Dancer
A M E R I C A N
WDSF World Championships Dancers representing the United States competed against the world’s top competitors at five different events around the globe.
Chapter Conference USA Dance is gearing to make the 2013 National Chapter Conference the best conference yet.
Socially yours
A new column for social dancers!
Official Publication of USA Dance
National Collegiate DanceSport Championships www.usadance.org
January - February 2013
Issue 40
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May 2 - 5, 2013 at the
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home of the Emerald Ball Dancesport Championships
www.EmeraldBall.com
Dance Camp Las Vegas
June 16 - 21, 2013 at the
Paris Hotel & Casino
www.DanceVision.com
www.MasteryCamps.com
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On the Cover 14 Chapter conference The 2013 National Chapter Conference is coming up, and after evaluating previous conferences and receiving feedback from last year’s attendees, this year’s conference will be the best yet.
26 WDSF World Championships Five world championship events have taken place in recent months and dancers representing the United States have done better than ever.
16 Socially Yours A new column written by USA Dance Social VP Jean Krupa, will be included as a regular part of the magazine specifically addressing questions and ideas presented by social dancers.
42 National Collegiate
DanceSport Championships The primo competition for college dancers has once again been an incredible hit. The 2012 NCDC was full of talent, dedication and even a couple generous surprises.
Inside the Cover Line of Dance
4 6 7
President’s Report Editorial Information & Contributors Important Announcements
Association
10 National Leadership - Who’s Who 12 Quick Reference List Dance Floor
13 Queen Mary 2 14 Chapter Conference 16 Socially Yours 18 New Dance Partners 20 Ready, Set, Go!
www.USADANCE.ORG
DanceSport
22 23 24 26 32 34 36 38
Junior II & Youth Elite Dance Camp Competitions Calendar Pre-Nationals WDSF World Championships Chicago DanceSport Challenge Carolina Fall Classic The Quake Northwest DanceSport Championships
In Step
40 42 46
Ballroom Dance is Ageless National Collegiate DanceSport Championships DanceMart
2013 January - February
3
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
USA Dance also maintains a national website, and offers all chapters a chapter website where the chapter can advertise its activities and events and attract new potential members. Upgrades are available for chapters that wish to have a more interactive website. All chapter websites are linked to Access Dance, a nationwide service that allows individuals around the country to find places to dance and take lessons or attend dance workshops. Another benefit of membership is the opportunity for chapter officers to attend the annual Chapter Conference, which is held in a different part of the country each year in order to provide easier access to chapters. USA Dance offers financial support to chapter officers wishing to attend the conference but who may not have the financial resources in their chapter treasuries to do so. At the conference, chapter officers have the opportunity to attend workshops on a variety of topics that are geared toward helping them improve their services to their members. Workshops are led by USA Dance national officials, and this allows chapter officials to meet and interact with the Governing Council members of USA Dance. Workshops have covered such topics as chapter financial management, social media opportunities, complaint resolution, and finding and using volunteers effectively. Social activities are also part of the Chapter Conference package, including visits to the dances of nearby chapters. Last but not least, is the publication of this magazine, the AMERICAN DANCER, which is mailed to members’ homes and which also has articles that members can read on-line on the national website. The AMERICAN DANCER magazine attempts to fill its pages with a variety of articles and information that will be of interest to both social dancers and competitors, reflecting the diversity of interests found within the membership base of USA Dance. While this is not an exhaustive list of the benefits of a USA Dance membership, I hope it has provided useful information on how USA Dance uses membership dollars to provide services to its members and their chapters.
Lydia T. Scardina
National President, USA Dance
www.USADANCE.ORG
2013 January - February
5
Dancer
Contributing Writers
A m e r i c a n Jean Krupa Jean Krupa currently serves as the Social Vice President for USA Dance. She served as Region VI Vice President in 1999. She was a founding member of the Greater Daytona Chapter in 1990.
National Officers
PRESIDENT Lydia Scardina, 415.469.9815 e-mail: president@usadance.org SENIOR VP Bill Rose, 949.842.8284 e-mail: senior-vp@usadance.org SECRETARY Stan Andrews, 217.454.8879 e-mail: secretary@usadance.org TREASURER Esther Freeman, 541.779.6787 e-mail: treasurer@usadance.org DANCESPORT VP Ken Richards, 302.290.2583 e-mail: dancesport-vp@usadance.org SOCIAL VP Jean Krupa, 386.761.1625 e-mail: social-vp@usadance.org •
Angela Prince
Editorial Staff
Angela Prince is the National Public Relations Director for USA Dance, responsible for all integrated PR programs, organization publicity and communications, national media relations, social media relations and brand development. She is also the editorial advisor for American Dancer magazine and other publications.
Editor-in-chief Shawn Fisher PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Michael Mecham WRITERS Michael Mecham • Ivor Lee • Breanna Olaveson ART & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Aimee Mecham DESIGNERS Aimee Mecham • Michael Mecham •
Contributors
WRITERS Jean Krupa EDITORIAL ADVISOR Angela Prince, USA Dance Director of Public Relations •
Rates & Prices
American Dancer is published bimonthly as a service for members and is included in membership annual dues. •
Guest Writers
Subscription
Individual Non-Member $25 Canadian Air Delivery $32 Overseas Air Delivery $36 Library Subscription $9 •
David & Nancy Fisher Jeffrey S. Forth
Advertising
Louise Giuliano
AD REPRESENTATIVE Shawn Fisher 208.313.0465 email: advertising@usadance.org •
Lauren Preston
Submissions
American Dancer welcomes submissions of letters, articles and photos. All submissions are considered the property of American Dancer. Submission does not guarantee publication. Articles and letters may also be edited for length and content without notice to the author. Photos and other materials are not returned. Submissions may be sent to office@americandancer.org •
Photos
Must be high resolution, print quality digital photos. 600 dpi. Send to editorial office: e-mail: office@americandancer.org or mail to: American Dancer magazine PO Box 462 Rexburg, ID 83440-0462 •
Gabe Pascarella & Phil Sisk Pamela Weaver
Dancer
A M E R I C A N
Columbus, OH National Collegiate DanceSport Championships
Membership
If you need information concerning membership or missed issues, contact: Mary at USA Dance Central Office 800.447.9047 • Fax: 239.573.0946 E-mail: central-office@usadance.org Check our Web Site - www.USADANCE.org
WDSF World Championships
Dancers representing the United States competed against the worlds top competitors at five different events around the globe.
Chapter Conference USA Dance is gearing to make the 2013 National Chapter Conference the best conference yet.
