Presidents’
Report
In this column I would like to address a question that frequently is asked of the National Officers of USA Dance, and that is to clarify the value of a USA Dance membership to social dance chapters and their members. While competitive members and their chapters understand that USA Dance is the National Governing Body for DanceSport, sanctioning National Qualifying Events and organizing the annual National DanceSport Championships at which top athletes are chosen to represent the U.S. in the World Championships, the benefits of membership for social dance chapters and members appear less clear to some. I would like to address that here. USA Dance serves multiple functions. Yes, it manages DanceSport activities in the U.S., but it also works to increase the quality and quantity of ballroom dancing for all ages and skill levels. The vehicle for bringing ballroom dancing to communities across America is the local USA Dance chapter, and many of our chapters are made up almost entirely of social dancers for whom ballroom dancing is a recreational activity and not a competitive sport. These chapters, as their primary focus, bring members together to enjoy each other’s company and obtain beneficial physical exercise through regular social dances, dance workshops and special dance events. All USA Dance members pay annual dues to USA Dance, and the national organization uses these funds to provide services to its members and chapters. These services include help and guidance to individuals in a community who wish to start a USA Dance chapter, assistance through every element of the chapter formation process, and financial support to a newly formed chapter. The national organization also purchases a liability insurance policy for the entire organization, which covers such activities as chapter dances, workshops, special events and competitions. Certificates of insurance are provided to all chapters that need them. Insurance is an expensive item, and if chapters individually attempted to obtain liability coverage for their events, many would not have the financial resources to be able to do so, but by pooling membership dollars, the national organization is able to purchase a policy covering all its chapters. In addition to insurance, USA Dance also pays BMI licensing fees so that all chapters may play BMI-licensed music at their dances and other events, and provides a listing of available music for chapters. 4 Line of Dance