ChaChaMama
Well-Known Member
[FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]September 26, 2011[/FONT][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]
Dear Athletes and Professional Members:
[/FONT][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
Please read each of the following important announcements from USA Dance as they provide an update on several topics of concern:
1. On August 10, 2011, USA Dance submitted a letter to the president of the NDCA. In that letter, we reiterated our position that the NDCA action to suspend USA Dance was contrary to its own Constitution and Bylaws and we requested further clarification regarding the suspension as well as the reinstatement process. In a previous letter, the NDCA president had indicated that there were areas where the NDCA and USA Dance could reach agreement, and we expressed our willingness to hear the proposal. Yet, as of this writing, we are disappointed to report, that there has been no written response from the NDCA. Therefore, in the best interest of our members, both Social and DanceSport, regardless of the ultimate resolution with the NDCA, all USA Dance programs and activities are moving forward "full steam ahead."
At this time, the USA DanceSport Council is already in the process of contracting top-flight certified officials for all of the upcoming USA Dance National Qualifying Events (NQEs) and for the USA Dance 2012 National DanceSport Championships in Baltimore.
Two important statements we would like to re-emphasize as announced earlier in our press release of July 19, 2011:
--USA Dance wants to assure our members that it has never been, and it is not now our intent to restrict or prevent our DanceSport athletes' participation in any NDCA competition or dance activity. Our members should continue to attend all the NDCA competitions they have always enjoyed.
--USA Dance will continue inviting NDCA-registered officials to officiate and participate at USA Dance competitions, at all levels -- local, regional and national. We are grateful for their continuing support of our programs and athletes' pursuit of excellence and opportunity.
2. Questions have been asked by several of our amateur athletes about which competitions in America and abroad are "safe" for them to enter, and we would like to provide some information for guidance purposes.
First of all, it is important for all athletes to understand a little more about competitions run by the new Amateur League (WDC-AL). Some of you may have heard of this organization. Please do your research before making any decisions on dancing in one of their events. You will find that this is not an actual sport-based democratic organization but a privately held, for-profit, company that is in the business of licensing the use of its name to competition organizers. Athletes do not join the WDC-AL; they only enter competitions that it licenses. The website of the WDC-AL company has a blank page listed under "About Us". Their two-page rulebook and a registration application can be downloaded from their website. While we are all in favor of simplifying the rules, we know it is impossible to create a fair sportsmanlike event without details and substance, a grievance policy and other protections for athletes.
Of course, USA Dance, under the freedoms that we in America enjoy, will not restrict athletes from choosing to dance in these events. However, you should be advised that the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for DanceSport, does not consider WDC-AL events to be sporting events acceptable under current WDSF policy. The WDSF reserves the right to sanction/restrict couples who participate in these events, from dancing in WDSF competitions. It is a choice you need to make for yourself. The WDSF internationally provides hundreds of competitions you can participate in without reprisal, and USA Dance, the United States member of the WDSF, provides a circuit of chapter competitions, sanctioned competitions, the National Qualifying Events, and the USA Dance National Championships that are all entirely safe for you to enter here in the U.S. You may also freely enter the many NDCA events that occur around the country, but please be aware that in the event any WDC-AL event is run in conjunction with an NDCA competition, that may affect your status with the WDSF, although not with USA Dance.
3. The WDSF now has a Professional Division and they are beginning to introduce Teacher-Student (T-S) Competitions to the 88 Member Body Countries. These are essentially Pro/Am competitions where the "teacher" is defined as a "professional athlete". A pilot event is being run in Pisa, Italy in October that even includes American Style Ballroom.
This means there are now WDSF World Titles in Professional DanceSport - in fact, there is an entire circuit of International Professional events, just as there is in the WDC. Any professional couple that wishes to enter a WDSF Professional Division competition only needs to be a member of their nation's WDSF member body. World Championships require nomination of the couple by their nation's member body.