Photo By AD Staff
Official Publication of USA Dance
National Collegiate DanceSport Championships www.usadance.org
6 Line of Dance
Cover Photo
January - February 2013
Issue 40
Announcements AMERICA’S GOT TALENT AUDITIONS FOR SEASON 8 USA Dance members have been personally invited to audition for the upcoming season of American’s Got Talent. Please note that all dancers must first register online at www.americasgottalentauditions.com/producer-video-request/ Please indicate that you are a USA Dance member and list your membership # (important) so that the producers we’re working with can ID your request for an audition. You will be asked to include bio, photo and video clips. Just follow the instructions on the AGT website. Afterwards, email IMMEDIATELY to USA Dance Public Relations Director Angela Prince, to let her know you have registered to be auditioned. This is important because we will know who registered and can discuss your audition request with AGT. America’s Got Talent casting producers will call you directly to discuss your dance audition potential and to set up the private audition. If you don’t receive a call, don’t give up, there’s always the next season. Angela Prince – publicrelations-dir@usadance.org and afprincepr@aol.com (please send to both emails)On the email subject line, PLEASE write AGT AUDITION + last names of auditioning dancers
TODD KIRRANE APPOINTED AS CHAIR OF THE DSC JUNIOR ATHLETES PARENTS COMMITTEE USA Dance is pleased to announce the addition of the Junior Athletes Parents Committee to the DanceSport Council (DSC). Per the unanimously approved motion brought to the Governing Council and in accordance with the bylaws of USA Dance, the Chair of this newly formed committee will have voting rights in the DSC. On that note, Ken Richards, VP of DanceSport, is pleased to appoint Todd Kirrane to the position of Chair of this important new committee. Todd is the parent of a DanceSport athlete, and serves as the Vice President of Operations for the Junior Athletes DanceSport Association (JADA), which works to represent the interests of PreTeen, Junior and Youth athletes in DanceSport.
www.USADANCE.ORG
2013 January - February
7
Announcements continued IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PRE-TEEN and JUNIOR ATHLETES AND THEIR PARENTS It has come to our attention that, unfortunately, there are a growing number of ballroom dance competitions in the United States that have elected to disregard costume guidelines and restrictions for young children, particularly relating to pre-teens and juniors. This is of serious concern to USA Dance and we want to extend our viewpoint for the purpose of protecting our children, whom we consider an integral part of the future of DanceSport. Costume restrictions, especially for young children, have been put in place over the years by USA Dance and the World DanceSport Federation, as guardians for the industry, all for the critically important preservation of the health, well-being and reputation of our children. First of all, USA Dance does not believe it is a healthy and responsible practice to put young children into high heels while their feet are still developing. Nor do we believe that applying heavy adult-like make-up and placing a child in a costume that mimics adult costuming -- with sequins, rhinestones, feathers, elaborate mesh and cutaway panels and other adornments, is appropriate for children. Such make-up and costuming makes the child appear more like a pageant contestant rather than an innocent child participating in the sport of competitive ballroom dance. It also can cause event organizers, coaches, instructors and parents to be misunderstood as to their purpose and pursuits. Not having policies and rules to protect our children opens the door to general public criticism and eventually to the media portraying and representing our children and our sport in far less than favorable ways. Please know that any dance competitions without costume restrictions for children are not affiliated with USA Dance, nor does USA Dance have any control or jurisdiction over such competitions. While parents are certainly free to register their children in non-USA Dance competitions, we urge parents to take a stand and continue using the same costumes that their child would wear acceptably at a USA Dance-sanctioned competition.
2013 World Games USA Dance will be sending three teams – Salsa, Latin, Standard – to the 2013 World Games in Cali, Columbia next year. http://worldgames2013.com.co/
8 Line of Dance
Dancer
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Chapter of the Year Reaching Out and Creating Smiles
Crowning Champions Crowning National Champions and World Team
2012 Nationals Recap The Nationals Competition in Baltimore was the largest in its 32-year history. There were many unique aspects to this year’s competition. If you weren’t able to be there, be sure to read all about it.
On the Runway
SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS & four top fashion designers sponsor 10 USA Dance DanceSport couples at Nationals
New USA Dance Ambassadors USA Dance has created a new program where members have more opportunities to share the passion and benefits of ballroom dancing with more people than ever. Official Publication of USA Dance
Official Publication of USA Dance
National Ballroom Dance Week 2012 www.usadance.org
May - June 2012
USA dance 2011 national dancesport championships Issue 36
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May - June 2011
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For advertising information email director@americandancer.org
www.USADANCE.ORG
2013 January - February
9
National Officers
Lydia Scardina President
Bill Rose Senior Vice President
Stan Andrews National Secretary
Esther Freeman National Treasurer
Jean Krupa Social Dance VP
Ken Richards DanceSport VP
10 Association
Director Positions
Gerald Bonmer Dir. Membership Services
Angela Prince Dir. Public Relations
Efrosyni Iosiphidis Dir. Administrative Support
Dorene Goin Dir. Chapter Liaison
Barbara Wally Dir. K-12 Student Programs
Jean Tauber Dir. Development
Staff Positions
Shawn Fisher Editor-in-chief American Dancer Magazine
www.USAdance.ORG
Daphna Locker Chair, Nationals Organizing Committee
2013 January - February
11
Quick Contact List National Officers NAME
POSITION
RESIDENCE
Lydia Scardina
National President
California............................................president@USADance.org
Bill Rose
Senior Vice President
California...........................................senior-vp@USADance.org
Stan Andrews
National Secretary
Illinois.....................................................secretary@USADance.org
Esther Freeman
National Treasurer
Oregon.................................................treasurer@USADance.org
Jean Krupa
Social Dance VP
Florida..................................................social-vp@USADance.org
Ken Richards
DanceSport VP
Delaware..................................dancesport-vp@USADance.org
Appointed Directors NAME
POSITION
RESIDENCE
Gerald Bonmer
Dir. Membership Services
Pennsylvania..................membership-dir@USADance.org
Angela Prince
Dir. Public Relations
North Carolina........PublicRelations-dir@USADance.org
Efrosyni Iosiphidis
Dir. Administrative Support
Rhode Island.................AdminSupport-dir@usadance.org
Dorene Goin
Dir. Chapter Liaison
Oregon..........................ChapterLiaison-dir@usadance.org
Barbara Wally
Dir. K-12 Student Programs
Colorado ..........................K12Programs-dir@usadance.org
Jean Tauber
Dir. Development
Florida.................................development-dir@usadance.org
Staff Positions NAME Shawn Fisher
POSITION
RESIDENCE
Editor-in-Chief American Dancer Magazine
Idaho............director@AmericanDancer.org
Daphna Locker
Chair, Nationals Organizing Committee New York............nationals-chair@USADance.org
Mary Schaufert
Central Office Manager
12 Association
Florida...................................central-office@USADance.org
2 y r a M en
Que rge
m at o o r l l a st B
The La
Sea
David & Nancy Fisher
“What was that? What step did you just do?” “Oh sorry, the ship moved just then.” This became David’s favorite saying while dancing every night on the Queen Mary 2. Crossing the Atlantic on the Cunard’s QM2 should be on the “to do” list of every ballroom dancer. Not only is there dancing every day (sometimes twice a day ) but the atmosphere on board will take you back to the era of big bands, Fred & Ginger and evening elegance. One advantage that the QM2 has over most cruise ships is that the QM2 has the largest dance floor of any seagoing vessel. Every night from 7pm to midnight there is dancing in the ballroom to the orchestra and recorded music during their breaks. The floor size is 25’ x 43’ so foxtrot and even quickstep are possible. And if you are a woman traveling alone, or your husband doesn’t dance, the ship provides dance hosts for your dancing pleasure. The six dance hosts on our crossing were from Scotland, USA and Australia. They were certainly hard working as they seemed to be on the floor for every dance. They also partnered women at the daily dance classes taught by the onboard pro couple. In addition to the evening dances, there were 2 afternoon tea dances. Even though we try to dance almost every dance, we do take a break to eat some delicious scones with jam and cream. There is also a late night disco playing music from big band to hip hop. www.USAdance.ORG
Did we do anything other than dance (and eat)? Of course we did. When not dancing we could often be found in the Canyon Ranch Spa pool, the best way to refresh the feet and legs after all that dancing. Each day on board there are lectures on a variety of subjects. The ship has the only shipboard planetarium and there is usually an astronomer onboard as well. As on most ships, dining is a pleasure. In addition to the main dining room, there is a very good buffetstyle restaurant for all meals. Another favorite is the British style pub with dishes such as fish and chips and cottage pie. One day at lunch a band played Dixieland tunes. Even though the floor was carpeted we managed to find a corner to do some Balboa (similar to swing). We have so far completed 3 crossings and plan to do it again in a year or two. Each time we go out dancing and David leads something that Nancy can’t decipher, we just say “I guess the ship moved.” By David & Nancy Fisher
2013 January - February
13
2013 Chapter
Conference
Richmond VA
Chapter Presidents and Board Members, In its fifth year the National Chapter Conference has proven to be a great way to expand your knowledge on chapter management, meet new friends and have fun in the process. The backbone and primary reason for the conference is, of course, the seminars which offer you important information to make your chapter stronger than ever before. It is important that we, as members of USA Dance, understand and abide by the by-laws of USA Dance, so as to protect our non-profit status. Workshops such as; Staying Exempt, Public Relations, Recruiting and Retaining Members, Dealing with Conflicts, Improving the quality of dance within your chapter, website/marketing plan and fundraising/grant writing are offered. All of these workshops serve to keep us current and to assist us in planning for the future. In addition, this year we will have a half day presentation for DJ’s- “To Be or Not To Be”. What it takes, what you need, how to select music, best practices and how to talk on the microphone are just a few of the topics that will be discussed. This will be hands on workshop. We all know next to a decent dance floor, the music is what keeps people coming back to your dances. This is a must for your deejay or if you are thinking about being the deejay for your chapter. This year we will also have a workshop on the election process for chapter boards and effectively recruiting volunteers for those important committees. 14 Dance Floor
Be sure to enter the Chapter Identifier contest – this year “FOR FUN” the fun element will be an opportunity for each chapter to create a wreath that identifies your chapter’s locale or flair. Let your imaginations run wild. Minimum 6”; maximum 12” styrofoam circle. These will be put on display and voted on. Be sure to have your chapter budget for this important conference and send at least one representative from your chapter – two would be better, that way you can each take different workshops and double your knowledge and benefit your chapter even more. Mark you calendars for March 7 -10, 2013 and we’ll be seeing you in Richmond at the Wyndham Airport Hotel.
