Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Ballroom With Carole is an independent dance tuition business operated by Carole Hellewell (sole trader), providing adult Ballroom and Latin dance classes, private tuition, and wedding dance choreography in Hampshire, UK.

For the purposes of the UK GDPR, Carole Hellewell is the Data Controller responsible for your personal information.

• Principal Venue: Victoria Halls, West Green Road, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 8RQ
• Email: carole@ballroomwithcarole.co.uk
• Telephone: 07891 707057
• Website: ballroomwithcarole.co.uk

Practice evenings referenced on this website are organised in association with Jude & Katie (07413 678040). Where you contact Jude & Katie directly in relation to practice sessions, your details are handled solely for the administration of those sessions.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide dance tuition and communicate timetable updates. This may include:

• Contact Details: Your name, telephone or mobile number, and email address.
• Enquiry & Booking Information: Details of classes or private tuition you enquire about or book, dates attended, and wedding first dance song choices.
• Voluntary Health & Mobility Information: Any physical considerations, injuries, or mobility limitations you voluntarily disclose to us so that steps and routines can be adapted for your safety and comfort.
• Correspondence: Records of enquiries, emails, text messages, or telephone communications.

3. How We Collect Your Personal Data

We collect information directly from you when you:

• Contact us by telephone, SMS, or email with an enquiry;
• Speak to us in person before or after class at Victoria Halls;
• Book private tuition or wedding dance lessons;
• Choose to join Carole's class WhatsApp announcement group after attending a class.

4. Website & Cookies

Our website does not use cookies.

We operate a static website built with privacy by design. We do not use tracking cookies, analytics cookies (such as Google Analytics), advertising pixels, or third-party tracking scripts. We do not track your browsing habits across third-party websites or store data in your browser's local storage.

All fonts and images are hosted directly from our own domain servers, ensuring no external requests are made to third-party ad networks or content delivery networks that could identify you.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing (UK GDPR)

Under UK data protection law, we must have a valid lawful basis to process your personal data. We rely on the following bases:

• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill bookings for private lessons, wedding dance tuition, or to take steps at your request prior to entering into tuition arrangements.
• Legitimate Interests: To run our dance school effectively, notify active students of timetable changes, venue slot updates, or practice evening announcements, and respond to incoming enquiries.
• Consent: For your voluntary participation in Carole's class WhatsApp group. You are free to withdraw your consent and leave the group at any time.
• Vital Interests & Explicit Consent: Where you choose to inform us of a health or mobility condition, we process this information solely to safeguard your physical wellbeing on the dance floor.

6. Carole's Class WhatsApp Group

Students who have attended a class are invited to join Carole's WhatsApp group to receive occasional announcements regarding practice sessions, class dates, and hall arrangements.

• Joining this group is entirely voluntary and is not a condition of attending classes.
• Please note that within a standard WhatsApp group, your mobile telephone number and profile display name may be visible to fellow group members.
• You are welcome to leave the group at any time by selecting "Exit group" within WhatsApp, or by contacting Carole to receive updates via direct SMS or telephone instead.

7. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We never sell, rent, trade, or commercialise your personal information.

Your personal data is strictly confidential and is only shared in the following limited circumstances:

• Practice Evening Organisers: With Jude & Katie, solely to coordinate session access and confirm attendance for practice evenings.
• Essential Service Providers: Secure communication providers used in the normal course of business (e.g. telecommunications providers and secure email hosting).
• Legal Requirements: If required to do so by applicable UK law, regulation, or court order.

8. Data Security & Retention

We take appropriate physical and technical precautions to safeguard your contact details from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access.

We retain your contact details only for as long as you remain an active student or expressed an ongoing interest in attending classes. If you cease attending classes or ask us to remove your information, we will delete your contact records promptly, save for any basic financial transaction records we are legally obliged to retain for UK tax and accounting compliance.

9. Your Legal Rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a Subject Access Request).
• Right to Rectification: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete contact details.
• Right to Erasure: You may request that we delete your personal information ("the right to be forgotten").
• Right to Restrict Processing: You may request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your data where we rely on legitimate interests.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent (such as WhatsApp membership), you may withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact Carole directly by telephone on 07891 707057 or by email at carole@ballroomwithcarole.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month without charge.

10. Complaints to the Regulator

If you have concerns about how your data is handled, we encourage you to contact us first so we can resolve the matter promptly. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically to reflect operational changes or evolving legal requirements. Any updates will be published on this page with an updated revision date.