4. However, the WDSF does not require USA Dance to run these competitions in America. Prior to the NDCA's suspension of USA Dance, USA Dance made it clear to the NDCA that it would not form a separate Professional Division or run Pro-Am events at USA Dance competitions. One of the reasons for making this commitment was to ensure the ready availability of NDCA-registered judges at USA Dance competitions, since these judges are restricted by the NDCA from working at USA Dance events if they include Professional or Pro-Am divisions. USA Dance has informed the WDSF that it will continue to refrain from forming a Professional Division or organizing or sanctioning Pro-Am competitions unless future actions of the NDCA require a re-evaluation of this position.
5. USA Dance has offered its services to the WDSF as a resource knowledgeable in T-S competitions and the development of American Style syllabi and judges training. The growth of dancing, under a democratic sports-based organization around the globe is a very exciting possibility that should be embraced. The WDSF opens all T-S competitions to any instructor and student. This means many new potential opportunities for American Pro/Am couples who wish to compete around the world.
6. Finally, with regard to the WDSF Adjudicator's Congress, we are pleased to announce that there will be two such Congresses for 2012. Please keep in mind that this IS NOT a certification Congress. You must already be a certified adjudicator, recognized by one of the teaching societies that USA Dance recognizes (which are all the same ones that the NDCA recognizes), to even attend the Congress. Attending a Congress is a requirement for all those who wish to obtain a WDSF Adjudicator's License. Having a pool of American WDSF adjudicators is very good for our country as it adds U.S. Certified Adjudicators to the pool of judges that are used at WDSF Competitions and Championships around the world.
Adjudicators applying for a new license must attend two Congresses before application can be submitted. A Congress must be attended once every two years in order for an adjudicator to keep his or her license active. The WDSF wants to ensure that adjudicators at WDSF competitions have had their certification verified by their local member federations and have continued to attend periodic congresses to remain up-to-date on any new developments in the field of adjudication. This is good not only from the standpoint of competitors who are assured of being judged by an outstanding panel of judges, but it is good also for the further growth and development of DanceSport as a whole.
More information on the exact dates and registration for the Congresses will be distributed in the coming weeks.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our Vice President of DanceSport Ken Richards at [email protected].
[/FONT][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]
Lydia Scardina, President
USA Dance Inc.
[email protected]
[/FONT]
Dear Athletes and Professional Members:
[/FONT][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]
Please read each of the following important announcements from USA Dance as they provide an update on several topics of concern:
1. On August 10, 2011, USA Dance submitted a letter to the president of the NDCA. In that letter, we reiterated our position that the NDCA action to suspend USA Dance was contrary to its own Constitution and Bylaws and we requested further clarification regarding the suspension as well as the reinstatement process. In a previous letter, the NDCA president had indicated that there were areas where the NDCA and USA Dance could reach agreement, and we expressed our willingness to hear the proposal. Yet, as of this writing, we are disappointed to report, that there has been no written response from the NDCA. Therefore, in the best interest of our members, both Social and DanceSport, regardless of the ultimate resolution with the NDCA, all USA Dance programs and activities are moving forward "full steam ahead."
At this time, the USA DanceSport Council is already in the process of contracting top-flight certified officials for all of the upcoming USA Dance National Qualifying Events (NQEs) and for the USA Dance 2012 National DanceSport Championships in Baltimore.
Two important statements we would like to re-emphasize as announced earlier in our press release of July 19, 2011:
--USA Dance wants to assure our members that it has never been, and it is not now our intent to restrict or prevent our DanceSport athletes' participation in any NDCA competition or dance activity. Our members should continue to attend all the NDCA competitions they have always enjoyed.
--USA Dance will continue inviting NDCA-registered officials to officiate and participate at USA Dance competitions, at all levels -- local, regional and national. We are grateful for their continuing support of our programs and athletes' pursuit of excellence and opportunity.
2. Questions have been asked by several of our amateur athletes about which competitions in America and abroad are "safe" for them to enter, and we would like to provide some information for guidance purposes.
First of all, it is important for all athletes to understand a little more about competitions run by the new Amateur League (WDC-AL). Some of you may have heard of this organization. Please do your research before making any decisions on dancing in one of their events. You will find that this is not an actual sport-based democratic organization but a privately held, for-profit, company that is in the business of licensing the use of its name to competition organizers. Athletes do not join the WDC-AL; they only enter competitions that it licenses. The website of the WDC-AL company has a blank page listed under "About Us". Their two-page rulebook and a registration application can be downloaded from their website. While we are all in favor of simplifying the rules, we know it is impossible to create a fair sportsmanlike event without details and substance, a grievance policy and other protections for athletes.