Visit the website for full details on the speakers for the conference and other points to consider, registration for the conference and the hotel information can be found on the web page www. usadance.org/social-dance/event-calendar/
By Jean Krupa
Schedule Plan to arrive on Thursday, March 7, 2013 for the Welcome Dance. The Richmond Chapter has some great plans in store for us and is eagerly awaiting our arrival.
Friday will have seminars all day ending with an evening dance. Saturday will be a repeat of Friday providing you the opportunity to attend the seminars you may have missed and will be followed by an evening farewell dance.
Sunday after breakfast will be your day to go on one of the many tours planned. You may even want to schedule a few extra days to get the feel of the Richmond charm or travel home and start working on your plans for your chapter.
www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
15
Socially yours
The majority of USA Dance members are social dancers. In an effort to create more content specific to our members Jean Krupa has agreed to write a regular column that is specifically directed to questions and topics posed by social dancers.
cushioning; and fantastic arch support.
For today’s topic I have chosen dance shoes.
The sole of choice for most ballroom dancers is soft-suede. They offer the dancer the ability to alter the amount of traction they get with a few strokes of a shoe brush. However, they are not meant for the street; that will ruin your shoes.
Beginner dancers may take a few lessons in their sneakers, sandals, boots, or high heels. They may notice advanced dancers wearing dance shoes and wonder “Where can I get shoes like those and does it really make a difference?” There are shoes for running, golfing, etc, so the answer is “Yes”, dance shoes have a very specific design, they are much lighter and they form to your foot. Dance shoes come in many different styles, patterns and colors, not to mention heel heights from 1.5”- 4”. The trick is to find the shoe that works best for you. So what should you look for in a dance shoe? Good dance shoes are characterized by these three properties: traction, comfort and support. Good dance shoes fit comfortably and securely to your foot and slide and grip on smooth surfaces, good dance shoes are light as a feather; have built-in extra 16 Dance Floor
Don’t settle for dance shoes that are too tight fitting; crush your toes or your heel slides around when you move. Do not compromise on your comfort for any reason. Dancing in heels may seem uncomfortable at first especially if it’s your first time in heels.
Both men’s and women’s dance shoes are available in a wide selection of heights. The best advice is to choose a height that is comfortable for you. The advantage to having a higher heel is that your weight is distributed over the ball of your foot that allows you to spin and turn with greater comfort and ease, especially in the Latin dances. The higher heel stops you from lowering your heel to the floor that can cause you to fall out of a fast turn or make you feel stuck to the floor. Heels on most ladies dance shoes are narrow. However, unlike street shoes, women find that these heels are stable and comfortable. For greater stability and comfort, choose a wider square heel.
New Column for
the Social Dancer!
Send in topics that you would like to see covered!
While men have several styles and colors to choose from, a basic black oxford is the most common shoe. The most important thing is that your feet are comfortable...that’s the most important rule! You will not enjoy dancing with ill-fitting shoes and sore feet! Men’s dancing shoes should fit snugly with just enough room to wiggle your toes. Men’s latin shoes are also oxfords, but have a higher heel and are a bit more challenging to dance in. Although black is the most common color in dance shoes, men do have some other choices, such as white, various shades of brown, and a few two-tone combinations. Once you have invested in ballroom dancing shoes, you will want to take good care of them! These tips will help to extend the life of your shoes: - Brush the (suede) soles after each use with a wire shoe brush. - Never wear your dance shoes outdoors. - Do not allow your dance shoes to get wet. - Store your shoes in a shoe bag to prevent accidental damage. By Jean Krupa
www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
17
USA Dance Dance Notions & New Dance Partners:
New Chapter Marketing Program “The great thing about the new USA Dance web marketing program is that the chapters fit very naturally into this core usage base; local dance lessons and activities pages as they are, for the majority, social in nature and cater to as wide an audience as possible.”
So maybe you’re new to a city and you’re looking to improve your dancing skills. Maybe you already know your way around the dance floor but you’re looking for somewhere to dance. Or maybe you’re a chapter president looking to improve your chapter’s web presence. Thanks to the recent partnership between USA Dance and Dance Notions, the owners of AccessDance.com, your work is now a lot easier. Around 14 years ago Dance Notions, the creators of AccessDance.com recognized a shift in the way people accessed information about ballroom, and sought to create a place where the whole ballroom industry could collaborate and share information about lessons and places to dance in the United States. From these humble beginnings, AccessDance.com has become one of the most popular go-to sites when searching for places to dance, lessons, and even dance jobs on search engines like google.com; generating over 90,000 consistent visitors a month. Now working with USA Dance, chapters across the country can take advantage of the network created by AccessDance by posting their chapter’s information and activities. “The great thing about the new USA Dance web marketing program is that the chapters fit very naturally into this core usage base; local dance lessons and activities pages as they are, for the majority, social in nature and cater to as wide an audience as possible,” said Ben Moseley, President of Dance Notions and founder of AccessDance.com
18 Dance Floor
The USA Dance Chapter Marketing Program All chapters in USA Dance can take advantage of three different levels of marketing available from AccessDance.com. Each level has its own unique features and benefits. Your chapter will be able to choose the level you feel is most suitable to help your chapter reach its goals.
Bronze – Your chapter already has access to the
bronze level of participation on AccessDance. com. All chapters in USA Dance have access to a “showcase” listing that lets visitors contact your chapter via email, visit your chapter’s website, or check out the latest issue of American Dancer.
Silver – With the silver level your chapter has the
ability to add content to your showcase. You will be able to add articles of interest, chapter activities, photos, and videos. Under your direction, this content is then promoted on AccessDance. You will also be able to view requests by visitors looking for dance opportunities in your area and respond to them at your convenience.
away. All these marketing benefits do require active participation on the part of your chapter, so you’ll need to appoint someone to manage this program.
