USA Dance Suspended from NDCA

[DanceMentor]

Here is the Press Release from the NDCA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


The following statement has been released by the National Dance Council of America, Inc.

During a meeting of the full Board of Governors of the National Dance Council of America, Inc. (NDCA), the membership of USA Dance, the constitutionally ‘recognized amateur body’, was suspended. This action was taken after a unanimous ‘vote to suspend’ was given by the Member organizations. (USA Dance abstained in this vote; parliamentary procedure records abstentions as a no-vote thereby making the vote unanimous.)

Unfortunately the climate in the dance world is not now the same as it was 18 months ago based on requirements by the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF), formerly International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF), requiring their affiliate national bodies to institute a full professional division. The status of USA Dance as a member of the NDCA has been called into question by their plans to hold a congress to certify professionals for WDSF.

Such action by one of its members is in direct conflict with the constitution of the NDCA, thereby leaving no recourse but to proceed in the direction taken by the Board of Governors.

NDCA is aware of the rhetoric and speculation being posted on multiple blogs and web sites, and has released this statement to provide an accurate account of the situation.

USA Dance Press Release July 12th
NDCA Press Release July 13th
USA Dance Press Release July 13th
NDCA Press Release July 15th
USA Dance Press Released July 19th

 

[rbazsz]

Here is the Press Release from the NDCA

I attend USA ballroom parties but I don't know much about the organization. Could somebody explain what affect this will have on local dance communities?

 

[DanceMentor]

One comment I want to make here is that one must recognize that the NDCA is composed of multiple members so a "unanimous consent" means many people at the top were in agreement.

I would also say on behalf of USA Dance that they appeared to be "between a rock and a hard place" where there status under the NDCA was that of an amateur organization, yet the WDSF (formerly IDSF) has been insistent on them having professionals, including professional events.

Just like in Europe we seem to be reaching a place where there will be two different organizations. But in terms of the competitive field, USA Dance is much smaller than the amateur organization in Europe. USA Dance for a long time was mostly about social dancing, and competitive dancing was a much smaller part of their overall membership. They weren't really even "political".

Most importantly, I think it is important that we recognize that there are good people on both sides of this issue. I hope we can have a respectful conversation about this.

 

[DanceMentor]

I attend USA ballroom parties but I don't know much about the organization. Could somebody explain what affect this will have on local dance communities?

Probably not much at all. Social dancing is at the local level is something that many member chapters have always done, and haven't really even changed much (even though the leadership and goals at the top have changed considerably).

 

[wooh]

I would be curious to know what percentage of USA Dance members are truly interested in seeing ballroom dance at the Olympics. It seems to me that a lot of problems that USA Dance has would be corrected if they just gave up on that particular goal.

 

[NonieS]

I do believe there was a thread on here where people were debating the pros and cons of ballroom in the Olympics. I myself am against it as it seems more trouble than it's worth.

I wish that we had something to summon TC like they had the bat light to summon Batman.

 

[samina]

DM (and anyone else)...what does this mean? what is the significance of USA Dance's membership in the NDCA being suspended?

to be honest, i always understood them as separate entities with a never-the-twain-shall-meet relationship ( i did not realize that USA Dance was even a member of the NDCA, or what the benefit of that would be) but i realize my understanding of some of the political nuances of the ballroom world is quite limited.

 

[jofjonesboro]

I would be curious to know what percentage of USA Dance members are truly interested in seeing ballroom dance at the Olympics. It seems to me that a lot of problems that USA Dance has would be corrected if they just gave up on that particular goal.

USA Dance is not the only organization pushing for the inclusion of ballroom in the Olympics.

There will be arguments back and forth about the impact of this "suspension" (e.g. Will NDCA affiliated judges be alowed to work at USA Dance events?) but I will guarantee one thing: at the end of the day, this issue is about money. Period.

jj

 

[ChaChaMama]

USA Dance is not the only organization pushing for the inclusion of ballroom in the Olympics.

There will be arguments back and forth about the impact of this "suspension" (e.g. Will NDCA affiliated judges be alowed to work at USA Dance events?) but I will guarantee one thing: at the end of the day, this issue is about money. Period.

jj

Yes. JJ brings up one of the two questions I most want answered:

1) Will NDCA affiliated judges be allowed to judge at USA Dance events?

2) Will individual competitors be allowed to compete at both USA Dance and NDCA events, providing that they buy memberships in both organizations? (This is the current status quo for ams.)

I hope someone who is in the know will be able to illuminate us.

Personally, I will be VERY angry if judges and dancers aren't allowed to patronize both types of events.

The vast majority of amateur and pro-am dancers could not possibly have a dog in this fight. We just want to dance! (In fact, if anything, it seems to me that it benefits individual dancers if there are multiple organizations offering amateur, pro-amateur, and pro dancing. Monopolies are only in the best interest of those controlling the monopoly.)

I had been planning to compete pro-am at 2-3 more NDCA comps this year, one of which is coming up fairly soon. If I get disgusted enough at the in-fighting, I'm reasonably confident I can find something else to spend that money on.

I hope individual competition organizers will do everything in their power to help mitigate the impact of this on dancers.

 

[jjs914]

2) Will individual competitors be allowed to compete at both USA Dance and NDCA events, providing that they buy memberships in both organizations? (This is the current status quo for ams.)

This is what I was wondering also. It sort of seems like everyone would lose in the long term if they are going to restrict am dancers to picking which org they want to be affiliated with.

 

[Akita]

Does anyone know what precipitated this action by NDCA?

 

[Warren J. Dew]

2) Will individual competitors be allowed to compete at both USA Dance and NDCA events, providing that they buy memberships in both organizations? (This is the current status quo for ams.)

Technically, USA Dance members were already prohibited from competing at NDCA events due to WDSC rules. They just didn't bother to enforce those rules in the U.S. because it was unrealistic, and because the U.S. doesn't have much in the way of top WDSC competitors.

Really the U.S. organizations are just being dragged along by the worldwide organizations, especially WDSC, which wants to be a pro organization instead of an amateur organization.

 

[dlgodud]

Val and Daria might need to decide which side of events they compete. WDSF events or WDC events including Blackpool, UK, and International, etc. Am I correct?

 

[MissKitty]

A very similar kind of situation has developed recently here in New Zealand also, and the dancers here have many of the same questions as you.

Many of us are afraid that we will have to choose between organisations.

WE JUST WANT TO DANCE

 

[hereKittyKitty]

Does anyone know what precipitated this action by NDCA?

Apparently this
"The status of USA Dance as a member of the NDCA has been called into question by their plans to hold a congress to certify professionals for WDSF."

The WDSF created a professional division and they have been trying to get USA dance on board with creating a professional division.