What's the dividing line between amateur and pro?

[JohnK]

I may have the opportunity to fill in for my former dance coach teaching one of those adult-ed beginner's ballroom classes. I suspect there will be some compensation involved, but certainly nothing one could remotely consider "a living".

What I'm wondering is, would such an activity put me in the "pro" category in regards to dance competition? What defines "pro"? Making ANY money in dance, or some threshold amount, or some minimum hours per week, etc?

I'm not competing now, but I don't want to rule it out, and there's no way I could compete effectively against people (ie legitimate pro's) who do make their livings at this.

[Laura]

If you are in the USA, teaching for compensation will make you a pro under both USABDA and NDCA rules. There is an exception to this, but it doesn't sound like it applies to you at all. The exception is made for Championship-level dancers who place at or above a certain level in the National championships.

[SDsalsaguy]

Exactly as Laura says.

[JohnK]

Does the pro stick "forever", ie, if one taught at one time but no longer teaches, is that person still classified as "pro"?

[dave_aw]

I don't know if its the same as in the UK, but over here amateurs are banned from receiving any money for any dance-related venture except in the following circumstances:

- you do a dance demonstration and pay all monies received (max 150 pounds plus travel expenses I think) to the national association who may decide to pay most of it back as a training grant.

- you apply and are accepted to be an amateur coach who can only teaach groups of 4 or more and only in the presence of a professional.

If you don't abide by these rules the english assocaition will ban you from competition.

To become a pro you can either

- just start dancing in professional.
- take professional exams.

If you just start doing pro then I think there is a complicated process that would allow you, once in your lifetime only, to deregister as pro and go back to amateur. However if you've taken exams then I think there's no way back.

Someone told me that Franco Formica's partner Oksana used to dance pro but got re-classed as amateur to dance with Franco (good move considering they're world number one amateur latin!)

[SDsalsaguy]

Does the pro stick "forever", ie, if one taught at one time but no longer teaches, is that person still classified as "pro"?
One can apply to USABDA to be reinstated as an amateur, but this is by no means a “given.” I am unsure if the same is the case regarding the NDCA. If so it is probably even less "given."

[Laura]

In USABDA if you haven't taught in five years or more they'll reinstate you without any problems. But if it's been less time then that I think you have to explain your case more to convince them.

[Warren J. Dew]

The NDCA has also approved some applications for reinstatement on a case by case basis.