25% of all chapters have opted for Gold, posting over 350 events, 250 classes, 240 articles, and almost 400 photos and 230 videos to their websites. “With this kind of success,” Moseley says, “we expect to build a smart phone app later this year to help dancers locate chapter information even easier.” Don’t miss out on this opportunity to put your chapter on the map and get more people dancing with USA Dance! Make your life easier by contacting the staff at Dance Notions today. By Ivor Lee
Gold – For those chapters that struggle with the technical aspects of creating or maintaining a website, this option offers a wide array of services. Gold adds the Bronze and Silver levels as well as providing a website that is simple to use and transfer from board to board. Additionally, tech support from Dance Notions is only a phone call www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
19
JUNIOR II & YOUTH ELITE DANCE CAMP COMING IN 2013 Lydia Scardina, President of USA Dance, has announced that plans are underway to hold a training camp for Junior II and Youth World Team members on May 22-26, 2013 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. The purpose of this elite dance camp is to develop and better prepare America’s top junior and youth DanceSport athletes as they get ready to enter the adult ranks and compete to become America’s future adult DanceSport champions. “USA Dance considers this to be an investment in America’s DanceSport youth that will produce improving results for the U.S. in world competitions as these young athletes continue to develop,” said President Scardina. As a member of the Multi Sport Organizations Council of the USOC, USA Dance is being given access to the state-of-the-art facilities at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center. Coaches will be invited to attend the camp with their athletes, and all will be housed in the Olympic dormitory and will have their meals in the Olympic cafeteria. The camp will include workshops in 20 DanceSport
nutrition, conditioning, injury prevention and sports psychology, and will be taught by USOC staff at the Lake Placid Training Center. There will also be ample time for athletes to work with their coaches. The program will conclude with the athletes performing their routines in a DanceSport demonstration for the staff of the Training Center and the Olympic athletes who train there throughout the year. USA Dance launched a donation campaign last year in order to defray the costs of this program, and a number of USA Dance chapters, members and supporters have contributed generously. Remaining monies will come from the Athlete Development Fund, allowing USA Dance to fund the costs of travel, housing and meals for athletes and their coaches. Junior II and Youth DanceSport athletes will be chosen for this important development program based on their results in the 2013 USA Dance National DanceSport Championships in Los Angeles this coming April. By Ivor Lee
CO M PE T I T I O N S C ALE N D AR 2 0 1 3 January 18-20, 2013
Manhattan Amateur Classic (MAC)-NQE New York, NY
February 1-2, 2013
April 20, 2013
Royal Palm Winter Frolic DanceSport Extravaganza Coconut Creek, FL
Southwest DanceSport Championships-NQE Culver City, CA
June 15, 2013
February 16-17, 2013
June 28 - 30, 2013
River City Ball Portland, OR
Mid-Atlantic Championships-NQE Bethesda, MD
Gumbo DanceSport Championships - NQE Baton Rouge, LA
*March 2-3, 2013
*July 27, 2013
March 22-23, 2013
August 10-11, 2013
Star of the North Minneapolis, MN
National Youth Formation Show Dance and Cabaret Championships Rexburg, ID
April 5 - 7, 2013
2013 National DanceSport Championships Los Angeles, CA April 12-13, 2013
National Adult Cabaret and Formation Championships Logan, UT Events listed with an asterisk (*) do not accrue proficiency points. Competitions noted as “NQE” are National Qualifying Events for the National DanceSport Championships.
look for future event updates at
Southern Star Mid-Summer Classic Tampa, FL Heartland Classic - NQE Heartland, IN
*September 7, 2013
Kansas City Dance Classic Stanley, KS
October 4-6, 2013
Carolina Fall Classic - NQE
Charlotte, NC
November 1-3, 2013
Chicago DanceSport Challenge - NQE Chicago, IL
collegiate events on Facebook sign onto Facebook, click on “Groups,” and type in “USA Dance Competitions”
www.usadance.org/dancesport/competition-calendar/ www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
21
Nationals 2013 Coming Soon to LA. Are you?
By Daphna Locker
Nationals 2013 is soon upon us. This will be the 33rd Nationals and the question can be asked: “Why should anyone come to LA to watch dancing when we can see it weekly on TV in the comfort of our home?” Travel to the LA Live Staples Center, and the JW Marriott can be complicated; traffic in LA is reported to be awful, and flying is no longer fun. Also packing for a dance weekend is difficult, what to take for the day sessions vs. the evening sessions, and finally, do you check the costumes or put them in your carry on?
So what will bring you to LA to compete or to spectate, over the April 5-7, 2013 weekend? Let see… this year at Nationals, we will once again be showcasing some of the best dancing in the states. There will be syllabus events for all ages, Pre-Teen through Senior III. These events are where we all began dancing, and will give everyone a chance to pick the ‘Up and Coming Champions’ and be able to say: “Hey, I saw them as baby Bronze dancers and even then, there was a special something that let me know these were the future champions.” Our open events will let you pick your favorite couples and will give you the opportunity to see if you chose the same winners that the judges chose. Are you both on the same page in choosing the next American representatives to the WDSF World Championships, the World Cups, and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) World Games? We will be sending representatives from our Junior II, Youth, Under-21 (new event), Adult, Senior I, and Senior II championship events and this will give you the opportunity to see them first. 22 DanceSport
This year at Nationals there will be some really amazing new events. For the first time we will be offering Under-21 events. Couples who qualify to dance Nationals in Youth championship events &/or the Adult Championship events may dance in the Under-21 events at Nationals, provided they are age eligible (between 16-20 years old and are not eligible to dance in Junior II.) These events will offer our young athletes the opportunity to show case their considerable talents in both the Youth & Under-21 competitions, or the Under-21 & Adult events. The Under-21 Latin will be held on Friday events, the Under-21 Standard on Saturday evening and the Under-21, 10-Dance on Sunday evening. So, in addition to our regular longstanding great championship events, here is an opportunity to see the next “stars of dance” dance. The Under-21 events will culminate in the finals where the couples will be chosen to represent the United States at the World Open Under-21 Championships in Standard, Latin and 10-Dance. In addition to the new Under-21 events, for the first time we will be holding a Salsa Championship. The Salsa Championship will choose the couple that will represent the United States at the IOC World Games to be held in Cali, Columbia July 25-August 4, 2013. For the Salsa Championship we will be using IOC
rules with regards to couples, this means that for this event it is an “Open” event and the only requirement is that both members of the couple be US citizens and that they be members of USA Dance. The Salsa championship will be held on Friday night with the early rounds on Friday afternoon.
“We will be sending representatives from our Junior II, Youth, Under-21 (new event), Adult, Senior I, and Senior II championship events and this will give you the opportunity to see them first.” www.USAdance.ORG
Travel to the LA Live Staples Center to pick the ‘Up and Coming Champions’ and be able to say: “Hey, I saw them as baby Bronze dancers and even then, there was a special something that let me know these were the future champions.”
2013 January - February
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orld W C hampionships WDSF
By Breanna Olaveson
As 2012 drew to a close, dancers from around the world gathered in seven different countries to compete for the world’s most prestigious titles. Seven World Championships were held from October to December, creating seven new world championship couples and giving hundreds more the chance to compete on the world stage. Here are the highlights from those competitions and a look at how USA Dance members fared against the world’s fiercest competition.
