Glenn Weiss Responds to Resignations

I don't thinks that's as big an issue Loki as they take lessons and coaching. The mrs and I take lessons and coaching with our pros and from them as an am am couple also. It's very additive in the learning process
 
I expect that an amateur couple would take about as many lessons as a pro/am student. The studio wouldn't be collecting fees for performing as the pro in the pro/am couple, but then there's the loss of revenue for not being in the studio to teach to consider.
 
chain studios this might matter, for the ones that cater to independent teachers ( like my pros are) its irrelevant financially. and in fact the studio gets good publicity when good amateur couple dances together at a showcase or comp.. it inspires the other amateur students to....take more lessons!!
 
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.
 
Mr 4 styles said:
I'm with raindance. There needs to be a place for competitive amateur ballroom dance hobbyists
Click to expand...

There are some comps that run pre-champ at prime time, but they're few and far between. NYDF (NDCA comp in NYC) runs their pre-champs right before the open amateurs during the night event. I think this is the only time I've seen it in this spot though.... unless someone wants to do some real digging.

With all of these resignations going on, it sounds like USA Dance needs to re-write their mission statement. Maybe it's time to let the WDSF run the pros here in the US and they can move back to amateur exclusive events. USA Dance investing into professional events might be what sinks their ship.

I used to love some of the USA Dance events I used to compete in.


Does USA Dance do anything outside of Ballroom? Maybe it's time to move into dances like WCS, Salsa, Kizomba, Zouk, Argentine Tango, etc to really get back their social crowd which they lost. A lot of the fall certainly has to do with the rise in social networking, as it's much easier now for people to reach out to one another to set up dance events. If they focused on say a "workshop weekend" in a major city, I think they could slowly recover their social crowd.
 
tangomaniac said:
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.
Click to expand...


I appreciate reading your post, and you make some great points! I don't think the new President is anything like the old, but I have not crystal ball.

It is interesting the comparison you make to this forum as well. When this forum was started 15 years ago there were more social dancers participating here. People used to talk about steps, and things happening at social events more often. I guess we still have quite a few in the Argentine Tango section, Salsa, etc.

I think somewhat the forum is a reflection of the state of dancing, despite what some might want it to be. USA Dance and the NDCA are somewhat a reflection of the national economy, as well as national interest. I am not so sure there is as much emphasis on the Arts these days. If I had my crystal ball, maybe I could see into the future of the Arts (and dancing) in America. Maybe more people will have the time and money and desire to dance like we did in the past, but in a whole new way!

It does seem to go in cycles, but what I don't know is if it is more like commodity based super cycle. I hope note. Hopefully, the next dance fad is just around the corner! If we are lucky, maybe the new USA Dance leadership will help, but I think some of this will be based on factors that are much larger.
 
I glanced at the General Dance Forum and found resignation messages from a VP and three GC members.

This is like a soap opera. Characters die and are reborn. Actors and actresses die in one character and come back in another but the plot seems to be the same.

In the General Dance forum, resignation messages dealt with being marginalized and later pushed out. The overarching theme was CONTROL.

Nothing has changed since I left years ago without regret.

The situation reminds me of a airline pilot talking to his passengers.
"I have good news and bad news. The bad news is we're out of fuel and we're going to crash. The good news is we're ahead of schedule."
 
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