it only the creator. Others can only view it.

There are three types of event that can be added to a calendar:

* Single, All Day Event - an event that takes place for the whole of a day.

* Ranged Event - events that have a defined start time and end time, not necessarily both on the same day.

* Reccurring Event - repeat over a set period of time based on certain criteria. Examples would be an event that occurs on the first Monday of every month and an event that occurs every Monday and Wednesday.

Just choose the appropriate option for the event you are adding, fill in the required information, then save the event. It will now appear on the Calendar.

If this is too much for you, you can send us the details along with a picture [is a plus, good quality is even better] along with the [Google map] of the event and we will add it for you. The idea here is more info is better [remember the 5 w’s + How]

Where do birthdays show?

Birthdays show on the left column towards the middle. It will show anyone’s birthday that is either that day or soon.

How do I get my own to show?

If you filled out your profile correctly there was a box asking you for your Birthday date and year. Plus an option for how it is show. If you fill out the date incorrectly or choose ‘Don’t show’ it will never show up. It’s a cool feature a helpful reminder to remember a friend and we hope you will all take care of it.