SENIOR I TEN-DANCE October 13, Mons, Belgium Balazs and Csilla Kocsi have been dancing together for nine years and have taken first in the Senior I Ten Dance event at the USA Dance Nationals for the past two years. This year their placement at nationals qualified them to represent the United States at the Senior I Ten Dance World Championships in Mons, Belgium. The couple didn’t disappoint, as they placed 13th out of 56 couples.
Photo Courtesty of Balazs & Csilla Kocsi
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YOUTH TEN-DANCE October 27, Moscow, Russia
Moscow, Russia was the stage for Kevin Morales and Elina Khotinskaya’s first world championship competition. Kevin and Elina placed first at the Youth Ten Dance competition at nationals and has since been preparing for this world championship event. In August the couple traveled to Germany to compete at an open world event and got their feet wet in the world arena. At the world championships in October, the couple placed 25th out of the thirtyone couples at the competition.
ADULT TEN-DANCE
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Morales & Elina Khotinskaya
November 10, Oslo, Norway Norway’s capital city played host to this year’s World Championship Adult Ten-Dance competition, bringing together thirty-seven couples who have prepared and competed all year for a chance to dance in the World Championships. USA Dance members Alexandre Tchernossitov and Regina Maziarz, who were 2012 USA National Ameteur 10-Dance champions in 2012, tied for 27th in the competition. Bjorn Bitsch and Ashli Williamson of Denmark took home the title, with dancers from Slovenia, the Russian Federation, Canada, Norway and Germany rounding out the rest of the finalists. www.USAdance.ORG
Alexandre Tchernossitov & Regina Maziarz Photo By AD Staff, Nationals 2012
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orld W C hampionships WDSF
JUNIOR II TEN-DANCE November 3, Riga, Latvia Patryk Ploszj and Anna Kaczmarski of the Brooklyn DanceSport Club trained all year in preparation for the Junior II Ten-Dance World Championships, ultimately ranking sixth out the 34 couples competing in the World Championships Junior II Ten-Dance. Patryk and Anna competed in the waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, tango, Viennese waltz, rumba, samba, paso doble, cha cha and jive. Dancers from the Russian Federation, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Italy joined them in the finals.
Patryk Ploszaj & Anna Kaczmauski Photo By AD Staff, Nationals 2012
“When we go to Worlds, we’re never sure if we’re going to make it to the next round,” Patryk said. “You have to fight every round to the limits. We were really glad to make it to the semi-final, and at that point we really wanted to push it and make it to the final. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” When the semi-final results were in and Patryk and Anna found out they had made it to the final, they kept fighting for the best placement. “It was a great feeling,” Patryk said. “We knew we had nothing to lose. The other couples were great, so we just wanted to fight for the best placement.”
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ADULT LATIN November 17, Vienna, Austria
It’s fitting for a ballroom dance competition to take place in Vienna, Austria. The traditionally romantic city has its own dance as a namesake—the Viennese Waltz. It was also one of the last cities to discontinue the traditional nineteenth-century ball. Dancing is part of the city’s genetic makeup.
“It was nice to see how other countries dance,” he said. “We usually dance in America, so it was fun to see people from other countries all over the world.”
But this year’s competitors weren’t waltzing in elaborate ball gowns. Vienna hosted the World Championship Adult Latin finals, which brought 93 couples to Europe to compete in the samba, cha cha, rumba, paso doble and jive in a large sports arena with cameras on every corner of the dance floor. Pavel Stepanchuk and Anastasiya Danilova, both USA Dance members, placed 25th out of the 93 couples, ranking in the top 27 percent of competitors. Italy’s Aniello Langella and Khrystyna Moshenska took first place, joined by dancers from the Russian Federation, Denmark, Moldova and Germany in the final round.
Pavel Stepanchuk & Anastasiya Danilova Photos By Roseanna Richards
“This was our first time competing in World Championships,” Pavel said. “We had no expectations, no idea what would happen. We were very happy to be in the quarter finals. We were proud to represent the USA.” Pavel also said that dancing in the World Championships gave him the opportunity to see people from all over the world dance with their own unique styles. www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
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SENIOR I LATIN December 1, Rouen, France After successfully hosting last year’s Latin Dance World Championship, the organizers were invited to host this year’s WDSF World Championship Senior I Latin in Rouen, France. The competition attracted 41 couples from around the world, including two from the United States. Irsan Tisnabudi and Cami Tisnabudi Photo By AD Staff, Nationals 2012
Sergey Makarenko and Tatiana Nikolaeva of the Russian Federation took first place at the championship. Other couples in the finals came from France, Finland, Germany, the Russian Federation, and the Czech Republic. United States couple Irsan Tisnabudi and Cami Tisnabudi were ranked 24th. Roger Korsiak and Teresa Tison, another couple from the United States, tied for 36th.
Roger Korsiak & Teresa Tison Photo By AD Staff, Nationals 2012
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“It was a first-class event,” Roger Korsiak said. “Every detail was considered and all needs were met. They made me feel welcome and respected as a representative for the U.S. I felt like an Olympic athlete at times. Even though placement was not high, I am inspired and look forward to improving my dance.”
ADULT STANDARD December 2, Melbourne, Australia This year’s World Championship Adult Standard competition was held as part of Melbourne, Australia’s third World DanceSport event in eight years. The best Adult Standard athletes in the world gathered in the land down under to go head-to-head for the prestigious World Champion title. The event, which took place at the Hisense Arena, brought 150 couples to compete in the Adult Standard alone. Dancers in other categories brought the total number of couples to over 220. Dancers came from more than 50 countries, including the United States.
Yuriy Nartov & Yuliya Blagova Photo By Peter Suba, Blackpool 2012
Finalists in the World Championship Adult Standard came from Germany, Denmark, the Russian Federation, and Italy. United States dancers Yuriy Nartov and Yuliya Blagova tied for 50th. Mechyslav Pavlyuk and Gemma Arnold, who started dancing together in June 2011, ranked 60th.
Mechyslav Pavlyuk & Gemma Arnold Photo By Dance Studio 22
www.USAdance.ORG
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Chicago DanceSpo “The CDC had a new sponsor, Swiss Watchmaker Ernest Borel, which is actively sponsoring USA Dance at the National Level, and we were pleased to have Thomas Huggler and Pietro Meloni present for the entire competition, handing out many awards and congratulating our athletes."
