USA Dance - how to avoid making studios nervous?

[Mr 4 styles]

RD Well Im happy to toot my own horn.

When i lived in AZ our chapter was predominantly run by students of one studio, so the other studio owners felt a bit competitive and would have their studio parties to conflict with USA dances schedule.. Once we were invited to join ( coz we didn't even know it existed) this changed, as we were from another studio and also very apolitical. When we joined the attendance at the average dance was 50 people and the membership was 70. When i took over as president, with the continued help of the original founding members we grew it to 120 members 140 peeps at dances and all the studios came. Rotated teachers for studios for the group lessons, i brought coaches into town ( as we got more into competing) and many other things to unify the community.

 

[Loki]

Not sure about membership but Chicago is pretty weak compared to many others IMO. One social per month with visiting teachers. Used to rotate among local studios but that ended. Unresponsive leadership.

OTOH, there is the NQE, so maybe that's where most effort goes, don't know. YOMV.

 

[JudeMorrigan]

I feel like the North Alabama chapter does pretty well for itself. The monthly socials aren't as big as Mr4S's, but they do well enough. The chapter gets along with the open studios. We set up a floor at the town's open-air mall during Ballroom Dance Week and do exhibitions and impromptu lessons. Our competitive arm is vastly stronger than one might expect from a small-ish town in Alabama.

 

[Mr 4 styles]

Yep that chapter in Alabama has it goin on

 

[s2k]

Is this the chapter that just hosted the workshop hosted by the Crowders?

 

[Mr 4 styles]

Our chapter in AZ had decho and bree, Rado and devorah, Marcus and YUKI for Latin and rhytyhm at different times. Toby and harmony Munroe for country

 

[Rhythmdancer]

Not sure about membership but Chicago is pretty weak compared to many others IMO. One social per month with visiting teachers. Used to rotate among local studios but that ended. Unresponsive leadership.

OTOH, there is the NQE, so maybe that's where most effort goes, don't know. YOMV.

Chicago is very weak and very unresponsive. I'm actually trying to work with the leadership to see what can be implemented. It turns out a lot of what they're doing comes down to cost, effort, and participation.

Some of the stuff people have mentioned so far I plan on bringing to their attention.

 

[JudeMorrigan]

Is this the chapter that just hosted the workshop hosted by the Crowders?

Google suggests that there used to be a chapter #6037 in Birmingham, but the USA Dance website is showing North Alabama (#6114) as the only chapter in the state. It rather surprises me that Birmingham wouldn't have an active chapter - I'll have to ask some of the people I know that way about that. But while we had really good representation in terms of participation at the camp, we (6114) weren't the organizers.

 

[s2k]

Google suggests that there used to be a chapter #6037 in Birmingham, but the USA Dance website is showing North Alabama (#6114) as the only chapter in the state. It rather surprises me that Birmingham wouldn't have an active chapter - I'll have to ask some of the people I know that way about that. But while we had really good representation in terms of participation at the camp, we (6114) weren't the organizers.

Since you say "we," I'm assuming you were there? Was participation strong enough that the organizers will hold it again, you think?

 

[JudeMorrigan]

I was! It was a pretty fabulous event and participation seemed really good. There were three or four lectures going on simultaneously at all times and while some rooms were fuller than others, none seemed empty. I'm pretty optimistic that this will happen again. (And made a point of telling Wayne on my way out that I hoped it would become an annual thing.)

 

[s2k]

I was! It was a pretty fabulous event and participation seemed really good. There were three or four lectures going on simultaneously at all times and while some rooms were fuller than others, none seemed empty. I'm pretty optimistic that this will happen again. (And made a point of telling Wayne on my way out that I hoped it would become an annual thing.)

This is awesome - good to hear! We would have had to give up a comp this year to go - anything that involves airfare ugh - but with a year to plan we can probably make it work next year.

Wish I belonged to a chapter that was involved in this way! But I'm working with a couple of other members who are like-minded and we're working on a plan. Attending the next social is the start. Ugh. I don't social dance. But I smile!

 

[Loki]

Chicago is very weak and very unresponsive. I'm actually trying to work with the leadership to see what can be implemented. It turns out a lot of what they're doing comes down to cost, effort, and participation.

Some of the stuff people have mentioned so far I plan on bringing to their attention.

Suggest they hire a pro DJ. Like that will happen as long as you-know-who is around... LOL.

 

[bia]

Google suggests that there used to be a chapter #6037 in Birmingham, but the USA Dance website is showing North Alabama (#6114) as the only chapter in the state. It rather surprises me that Birmingham wouldn't have an active chapter - I'll have to ask some of the people I know that way about that. But while we had really good representation in terms of participation at the camp, we (6114) weren't the organizers.

There used to be a Birmingham chapter, but it dwindled and then disappeared a year or two ago, ultimately I think because the officers wanted to step down and no one wanted to take their places. The most I ever saw them do was the occasional social dance. The recent camp wasn't under the aegis of any chapter, I don't think; the Crowders organized it themselves along with Kim Smith in Birmingham, and they recruited volunteers from among their students and connections. It'll be the same team doing the new comp in Birmingham in February; I'd bet that they'll bring in some of the Gumbo folks, but I don't have any inside information confirming that.

 

[s2k]

UPDATE: So my partner and I have attended all the socials since my last post. We attended a board meeting. We volunteered to create (and serve on) the Elections committee to show how dedicated we are in participating for the long-term.

We've had social ideas, fundraising ideas, membership increasing opportunity ideas, and the Board is enthusiastic about all of them - yet there's no follow through. My emails have gone responded to, and the president told me she would call instead... and I turned blue and passed out, waiting. Twice. Everyone said, "Love these! Yes! Let's do it!" and no one said, "I'll get it organized" or even "I'll help get it organized and I'll recruit X to help." I recruited two other members to help with elections - had I not, I'm not sure there would BE elections.

However, the membership chair was kind enough to be the only Board member to respond to my email: "Oh, are you on the Board?"

Uh, mods: no side-eye emoji?

 

[Bailamosdance]

this why so many folks wonder if USA Dance will even exist in a few years. So much good intentioned effort is always squandered and so much from the org is either an excuse that 'we are only volunteers' or 'the bylaws say..' even tho it was apparent the other day that the "bylaws" are fluid and are changed to suit the needs of the executive council (but are always applied when justifying inaction or actions that hurt or disenfranchise). Unopposed candidates who are not elected by majority of membership lets this attitude trickle down to the chapter level...