Jan. 8 NDCA Meeting Results

message from Richard Gleave

The following is a message from Richard Gleave from Freedom to Dance Group:

Dear All,

I have received the following e-mail from Brian McDonald, of the National Dance Council of America, and I quote:

"It is the decision of this council that approval under this rule will not be given to IDSF sanctioned events for the foreseeable future. Additionally, existing approval for IDSF events at the Embassy Championships, and the Desert Classic are cancelled with immediate effect."

This means that IDSF will not be able to organise competitions in conjunction with NDCA in the USA.

It is an appropriate moment to quote the last paragraph of the National Anthem of America:

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

America as always, is showing the way.

Richard
 
I find it all strange. There are many "heroes" that also show the way, and for me, some of my heroes are IDSF amateurs. It's like you are putting the cause before the hero.

I'm sure there are many details that I don't know about, but if this new rule means that top amateur dancers from around the World won't be coming to the USA to compete together, it is a great disappointment.

I would assume there are merits to the arguments on both sides of this, but that doesn't change the mediocrity of the situation.
 
As I research this, I am seeing a little more behind the dilemma. This my best attempt at explaining an argument that is surely more complex.

It seems the IDSF has reached a point where they are threatening to ban competitors who compete at competitions that are not subject to the IDSF rules. A recent case would be the BDF Star Championships which is judged by UK adjudicators. Under IDSF you have to have representation from more countries.

Surely, the English see this as an attempt to marginalize their competitions. Many of these comps are not even IDSF events.

So I would assume the US is doing this to call the IDSF on their bluff.

Could it be they intend to attract amateurs to come over to the US to compete for Pro-Am prize money?
 
A coworker mentioned that this may effect US couples abroad dancing IDSF comps, in a negative way. I hope he is wrong.
 
As I research this, I am seeing a little more behind the dilemma. This my best attempt at explaining an argument that is surely more complex.

It seems the IDSF has reached a point where they are threatening to ban competitors who compete at competitions that are not subject to the IDSF rules. A recent case would be the BDF Star Championships which is judged by UK adjudicators. Under IDSF you have to have representation from more countries.

Surely, the English see this as an attempt to marginalize their competitions. Many of these comps are not even IDSF events.

So I would assume the US is doing this to call the IDSF on their bluff.

Could it be they intend to attract amateurs to come over to the US to compete for Pro-Am prize money?

All part of a very long and ugly war being played out on the world level between IDSF and WDC, which is now reaching U.S. shores, as I guess it had to eventually. Hopefully amateurs here don't get squashed in the battle, as they have in other countries.
 
As I research this, I am seeing a little more behind the dilemma. This my best attempt at explaining an argument that is surely more complex.

It seems the IDSF has reached a point where they are threatening to ban competitors who compete at competitions that are not subject to the IDSF rules. A recent case would be the BDF Star Championships which is judged by UK adjudicators. Under IDSF you have to have representation from more countries.

Surely, the English see this as an attempt to marginalize their competitions. Many of these comps are not even IDSF events.

So I would assume the US is doing this to call the IDSF on their bluff.

Could it be they intend to attract amateurs to come over to the US to compete for Pro-Am prize money?

But they would have to be non IDSF amateurs or else risk sanctions :-(
 
Perhaps the IDSF had conditions for the competitions that the NDCA and competitions were not willing to meet.
 
The more I read into this, the more I see there are so many interests involved that a good deal of choosing the lesser of two evils is what will take place for quite some time for many dancers.

Some of the entities involved with different interests include
WDC, USA Dance, NDCA, IDSF, ADSF, FIDS and other organizations
Then you have have the dancers from countries who have different systems and customs including USA, Italy, Germany, England, Japan, and many more.

And of course the coveted dancing in the Olympics plays a role.

There is a big fight going on for control. It is the politics of dance at its least finest. It is not all that unlike government politics. People aren't trying to compete at being the most ethical here. It is about control of the money and the fame, and how they are dispersed.

This will go on for many years to come...

As dancers we should go on making our own personal contributions to the dance world, and try to be supportive of those people that earn our respect over the years.

The NDCA is composed of many members from Fred Astaire, Arthur Murray, Terps, American ISTD, USA Dance, etc. As a country, America is doing pretty well in the area of unity. We have less "in" fighting than many, and my biggest fear would be that we are drawn into this in such a way that makes things worse, not better.

I would like to think the latest NDCA actions send a message that people can take their fights elsewhere; a message that says we will keep developing our dancing here.
 
Sigh...when are these people going to get it into their skulls that ballroom is NOT getting into the Olympics?
 

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