Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction & Acceptance

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of cynthiapaniagua.com (the “Website”) and any programs, classes, workshops, performances, choreography, cultural presentations, speaking engagements, or other services (collectively, the “Services”) offered by Kaypacha Dance LLC, a New York limited liability company, doing business as “Dance Your Ancestors” and “Cynthia Paniagua” (“we,” “us,” or “our”).

By booking a program, purchasing a class, submitting a contact or booking inquiry, or otherwise using the Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website or purchase any of our Services.

2. Disclaimer — Nature of Services

You understand that Cynthia Paniagua and Kaypacha Dance LLC serve as a dance educator, dance coach, dance trainer, and dance instructor. We are not a nutritionist, therapist, physician, licensed medical professional, physical therapist, licensed physical trainer, psychotherapist, or psychologist.

You are responsible for discussing and clearing any and all changes to your lifestyle, food intake, exercise regimen, supplements, medications, or medical treatment with your physician or a qualified medical professional before implementing any change, addition, or alteration suggested or offered in connection with our Services.

Further, we have not promised, nor shall we be obligated, to: (1) act as a therapist by providing psychological counseling, psychoanalysis, or behavioral therapy; (2) assist anyone with a serious medical condition to resolve, manage, or improve that condition; or (3) assist anyone not under the care of a physician or medical professional while implementing healthy changes in his, her, or their life. Our Services are cultural and dance-educational in nature and are offered for that purpose.

3. Description of Services

Kaypacha Dance offers a range of dance-based cultural programs and creative services, including:

• Dance Your Ancestors (DYA): a four-to-five-month program combining live virtual instruction, one-on-one coaching, cultural and folkloric research, and a culminating in-person dance intensive in Peru.
• Classes: public, private, group, and virtual dance classes in Festejo, Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Andean, and related forms.
• Cultural Speaking & Keynotes: speaking engagements and cultural presentations.
• Choreography Services: choreography for performances, productions, and private commissions.
• Corporate Workshops: dance and cultural workshops for corporate audiences.
• Private Events: performances and choreography for private celebrations and events.
• School Presentations: cultural presentations and residencies for K–12 and higher-education institutions.

Detailed descriptions of each Service are available on the corresponding pages of the Website.

4. Booking & Registration

4.1 Booking Process

Bookings for Services are made through the Website, through our booking system, or by direct arrangement. Certain Services — including the Dance Your Ancestors program — require a consultation call before a booking is finalized. All bookings are subject to acceptance by us.

4.2 Accuracy of Information

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when booking any Service. You are responsible for any consequences of providing inaccurate information, including missed communications, cancellations, or ineligibility for the Service.

4.3 Eligibility

Participants must be at least 21 years old to register for the Dance Your Ancestors program. Certain classes and events may have age restrictions noted on their respective pages.

5. Payment Terms

5.1 General

All prices are stated in U.S. dollars (“USD”) unless otherwise noted. Payments are processed through our third-party payment provider (Stripe, via Coach Growth Solutions). By providing payment information, you authorize us to charge the applicable fees.

5.2 Dance Your Ancestors (DYA)

The full DYA program tuition and payment schedule are shared during a consultation call. A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place in a cohort. The balance is due according to the payment schedule confirmed at booking. A discount may be available for payment of tuition in full, as described during the consultation call.

Payment plans. Payment plans of up to fifteen (15) monthly installments are available. Installments are billed automatically on a recurring basis to the payment method you provide at enrollment.

Late or failed payments. A fee of $100 applies for each month a scheduled payment is late, and a fee of $100 applies each time a recurring charge is declined or bounces, regardless of the reason. You may continue to participate in the Services while a fee is outstanding; however, if you do not update your payment method and bring your account current within the month in which a payment fails, you may be dismissed from the program.

5.3 What DYA Tuition Includes

Dance Your Ancestors tuition includes:

• The full virtual training program (weekly live interactive dance instruction and bi-weekly history and folkloric-theory classes over approximately four months);
• One-on-one coaching sessions unlocked at each learning benchmark;
• The in-person dance intensive in Peru, including 15–25 dance classes with teaching artists;
• Accommodations in Peru for the duration of the intensive;
• Meals as specified in the itinerary (breakfast and lunch daily in Lima; breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the stay in El Carmen);
• Ground transportation in Peru, including airport pick-up and drop-off and group excursions;
• Entry fees for cultural sites, museums, and group sightseeing;
• All research and program materials (books, articles, documents, and videos);
• A custom-made, tailored cultural garment (Festejo vestuario), which the participant keeps;
• Access to the post-program Dance Your Ancestors members-only community; and
• A contribution, from a portion of tuition, to El Centro Cultural Amador Ballumbrosio and local arts, education, and health initiatives.

5.4 What DYA Tuition Does NOT Include

International airfare to and from Peru, travel insurance, passport and visa fees, vaccinations, personal expenses, and any items not expressly listed as included.