Hurricane Sandy and a Nor’easter disrupted flight schedules, but proved to be no match for our Chicago DanceSport Challenge NQE at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. All of our competitors arrived safely and found their way home without difficulty. This year’s event organized by Barbara Finn, Kelly Bachelor, Dave Barbour, and Alan Burns, as they have done in previous years, was better than ever. The Chicagoland Chapter #2001 is indeed fortunate to have such talented members donating their time and energy to sift through the myriad of details and navigate through the maze of communications required to put on a very successful event. In all, 328 competitors registered to qualify for our 2013 USA Dance National Championships in Los Angeles. The Chicago DanceSport Challenge held at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel again this year, was better than ever with many first time happenings. Most importantly, the CDC had a new sponsor, Swiss Watchmaker Ernest Borel, which is actively sponsoring USA Dance at the National Level, and we were pleased to have Thomas Huggler and Pietro Meloni present for the entire competition, handing out many awards and congratulating our athletes. Through the generosity of our many sponsors, we awarded over $10,200 in scholarships to our competitors. We are grateful to have so many supporters and thank them for their tax-deductible donations. In addition, Angela Prince, our National Publicity Director, attended the CDC for the very first time, and not only graced our comp, but also lent her expertise and valuable ideas helping our volunteers make a more successful event. This was the first year the CDC awarded a $500 Top Teacher and $1000 Top Studio Awards by earning a combined point total for number of registered
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ort Challenge competitors and formation teams, workshop tickets sold, spectator tickets sold, and the most advertising dollars spent on program ads and perimeter sign boards. This also facilitated another first: a Saturday evening sell out of spectator tickets. We added tiered seating at both ends of the competition floor this year and were happy that this extra expense allowed our spectators a more enjoyable view of the floor. We also had the national backdrop for picture taking which included the Olympic, USA Dance, and WDSF logos. The CDC attracted many top competitors raising the bar for all the dancers. Among the top competitors were the 2012 USA Dance Adult Ten Dance Champions, Alexander Tchernossitov and Regina Maziarz--NY, Adult Nine Dance Champions and Rhythm Finalists, Damian Pataluna and Irina Morozov--KY, Adult Championship Smooth Finalists, Nels E. Petersen and Theresa Kimler-MN, Senior I Ten Dance and Latin Championship Finalists, Balazs Kocsi and Csilla Kocsi--KY, Senior I Championship Standard Finalists, Xingmin Lu and Katerina Lu--NY, Senior 1 and Senior 2 Championship Rhythm Champions, Henry and Olivia Hudson--AZ, Senior 2 Latin Finalists, Sean Shiauh Wei and Vivian Lin--NY, Senior 2 Standard Finalists, Vincent and Irina Feingold--NJ as well as Lonnie and Susie Tsang--Chicago, six time past Senior II Standard Champions. On a special note, Brandon Segovia and Serena Pav, Chicagoland Chapter members who advanced through the auditions and then competed on Dancing With The Stars Ballroom Battle 2011, added their special flavor and talent to our comp. These top competitors graced our floors, entertained us with their honor dances, and added their extraordinary dancing expertise to the delight of all our spectators and VIP guests. www.USAdance.ORG
Dance competitions are complex entities and sometimes take on a life of their own, as any organizer will attest to. Most went smoothly, but the new O2CM upgrade and new scoring pads added an additional layer of complexity to the competition. Our Chairman of Judges, Gregory Day, and all of our adjudicators including Tommie Giacchino, Bonita Brocket, Don Johnson, Charles Jones, Marco Mechelke, Bill Davies, Rauno and Kristiina Ilo, Linda Jackson, and Kris and Ela Kasperowicz took it in stride and worked with the bugs that crawled out of the system. We thank all of our officials and CDC volunteers for their patience and persistence in helping to iron out the kinks during the weekend. This year we had a good complement of vendors that provided valuable services to our competitors and spectators including Ballroom Video, Dance Connection, Dance Styles Chicago, Erin Marie Hair and Makeup Stylist, Glam Designs Costume Rentals, International Dance Design, LNT Photography, and Venus. Our hearts and prayers go out to Grand Prix America, a children's costume/ shoe vendor, who was caught in Hurricane Sandy’s devastation. Lastly, we want to give a big thank you to the over 35 volunteers who contributed their time and talents to make our competition such a success. Many dedicated their entire weekend to ensure things ran smoothly. We also hail a big thank you to all the studios, social dancers, and professionals who participated along with the many competitors from all over the country who competed at our National Qualifying Event gracing our dance floor with beauty and elegance. By Jeffrey S. Forth Photos By Anne-Marie Lund, LNT Photography
2013 January - February
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CarolinaDanceport FallChampionship Classic BY Pamela Weaver
USA Dance Senior IV National Championships The Carolina Fall Class was off to a great buzz with the new kids on the block strutting their stuff. The Carolina Fall Classic, organized by Wayne and Marie Crowder, found a new venue in 2012 and for the first time ever held the USA Dance Senior IV Level National Championships. The new venue was the Hilton Charlotte University Place. And the new expanded competition wowed the attendees and spectators from the first event on Friday, October 5th until the last event on Sunday October 7th at 4 p.m. This year the event was a national qualifier for those as young as the pre-teen 1 thru Senior III age classification for all four dance categories: American Rhythm, American Smooth, International Standard and International Latin. But the big news was not only for the young but also young at heart (and body!), the Senior IV division. For the first time ever, The Carolina Fall Classic was the host for the over 65 age classification USA Dance National Championship. Senior IV competitors were not only able to compete at both syllabus and open levels in all four dance categories but able to take home their own USA Dance Championship Medals. The competition home for Senior IV championship will be with The Carolina Fall Classic for the foreseeable future.
Top: Left to Right
Rockie D. Troxler & Mary Lou Troxler Ken McCleary & Pamela Weaver Bottom: Left to Right
James Benjamin & Suzanne Benjamin Carl Blevins & Lelia Blevins
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In top form, the Senior IV couples glided across the floor in both American Smooth and International Standard. James and Susan Benjamin (Iowa) showed their proficiency in American Smooth as they vied for and won the American Smooth Championship. Mary Lou Troxler never looked more elegant as she and Rockie Troxler (North Carolina) showed off gorgeous over sways and lines to reap the International Standard Senior IV International Standard Championship.
Senior IV National Championships Results Senior IV Championship Standard 1) Rockie D. Troxler & Mary Lou Troxler - NC 2) Edward A. Winsa & Susan L. Button-Winsa - OH 3) Ken McCleary & Pamela Weaver - FL 4) Sumner Goodman & Grace Goodman - NY 5) James Benjamin & Suzanne Benjamin - IA
And if anyone thinks Senior IVs are too old for American rhythm and International Latin, think twice. Carl and Lelia Blevins (Florida) became the first Senior IV Rhythm National Champions while Pamela Weaver and Ken McCleary (Florida) became the first Senior IV Latin National Champions. Special kudos go to Carl and Lelia Blevins for competing in both categories of Senior IV Rhythm and Smooth, Pamela Weaver and Ken McCleary in both Senior IV Standard and Latin and James and Suzanne Benjamin in both American Smooth and International Standard categories. It was a first that many of us will not forget. Thank you Wayne and Marie!!! BY Louise Giuliano Senior III competitor There was a steady rain outside, but everyone inside the spacious Charlotte University Hilton was warmed up and ready to have a great time. This was the second time we participated in this competition which is a National Qualifying Event (NQE) for USADance. We thoroughly enjoyed last year's event, but this year was even better. Friday's "fun" dances were packed with energetic participants who hustled, west coasted, boleroed, Argentine tangoed and even polka danced the night away to enthusiastic audience applause. There were some more serious events also going on, but the mood was light and joyful. A lot of credit goes to Wayne and Marie Crowder, the hosts of the Carolina Fall Classic, and their enthusiastic team of volunteers who went out of their way to make everyone feel at ease. www.USAdance.ORG
Senior IV Championship Rhythm 1) Carl Blevins & Lelia Blevins - FL Senior IV Championship Latin 1) Ken McCleary & Pamela Weaver - FL Senior IV Championship Smooth 1) James Benjamin & Suzanne Benjamin - IA 2) Carl Blevins & Lelia Blevins - FL
The next two days were packed with many events from Bronze Syllabus to Open Championship in both the American and International styles. There were numerous events with quarter finals, making this a challenging competition well worth attending for serious amateur dance competitors. The Senior IV National Championships were featured events with couples over the age of 65 making a mockery of aging as they competed in Rhythm, Smooth, Latin and Standard 4- and 5-dance events. The level of their dancing demonstrated the great conditioning of even the oldest dancers and gave hope to us all that there was ample time left to enjoy our favorite sport. Congratulations to the new National Champions! Many vendors had spread out large and varied displays with reasonable price tags. There was a hospitality table loaded with home baked goodies. Towels and water were provided in the competition hall, and there was a good-sized practice room close by. Every competitor was welcomed by cheerful volunteers and assisted to find their way to the dance area. Local area restaurants offered delivery service and there were several late night dining opportunities nearby. The view of the lake and the university were lovely, despite the drizzle outside. Spectators had many opportunities for social dancing while competitors were changing or to give the hardworking judges a break. What more could a dancer ask for?? We drove 13 hours from Upstate New York to attend, and we would certainly do it again! Photos Courtesy of Wayne Crowder
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2011 Photos Courtesy of Alex Ren
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The Quake San Francisco Airport Marriott Hotel Ballroom
On Saturday and Sunday, November 10 -11, the bay area was rumbling to the sound of ballroom music and a few hundred dancers. The Quake, one of USA Dance’s elite National Qualifying Events, was a major success during its second year under the management of Ava Kaye Brennen. Ava started running this competition because she wanted to fill a niche that she felt was missing to some degree. “I attend a lot of NQEs and they’re all wonderful, but what I didn’t see along the west coast was a competition that was geared to the very serious competitors with the best judges, floors, lighting and venue.” Ava said. “It is quite an investment and so it can be intimidating for a chapter to undertake, but I feel that it is worth it.” Other dancers felt it was worth it as well as approximately 300 couples showed up for the event. “I was just glad that it happened,” Ava commented. After having to sort through various difficulties with the venue and ensuring that judges would be available without jeopardizing their eligibility to judge at other events, it was a relief to have the event turn out as it did. Ava said, “We had some difficulties, but it all came together and everything just worked out. It was a really amazing event.” www.USAdance.ORG
The Quake is the only NQE with same-sex competition and Ava admits that it may turn some people off from the competition, but that “it is a celebration of the whole dance community in the Bay area.” As the last NQE of the 2012 calendar the Quake was a huge success, but Ava plans on making next year’s event even better. “I look at the whole thing and see what I can improve.” Ava said. One of the specific improvements she hopes to have at next year’s competition are vendors. With well-known and well-respected judges, an incredible venue at the San Francisco Airport Marriott hotel, and the best dance floor available in the area, the Quake is a competition that every serious competitor should add to their list for the upcoming year. By Michael Mecham
2013 January - February
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USA DANCE NORTHWEST DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS By: LaureL Preston, NWDSC organizing Committee memBer
KiDS RuLe!
O
nce again we welcomed dancers from many states and one Canadian province over the pre-Halloween weekend of October 27-28, 2012. We hold this event in a beautiful Hilton hotel near the airport, so all our guests will have a great experience. Now that we’ve moved the event back to its traditional October date, snow is no longer an issue as it can be in January. Unfortunately the east coast experienced a hurricane after our event, which did impact some of the dancers and one judge returning home. We hope you, your families and homes are safe.
top LeveL offiCiaLS
Saturday morning is our busiest session, as the Seattle area has a very active program for our young people, including the “Dancing Classrooms Program-Greater Seattle” which has been imported from New York. Several other local studios have kids programs too, and they feed off each other. The key to success of a kids program lies in making it more than just dance lessons...it’s an opportunity to teach positive values to youth... something parents value. Competition is a way to keep kids engaged and they love it! Some of our top Junior dancers who have been national champions and placed highly at Junior Blackpool have changed partners recently, creating a fresh and exciting element to the competition.
We were honored to have former US champions and Blackpool finalists on our adjudicating panel, which included Daniel Calloway (chair), Jeanette Ball, Stuart Cole, Stephen Cullip, Olga Foraponova, Glenn Weiss, Tom Hicks, Anya Klimova-Preston, Trevor Luff, and Elena Zakharova. “Mr. Smooth”, Michael Wachal MC’d, Mark Tabor scrutineered and Jim Kent provided great, danceable New partners Daniel Bernecker and Polina Dickenson competing in Junior Standard. music. 36 DanceSport
Senior I Standard Champions, Thomas Yim & Kelly W. Cheng, from California. Photo: Ivo Dmitrov
SupeR SeNioR eveNtS
Continuing the trend of the last few years, our Senior I, II and III events were very popular, attracting competitors from far afield. Ten years ago, our Senior events usually did not have semifinals and some events had to be combined so that a couple was not dancing by themselves. Now we normally have semifinals and feature the championship level events on Saturday night...primetime for spectators. Congratulations to Senior I Standard Champions, Thomas Yim & Kelly W. Cheng, from California, a very elegant couple. I think just about everybody knows Hans & Ans Stork from Arizona, and we were all very happy for them as they took top honors in the Senior II and III Standard Championship events.
The USA Dance Seattle Dance Team got into the Halloween spirit of things with their “Thriller” number. Photo: Pamela Nygaard.
$4,100 in scholarships were awarded due to the generosity of our donors!
NeW opeN CHampioNSHip StaNDaRD & LatiN CHampioNS
The new partnership of Mikhail Koptev and Kseniya Sovenko won both the Adult Championship Standard & Latin Championship events. Mikhail recently moved to Seattle from Russia and has competed all over Europe. They have been training together since August 2012.
oRgaNizeRS RetiRe to StaNDiNg ovatioN
After five years as organizers, Michele Boyer and Daryl Schmidt announced their retirement as NWDSC organizers. They plan to continue organizing the smaller “The Quest for the Best” chapter scholarship series, but thought it was time to reduce their responsibilities somewhat. Our chapter and the audience thanked them for all their efforts with a standing ovation.
New partners Mikhail Koptev and Kseniya Sovenko won both the Adult Championship Standard & Latin Championship events. Photos above and below: Ivo Dmitrov.
NWDSC oN HiatuS Though we have looked for new event organizers to replace those retiring, none have stepped forward at this point in time, so we have no current plans to put on an event in 2013. Our chapter is committed to putting on high quality events, and we will not offer one until we can be sure that it will meet the standard of past events. We invite you to try one of these National Qualifying Events in order to qualify for the April 2014 USA Dance National Championships: June 2013 - Baton Rouge, LA Aug. 2013 - Heartland, IN Oct. 2013 - Charlotte, NC Nov. 2013 - Chicago, IL
Jan. 2014 - New York, NY Feb. 2014 - Orange County, CA Feb. 2014 - Bethesda, MD April 2014 - NATIONALS
Thank you to all our attendees, officials and volunteers for your support through the years! www.USAdance.ORG
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Ballroom Dance is Ageless By Gabe Pascarella & Phil Sisk Since 2006 the Richmond Chapter (#6006) has actively supported youth dance programs. Our board recognizes that the future of ballroom dancing depends not only on introducing dance to younger dancers, but also on providing support and training to expose them to the proper techniques as they develop. In order to reach as many young dancers as possible, we pursue two avenues: a scholarship program and a school sponsorship program. Scholarships help fund lessons for competitive dancers and school programs allow us to introduce dancing to K-12 children as well as local university students. One of the most successful programs we helped develop and fund is now part of the curriculum at the Riverside School, a nonprofit private day school serving students in grades K-8. This nationally-recognized school is dedicated to providing a teaching approach which is specifically designed to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia and similar language-based reading challenges. Ms. Julie Wingfield, principal at Riverside, believes that the ballroom dance program at her school provides indirect lessons for her students in the development of social skills, as well as providing a venue for becoming comfortable with the opposite gender in a social setting. Educationally, ballroom dancing assists in stretching the boundaries of creative expression and problem solving. She related that as students are given the opportunity to utilize the learned dance patterns and place the patterns in a workable sequence, the students are stretching their brains in an educational environment. Ballroom contributes to the school’s base philosophy of emphasizing movement in all of its classes. At the school’s end of year dance social under the tutelage of professional dance instructor Phyllis Harris, the parents are amazed – and often moved to tears – when they see what their children have learned about dancing and in their newfound socialization skills. These students are typically painfully shy 38 InStep
and reticent to have physical contact with others when they start their dance classes, but under Ms. Harris’ guidance, they learn the fundamentals of dance etiquette and how to relate to a dance partner in hold. To date, over 100 students have participated in the introduction to ballroom training and the school plans to continue the program due to the benefits it provides through multisensory learning. In addition, the Chapter supports programs in two Chesterfield County high schools. Manchester High’s “Students of Power” program focuses on helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds become well-rounded and positive contributors to their school and the surrounding community. This organization raises money for local and international charities through various fundraisers. At Monocan High, “Monocan Women,” focuses on helping young ladies recognize their abilities and learn the skills needed to mentor and become role models for their peers. Students from both of these programs take ballroom dance classes as a combined group. Assistant Principal Deborah Romig believes that through their participation in ballroom dance classes, the students learn how to interact with a diverse group of people while learning social skills and dance technique. Most of all, she feels that for students from both schools ballroom dancing is a positive outlet and activity that helps them learn to interact with others while enjoying music and dance. www.USAdance.ORG
Sponsoring these dance programs for the future generations of dancers has become a labor of love within the chapter and dance community. Helping students learn to appreciate dance is more than writing a check to pay for a class. Many of our members attend their events to support and encourage them as they grow. And, most of all, we recognize them as special guests at our dances and help them develop their leading and following skills on the dance floor.
