I responded to the president's remarks in the Ballroom Dance forum. Since the resignation messages are in a different forum, I decided to put my response here.
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I used to be a member of USABDA and USADANCE. I left many years ago, without regret. I wrote an Argentine Tango column for Amateur Dancers when Bob Meyer was the editor. There was an interim editor for one year when suddenly, there was a new editorial staff. Regular contributors Elita Clayman, Helmut Licht and myself were kicked to the curb after being run over by a bus. The staff didn't even send us a letter acknowledging our contributions for many years of service.
The magazine's focus changed to strictly competitions with a touch of information about chapters. References to social dancing were removed. The organization seems to have followed the same path, with an emphasis on competitions.
When I lived in Washington, DC, the only benefit was a discount to monthly USABDA chapter dances. I moved to New York and that seems to be the only benefit as well. There's no reason to belong to USADANCE when there are plenty of other places to dance.
Look at the threads in this forum. Almost all of them deal with competitions: shoes, hair, clothes, etc. There's very little for social dancers.
Your president noted that half the membership left in 10 years and it's time for a change. Does anybody know why half the membership left?
From what I remember, there are two classes of membership: social and competitive. I'll bet that the membership loss is from social dancers. You don't have to be a member to dance. BUT you have to be a member to compete.
The politics and power struggles only add to the dysfunction. I remember when a new slate took over overthrowing the old regime a few years ago. BUT they didn't last long and the power struggles continue.
I'm sure this thread will repeat in one year lamenting the fall in membership.
I hear the strains of violins playing an Argentine Tango.