5.5 Classes

Class fees are stated on the applicable class page and are due at the time of booking. If class packages are offered, unused classes expire at the end of the applicable program dates and are subject to their own terms.

5.6 Bookings (Speaking, Choreography, Corporate, Private Events, Schools)

For paid bookings, a non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the engagement; the deposit amount is specified in your individual booking agreement. For most engagements, the balance is due within seven (7) days following completion of the event. Additional expenses for out-of-town engagements are handled as described in Section 5.7 or in the individual booking agreement.

5.7 Travel Expenses for Bookings

For engagements outside the New York metropolitan area, travel expenses (flight, ground transportation, lodging, and per diem) are handled on a case-by-case basis and agreed in writing at booking — either included in the fee or arranged and paid separately by the client.

6. Cancellations, Refunds & Rescheduling

6.1 Dance Your Ancestors

Because the DYA program requires substantial coordination with in-Peru partners, teaching artists, cultural families, and travel logistics, our refund policy is as follows:

• Deposit: non-refundable.
• Cancellation by the participant after enrollment: the deposit is non-refundable; amounts paid toward the balance are applied as a credit toward a future round of the program. Any further accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.
• Inability to travel to Peru (for example, illness or visa denial): amounts paid are applied as a credit toward a future round; where appropriate, virtual-only participation may be offered.

If we must cancel or postpone a round for any reason — including illness, emergency, insufficient enrollment, or force majeure — amounts you have paid will be applied as a credit toward a future round. We are not responsible for airfare, insurance, or other travel-related costs you have incurred.

Minimum group size. The program runs with a minimum of three participants per round. If a round would otherwise fall below that number, we may bring in an alumni facilitator (through a work exchange) so that the round proceeds with appropriate support rather than being cancelled.

6.2 Classes

Cancellation by student: class fees are non-refundable once a class is purchased. This mirrors standard dance-studio practice.

No-shows: non-refundable; no credit is issued.

Cancellation by us (instructor illness, venue unavailability, insufficient enrollment, or weather): you will receive a full refund.

6.3 Bookings (Speaking, Choreography, Corporate, Private Events, Schools)

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, cancellation terms for paid bookings are:

• 60 or more days before the event: 75% refund.
• Fewer than 60 days before the event: non-refundable.

Rescheduling may be possible subject to Cynthia’s availability and any expenses already incurred. A separate signed booking contract is required for all such engagements.

6.4 Force Majeure

We are not liable for failure to perform any obligation under these Terms if such failure results from causes beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, weather, war, terrorism, civil unrest, pandemic, epidemic, government restrictions or actions, travel advisories, transportation interruptions, or third-party service failures. In such cases, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to reschedule the Service or offer a credit toward a future Service.

7. Travel to Peru (DYA Program)

The Dance Your Ancestors program includes an in-person intensive in Peru. By registering for DYA, you acknowledge and agree to the following.

7.1 Passport, Visa & Documentation

You are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining valid travel documentation, including a passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond your date of return travel, any required visas, and any other documentation required for entry to Peru. All required documentation must be in order before the program start date. We are not liable for denied entry, missed travel, or other consequences resulting from insufficient documentation.

7.2 Health & Vaccinations

You are responsible for consulting a qualified medical provider before travel and for obtaining any recommended or required vaccinations. Current recommendations for travel to Peru are available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Certain vaccinations (for example, dengue) may be recommended, particularly in the event of a local outbreak; these are strongly recommended where applicable but are not required by us.

7.3 Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend — but do not require — that all participants purchase comprehensive travel insurance covering medical care abroad, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, and lost baggage. We are not responsible for costs or losses that could have been mitigated by insurance.

7.4 Third-Party Service Providers

During the Peru intensive, we work with third-party providers including but not limited to airlines, hotels, host families, ground transportation, meal providers, and cultural venues. While we select partners carefully, we are not liable for the acts, omissions, or failures of these third parties.

7.5 Assumption of Travel Risk

International travel involves inherent risks, including but not limited to illness, injury, theft, transportation delays or interruptions, cultural misunderstandings, and exposure to different environmental conditions. By participating, you assume these risks and agree that we are not liable for losses arising from them except to the extent caused by our gross negligence or willful misconduct.

7.6 Conduct Abroad

Participants represent Cynthia Paniagua, Kaypacha Dance LLC, and the communities that host us. You must comply with the laws of Peru, respect the families, communities, and cultural sites we visit, and follow all instructions from Cynthia and the teaching artists. Disrespectful behavior or violation of the program’s code of conduct may result in immediate removal from the program — including during travel abroad — without refund and at your own expense, including your own return travel arrangements.

8. Participant Responsibilities

8.1 Health & Physical Readiness

Dance is a physical activity. By participating in any class, program, or workshop, you represent that you are physically able to participate and that you have consulted a medical professional if you have any condition that could be affected by physical activity. You agree to inform Cynthia of any relevant health condition, injury, pregnancy, or limitation that may affect your participation.