Of course, USA Dance, under the freedoms that we in America enjoy, will not restrict athletes from choosing to dance in these events. However, you should be advised that the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF), which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for DanceSport, does not consider WDC-AL events to be sporting events acceptable under current WDSF policy. The WDSF reserves the right to sanction/restrict couples who participate in these events, from dancing in WDSF competitions. It is a choice you need to make for yourself. The WDSF internationally provides hundreds of competitions you can participate in without reprisal, and USA Dance, the United States member of the WDSF, provides a circuit of chapter competitions, sanctioned competitions, the National Qualifying Events, and the USA Dance National Championships that are all entirely safe for you to enter here in the U.S. You may also freely enter the many NDCA events that occur around the country, but please be aware that in the event any WDC-AL event is run in conjunction with an NDCA competition, that may affect your status with the WDSF, although not with USA Dance.
3. The WDSF now has a Professional Division and they are beginning to introduce Teacher-Student (T-S) Competitions to the 88 Member Body Countries. These are essentially Pro/Am competitions where the "teacher" is defined as a "professional athlete". A pilot event is being run in Pisa, Italy in October that even includes American Style Ballroom.
This means there are now WDSF World Titles in Professional DanceSport - in fact, there is an entire circuit of International Professional events, just as there is in the WDC. Any professional couple that wishes to enter a WDSF Professional Division competition only needs to be a member of their nation's WDSF member body. World Championships require nomination of the couple by their nation's member body.
4. However, the WDSF does not require USA Dance to run these competitions in America. Prior to the NDCA's suspension of USA Dance, USA Dance made it clear to the NDCA that it would not form a separate Professional Division or run Pro-Am events at USA Dance competitions. One of the reasons for making this commitment was to ensure the ready availability of NDCA-registered judges at USA Dance competitions, since these judges are restricted by the NDCA from working at USA Dance events if they include Professional or Pro-Am divisions. USA Dance has informed the WDSF that it will continue to refrain from forming a Professional Division or organizing or sanctioning Pro-Am competitions unless future actions of the NDCA require a re-evaluation of this position.
5. USA Dance has offered its services to the WDSF as a resource knowledgeable in T-S competitions and the development of American Style syllabi and judges training. The growth of dancing, under a democratic sports-based organization around the globe is a very exciting possibility that should be embraced. The WDSF opens all T-S competitions to any instructor and student. This means many new potential opportunities for American Pro/Am couples who wish to compete around the world.
6. Finally, with regard to the WDSF Adjudicator's Congress, we are pleased to announce that there will be two such Congresses for 2012. Please keep in mind that this IS NOT a certification Congress. You must already be a certified adjudicator, recognized by one of the teaching societies that USA Dance recognizes (which are all the same ones that the NDCA recognizes), to even attend the Congress. Attending a Congress is a requirement for all those who wish to obtain a WDSF Adjudicator's License. Having a pool of American WDSF adjudicators is very good for our country as it adds U.S. Certified Adjudicators to the pool of judges that are used at WDSF Competitions and Championships around the world.
Adjudicators applying for a new license must attend two Congresses before application can be submitted. A Congress must be attended once every two years in order for an adjudicator to keep his or her license active. The WDSF wants to ensure that adjudicators at WDSF competitions have had their certification verified by their local member federations and have continued to attend periodic congresses to remain up-to-date on any new developments in the field of adjudication. This is good not only from the standpoint of competitors who are assured of being judged by an outstanding panel of judges, but it is good also for the further growth and development of DanceSport as a whole.
More information on the exact dates and registration for the Congresses will be distributed in the coming weeks.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our Vice President of DanceSport Ken Richards at [email protected].
[/FONT][FONT=verdana,Geneva,arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]
Lydia Scardina, President
USA Dance Inc.
[email protected]
[/FONT]