Top Photo: Gabe Pascarella addresses Monocan and Manchester high school students. bottom Photo: Monocan/Manchester students are ready to dance!
2013 January - February
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By Michael Mecham
The National Collegiate DanceSport competition has had another successful year. With approximately 900 collegiate athletes competing at this year’s competition, there was no shortage of spectacular performances. “The thing I love most,” said one of the dancers from the University of Michigan “is just being able to see all the different dancers. It is so much fun to see how many beginning dancers are willing to go out on the dance floor and do their thing.” This sentiment was repeated by many of the other competitors. A couple students from the University of Minnesota said that their favorite part was just the atmosphere of the competition and being able to cheer on the other dancers. 40 InStep
University of Michigan
This year’s competition ran smoothly thanks to the help and hundreds (if not thousands) of hours by some of the dedicated staff. Amanda
Ashcraft seemed to have an endless amount of energy, as she was busy registering dancers from early in the morning until late at night. Amanda’s birthday usually falls
during one of the days of the competition and some of the teams have started to take note. “Some of the teams have brought me gifts over the years.” said Amanda. Most of the gifts have been some kind of school memorabilia, but the gifts aren’t what keep Amanda coming to the competition. “I like being around the college dancers,” she said, “It’s different from any other tournament.”
Amanda Ashcraft Registering Dancers
The teams all showed up with tremendous talents and all of their dancing ability was put on the line, but once again it was the University
of Michigan that claimed the title as the national collegiate champions. The team
shared some of their experience. “After two lengthy days of dancing and two nights of marvelous inspiration from professional dancers, we came away with our eighth
national championship title and a grand prize of $5,000! We also came
away with first place in the American team match and countless ribbons to our individual dancers.” www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
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NCDC Photos by AD Staff
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www.USAdance.ORG
2013 January - February
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Purdue University
Carnegie Melon University
This year’s competition had another added bonus. Sam
Sodano has given a scholarship to the winning college ballroom program in the past but this year his generous donations were extended to include the top three programs. In addition to the $5,000 that the University of Michigan received, the second place Purdue University and third place Carnegie Melon University received $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. Each of the teams were incredibly grateful for Mr. Sodano’s generosity and continued support of the competition.
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UVU
“The Utah Valley University (UVU) Ballroom Dance Company has sent its Back-up Tour Team to the National Collegiate DanceSport Championships for the past three years and has won each year.” said UVU’s coach Chris Witt. “In
2010 we only entered a Standard Ballroom Medley, but in 2011 and 2012 we were able to compete in the Latin and Standard Ballroom Formation events.” UVU was the only school that brought a formation team to the competition, but that didn’t discourage them. “We love attending the NCDC, even when we’re the only team,” said coach Witt. Kimi Clayton, one of the team captains added, “The competition gives our team a purpose. It gives us an opportunity to tour and something to work for.” When asked what makes their program so successful coach Witt said, “I think UVU excels in Formation Team Competition because of the culture in Utah. People in Utah value ballroom dance as a fun recreational activity, in fact dozens of Elementary Schools, Junior High Schools, and High Schools across the state teach ballroom dance and have ballroom dance teams that perform and compete. It’s a clean, safe, and enjoyable extracurricular activity for these students. Naturally these youth programs feed into our collegiate program, strengthening the UVU teams.” Kimi and her husband Brandon are perfect examples of this. They have both been dancing since high school and are now captains and partners on the www.USAdance.ORG
UVU
UVU team. “It’s another thing that we get to spend time doing together,” said Kimi, “and it’s a little hard sometimes because when we get frustrated during dancing it is sometimes hard not to take it personally because we are so close to each other, but we have had a lot of fun.” The National Collegiate DanceSport Championships is a great competition for every level of dancer. “We love the energy and enthusiasm of the participants at the NCDC,” agreed coach Witt, “and it’s a great opportunity for ballroom dancers from across the country to meet and socialize with one another.” After the competition Witt praised his team’s performance. “I’m
particularly proud of this team’s dedication. They rehearsed every
morning at 6:45 a.m. and work very hard. We pushed them with challenging choreography and they met every challenge with a great attitude. Even when we found out that we were the only team entered into our events, the dancers still practiced hard so that they could do their very best at the NCDC.” 2013 January - February
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DanceMart AMERICAN STYLE GOWNS American Style Competition Gowns. I have gowns for resale for women who are medium built (I am 5’8� 150 lbs) I have an orange latin (floor length), and a mint green latin (short). I am located in RI with easy access to Boston or NY. Good condition, Priced to sell, Best offer, Looking for $400 each. Contact: Linda at 4013234072 lswinggirl123@aol.com [2] BOOKS Love to dance? Read a Dancemaster mystery! Disco Death, The Country Western Corpse, Two to Tango, The Homicide Hustle, Mambo to Murder, The Wedding Waltz Widow, The Las Vegas Lambada, and new mystery, The Jacksonville Jive. Author/Dancer Charlene Torkelson weaves and interesting story with a twist. Order your book or ebook at www.chartorkelson.com or www. amazon.com. [2] WANTED New or gently used competition jewelry. Must be in good condition. Any design or style considered. Please send pictures and asking price to slhadley_2000@yahoo.com [1]
DanceMart DanceMart continues to serve members of USA Dance as a free space to advertise and sell personal costumes, shoes, etc., or search for a partner. To be included in DanceMart, please limit your classified ads to 50 words or less. You must include your membership number and name to ensure compliance with the free space for members only. Classified ads will run in American dancer for two issues. If you wish to run it longer, you must resend the ad. To place or renew an ad, Please send it to: design@americandancer.org
46 InStep
GBR6155-2599
LBR6155-2599
ERNEST BOREL
76 Littleton Road, Rt 110, USA – Chelmsford, MA 01824-2625 Tel: +1 877 566 1824 Fax: +1 855 566 1824 Steven Varshavsky & Caroline Nunberg www.ernestborel.ch usa@ernestborel.ch Manhattan Amateur Classic/Jan 2012 - Photo By: Ryan Kenner Photography
Photo By Ryan Kenner
USA Dance National DanceSport Championships
USA DANCE
Los angeles, ca april 5 - 7, 2013
NATIONALS Crowning Champions
www.usadancenationals.org