8.2 Code of Conduct

We are committed to a safe, respectful, and culturally grounded space. All participants are expected to:

• Treat Cynthia, teaching artists, community partners, host families, and fellow participants with respect and dignity;
• Honor the cultural traditions being taught and the communities from which they come;
• Act with transparency and integrity, and conduct themselves ethically throughout the program;
• Refrain from harassment, discrimination, or disruptive behavior; and
• Follow instructions and safety guidance provided by Cynthia and the teaching artists.

We reserve the right to remove any participant whose conduct is inconsistent with these expectations, without refund.

9. Assumption of Risk & Waiver of Liability

You expressly understand and agree that participation in dance classes, workshops, programs, and related activities carries inherent risks of physical injury, including but not limited to muscle strain, sprain, fracture, and other bodily harm. By participating, you voluntarily assume all such risks and release Kaypacha Dance LLC, Cynthia Paniagua, and our teaching artists, employees, contractors, and agents from any and all liability for injury, loss, or damage arising from your participation, except to the extent caused by our gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Certain Services may require you to sign a separate waiver of liability. Where such a waiver is required, its terms supplement these Terms.

10. Photography, Video & Marketing Release

We regularly document our programs and classes through photography and video. By participating, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use images and recordings of you captured during any Service for marketing, educational, promotional, and archival purposes, including on our Website, social media, printed materials, and press outreach.

For the Dance Your Ancestors program, this release is confirmed through a separate signed consent on the student intake form, where you may opt in or out of the use of your image for marketing. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, you must notify us in writing prior to the start of the Service.

Participant-captured media. DYA participants may take personal photos and video during the program. When posting program content publicly, you agree to credit and attribute the Dance Your Ancestors program. In classes, participants may take photos, but video recording is permitted only during the portions of class when the instructor expressly allows it (typically toward the end of class) and not during instruction. Please obtain permission before publicly sharing images that include other participants.

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Our Content

All content on the Website and within our Services — including text, graphics, logos, images, videos, curriculum and research materials, written and published works, choreography, and teaching methodologies — is owned by or licensed to Kaypacha Dance LLC and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, teach from, enter into competition, or create derivative works from our content without our prior written permission.

11.2 Choreography, Written & Research Work

Cynthia Paniagua’s choreography and her written and research works — whether published or unpublished — are her intellectual property. Participants and class attendees may not perform, reproduce, republish, teach, or submit her choreography or written or research work (in whole or in part) to any competition, publication, class, or public group without her prior written permission and appropriate attribution. This applies to material learned or received through any Service, including the virtual program and the Peru intensive.

11.3 Teaching & Course Materials

Program materials distributed to DYA participants (including reading lists, research prompts, choreography, video recordings, and community resources) are provided for the personal, non-commercial use of enrolled participants only. You may not share, republish, disclose, or teach from these materials without our express written permission.

11.4 Cultural Attribution & Reciprocity (Ayni)

Certain dance traditions and cultural practices we share belong to the communities of origin in Peru and elsewhere. We honor these traditions through our reciprocity practice (Ayni) and expect participants to do the same. Participants must not misrepresent themselves as authorities on these traditions, and must not teach them commercially or represent them publicly without appropriate cultural sanction and attribution.

11.5 Choreography for Hire

For choreography commissioned by a client, Cynthia Paniagua retains ownership of the final work, and the client receives performance rights to the work, unless otherwise agreed in writing at the time of the engagement. Cynthia retains the right to include the work in her portfolio and marketing materials.

12. Website Use

You may use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You may not:

• Use the Website in any way that violates any applicable law or regulation;
• Interfere with or attempt to disrupt the operation of the Website;
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to access or extract content from the Website without our express permission; or
• Impersonate any person or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Kaypacha Dance LLC and its members, employees, contractors, teaching artists, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Website or the Services, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or goodwill.

Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the amount you have paid us for the specific Service giving rise to the claim in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by gross negligence, for fraud, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Kaypacha Dance LLC, Cynthia Paniagua, and our teaching artists, employees, contractors, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your breach of these Terms, your violation of any law or third-party right, or your participation in any Service.

15. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.

Dispute resolution. In the event of a dispute, the parties agree first to attempt to resolve the matter through good-faith mediation. If the dispute is not resolved through mediation, it shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, and the parties consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

Class action waiver. You agree to resolve any dispute with us individually, and you waive any right to participate in a class action, class arbitration, or representative action.

16. Additional & Incorporated Agreements

Certain Services are also governed by separate signed agreements — including the Dance Your Ancestors full-program contract, the virtual-program contract, booking contracts, and any liability waivers or consent forms. Where a signed agreement applies, its terms supplement these Terms; if there is a direct conflict, the signed agreement controls for that Service.

17. Modifications to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The effective date at the top of these Terms reflects the most recent revision. Your continued use of the Website or Services after any update constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. For material changes affecting active bookings, we will provide reasonable notice.

18. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be directed to: