AMERICAN DANCER Magazine - August-October 2016 Issue

August-October 2016

“If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it. You just do it one step at a time.”

– Marian Wright Edelman American advocate for children’s rights

DANCING for SOCIAL CHANGE in AMERICA

Taking the Lead, Reshaping Lives One Dance Step At a Time.

National Elections Issue 2016

Official publication of USA Dance Inc.

THE TIDEWATER CHAPTER #6008 USA DANCE, INC. PRESENTS

Dancing in the New Year along the Historic Elizabeth River Waterfront for Four Days & Three Evenings

Earle Williamson & Charlotte Christiansen USA Dance National Standard Champions, 2016 Photo: Lisa Dubinsky

Riccardo Pacini and Sonia Spadoni Professional U.S. & Italian Latin & Showdance Champions Photo: Ryan Kenner Photopraghy

Earle Williamson & Charlotte Christiansen Riccardo Pacini & Sonia Spadoni Registration/Tickets: www.twcusadance.org Phone: 757 763-8101 Email: president@twcusadance.org

800 468-3571 or 757 673-3000 Please identify yourself with Tidewater USA Dance-2016

Dance Hosts for the Ladies New Year’s Champagne Toast & Breakfast Farewell Sunday Tea Dance A DANCE US

EW T ID

Special Renaissance Hotel Group Rates Available for USA Dance Guests for hotel reservations:

Showdance Performances by National Champions

AT E

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Featuring

7,000 sf Ballroom Floor Two Reserved Seating Dinner Dances

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Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel 425 Water Street, Portsmouth, Virginia

52 Dance Workshops All Styles & Levels American, International, Club Style

#6

December 29, 2016 – January 1, 2017

TE R VA C HAP

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THE TIDEWATER CHAPTER #6008

August-October 2016 DEPARTMENTS

5 President’s Message

27 Socially Yours

6 Milestones

35 In The Public Eye

17 Grassroots

46 USA Dance 2016-2017

Ken Richards, President of USA Dance Action Report from USA Dance National

Chapter Highlights & Achievements

By Jean Krupa, Social Dance VP

By Angela Prince, PR Director

DanceSport Calendar

FEATURES

12 Cover Story

Dancing For Social Change in America: Making a Difference in People’s Lives.

By Angela Prince

Courtesy of WDSF

Major Announcement: American Public Television will televise the World DanceSport Federation’s GrandSlam DanceSport Series from around the world, beginning in September/October. Schedules to vary by local market. Story p.9.

10 District Volunteers of the Year, Finalists 11

National Ballroom Dance Week 2016

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Top 10 Social Dance Events of the Year Best Road Trip Excuse in America

23 USA DANCE NATIONAL ELECTIONS 2016 Meet the Official Candidates, Vote & Decide

28 Ask The Dance Historian

Waltz: An American Transformation

By Forrest Outman

30 Dancer Hospitality, Louisiana-Style

Gumbo DanceSport Championships NQE

Kevin Ladd

Andrea McCafferty

National Ballroom Dance Week – Sept. 16 – 25.

Northern Alabama Chapter 6115 dances outdoors at Bridge Street. NBDW Story p. 11.

32 Boston First NQE Stop for Nationals

New England DanceSport Championships

34 WDSF GrandSlam Returns to the USA Attracting world-level competitors to the new American DanceSport Festival

Yang Chen

Dancin’ In The Rain (or Shine). Every spring, the Greater New York Chapter 3004 joins 10,000+ dancers in the NYC streets to celebrate the ‘freedom to participate in dance.‘

36 From A Champion’s Perspective:

Xingmin Yu & Katerina Yu: Making History

39 Burning the Floor at the Summer Sizzler New Jersey DanceSport Classic NQE

40 Wow Factor in Romania

WDSF Junior II Standard World Championhip

41 Globe Trekking to Japan for DanceSport WDSF Youth Standard World Championship

42 World Teams Rally in Slovak Republic WDSF Senior II Latin

44 Judge’s Marks Not Sole Test in Italy

WDSF Senior III Standard World Championship

FRONT COVER: At the Gumbo DanceSport Championships NQE, Stephen Nadeau & Jessica Smith (MD) took first place in all Adult Latin divisions, Masters of Syllabus, Pre-Championship and Championship.

Photo Credit: Moondance Studios/Bobby Campbell BACK COVER: The USA Dance National DanceSport Championships showcases America’s top athletes of all ages and proficiency levels. Proud moments for Latin couple Christopher Lesesne & Anastasia Krivosheev (GA), placing 2nd in Pre-Teen I Bronze Latin. Photo Credit: Lisa Dubinsky CORRECTION: Our apologies - in the May-July 2016 issue of American Dancer, Kristian Evstigneev & Monica

Kiselyuk (NY), competing at the Mid-Atlantic Championships (p. 33) were identified incorrectly as Melnichenko & Glagoleva (GA). They were 1st in Junior I Pre-Championship Latin, Championship Standard and Latin.

August-October 2016

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regular contributors ANGELA PRINCE Public Relations Director

August-October 2016

Official Publication of USA Dance, Inc.

Angela Prince is the publisher/editor in chief of American Dancer Magazine. She has served as National Public Relations Director for USA Dance, Inc. since 2007.

Her responsibilities include integrated communications, publicity, social media relations, sponsorship development, promotional support and brand management.

2016/Issue 61

Executive Committee: President – Ken Richards, DE Vice President – Ann Durocher, LA Secretary – Daphna Locker, NY Treasurer – Scott Coates, FL VP, DanceSport – Stan Andrews, IL VP, Social Dance – Jean Krupa, FL DanceSport Rep – Inna Brayer, NY DanceSport Rep – Roger Greenawalt, IN

JEAN KRUPA

Social Dance Vice President Jean Krupa is the Social Vice President for USA Dance, Inc., and is serving her second three-year term of office. She is responsible for the programs, communications and a 11-district representation for 156 local chapters and its members.

Editorial Staff: Publisher/Editor In Chief Angela F. Prince Design and Production SPARK Publications sparkpublications.com Photography Staff Carson Zullinger, Advisor Lisa Dubinsky

FORREST OUTMAN

Contributing Dance Historian

Advertising Angela F. Prince

Forrest Outman is a noted historian, educator, and preservationist, specializing in social dances from the late 19th Century and later. Current projects include documenting and recreating Peabody, Collegiates, Shags, The Jeep, preWWII Fox Trots and Hustle. www.DanceHistorian.com

Printing Publishers Press, Inc. Subscription: American Dancer, the official publication of USA Dance, Inc., is published five to six times a year for the membership and is included in annual membership dues. Subscription cost to non-members within the USA: $25/year Submissions: American Dancer welcomes submissions of unsolicited articles, photos and other graphics. All submissions become the property of American Dancer magazine and are not returned to the sender. American Dancer reserves the right to edit all materials for space, content, grammatical and preferential reasons. Preferred method of editorial submissions is by written proposal to the editor who will initially review the story ideas and materials and make a final decision whether to request more information and/or publish. Submissions should be sent to americandancer@usadance.org with AMERICAN DANCER submission/name of sender/story header on the email subject line.

Photo submissions must be high-resolution jpegs (minimum 300-600 dpi and preferably 2400 x 3600 pixels) and American Dancer retains all first-usage rights to submitted copy and photographs/digital images.

PUBLISHER’S OFFICE: AF Prince Associates 704-888-3073 Email: AmericanDancer@usadance.org

CENTRAL OFFICE: USA Dance, Inc. 800-447-9047 Fax 239-573-0946 Email: central-office@usadance.org

MEMBERSHIP: Online registration or renewals at www.usadance.org WEBSITE: www.USADANCE.org NATIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: USA Dance, Inc. American Dancer Magazine Social Dancers USA Dance

Twitter: @usadanceinc LinkedIn: USA Dance Inc. YouTube: usadanceinc

USA Dance Chapter websites and Facebook pages are listed at www.usadance.org. © 2016 USA Dance Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

USA DANCE, Inc. is the National Governing Body for DanceSport in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee and the World DanceSport Federation. With nearly 160 local chapters, soon to reach 17,000+ national members, from pre-teen to collegiate to seniors and an estimated outreach of more than 200,000, USA Dance is also the representative association for all social and recreational dancers in the country. Membership includes both social and DanceSport, pre-teen through senior, amateur and professional classifications.

MISSION STATEMENT:

To improve the quality and quantity of ballroom dancing in America.

American Dancer Magazine Wins Coveted 2014 MARCOM Gold Award for magazine excellence, one of the marketing communication industry’s most prestigious achievement awards.

P

resident’s Message

A

s I assumed the role of President, July 31, under the USA Dance Bylaws, at the resignation of my dear friend and trusted mentor, Peter Pover, I bring you my first of two President’s Reports.

As announced previously in social media, after 18 years of service to USA Dance, under six presidencies, I have chosen not to run for an elected office in 2017. So what can I accomplish within the five months that I have been asked to guide our company to the next election? I must say the agenda is vast, but summarizes nicely into one overall topic: finish the good work that Peter Pover and I began together when he assumed his position following the resignations of the previous administration and handover the cleanest company possible to the new team of Officers, DanceSport Delegates and Directors, who will be elected or appointed this year.

Specifically, the next few months will be filled with work for the volunteer Governance Team of USA Dance as we will be quite busy implementing: (1) A new budget process that gives clear and transparent numbers by initiative, not the consolidated approach practiced in 2014-15.

(2) Modernization of the Bylaws. It has long-since agreed upon across several Presidencies that the USA Dance Bylaws, as written, were too procedural and rulebook like and needed to be more of a governing document that provided a framework to the Governing Council without bogging them down in the minutia of the day-to-day process. We have already made great strides in making these revisions in the past two months and there are two to three sections more to complete by December.

(3) The formalization of the Education Department officially now named the USA Dance Academy with an appointment of an interim Director for the remainder of 2016.

As of this writing, members were previously notified that two volunteers were also ratified to assist the GC Team -- Daphna Locker, as National Secretary; and Ann Durocher, as Senior Vice-President.

Both are proven roll-the-sleeves-up kind of volunteers that we need at the National level right now.

What won’t we get to? Plenty perhaps. But those items will be documented for the newly elected team to address, along with any new initiatives they

bring to the table. All of this will come together in a transitional Governing Council meeting in December (Peter’s idea), where the current team will meet with the new team to guide them into their new positions.

And speaking of the upcoming election Nov. 4-14: I wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to the National Nominations and Elections Committee for performing their work with such dedication and sense of purpose. Our candidates are announced in this magazine issue (pp. 23-26), on the USA Dance website and on social media. New voting options (incorporated into the Bylaws in June) are also explained.

Lastly, a few words about a member’s right to vote. With this, you have the responsibility and the ability to point USA Dance in the direction you want it to go. Please read the credentials and engage in Q&A. Become an informed voting member. Please don’t make your decision on how well they dance, but how well you think they can execute the volunteer responsibilities you are about to bestow upon them to run your company.

Roseanna Richards

Red, white and plaid.

Ken Richards with the North American Team at the WDSF German Open Championships (GOC) and Coach Ronen Zinshtein.

Ken Richards

National President USA Dance, Inc.

August-October 2016

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Milestones

A MESSAGE TO USA DANCE MEMBERS FROM PETER POVER UPON HIS RESIGNATION July 28, 2016 Twelve months ago, I agreed to take part in a plan to restore order, and to move forward with the business of USA Dance, and to assist in healing some of the wounds that the organization had suffered during the preceding years. I had hoped to continue this work until the end of 2016, but, unfortunately, my body decided otherwise. I will be leaving office this weekend, July 31st, and handing over the reins to Ken Richards.

I have watched Ken over the past 20 years, and have noted his total commitment to USA Dance, and the vast efforts he has put into the organization. I am totally confident that he will handle these next five months, and the transition following the elections, with his customary vigor and sound judgment.

Ken will be replaced as Senior Vice President by Ann Durocher, who was ratified unanimously by the Governing Council, and has established a glowing reputation; first with the Gumbo DanceSport Championships, and more recently as Managing Director of USA Dance Nationals.

I ask you all to join me in welcoming them to their new positions, and I thank you for your support and continued friendship.

Editor’s Note: Daphna Locker was also ratified by the Governing Council as National Secretary, following the resignation of Marta Pascale, who had served until July 15. In addition, Renata Shvarts was appointed by the GC as interim Director, Education, also responsible for the new USA Dance Academy (previously referred to as University). The new GC volunteers will serve in their new positions through Dec. 31, 2016.

In November, the USA Dance membership will elect new National officers for the three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2017, with some DanceSport delegate positions being two- or four-year terms. The official candidates for national office are presented on the USA Dance website www.usadance.org and in this issue on pp. 23-25; sample election ballot on p. 26.

Peter Pover, Past President

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Ken Richards, President

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

Ann Durocher, Senior VP

Daphna Locker, Secretary

Renata Shvarts, Director, Education

WDSF Sports for All Commission:

SPORT IS A HUMAN RIGHT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS REGARDLESs OF RACE, SOCIAL CLASS and SEX.

Courtesy Ken Richards

Attending the AGM in Rome: Ken Richards, WDSF Presidium member; and official USA Dance delegates Peter Pover, Pastt President, and Stan Andrews, DanceSport Vice President.

USA DANCE ATTENDS WDSF AGM, SPORTS FOR ALL MEETINGS IN ROME At the World DanceSport Federation Annual General Meeting in Rome, Italy, USA Dance was represented by two official delegates – National President Peter Pover and DanceSport Vice President Stan Andrews.

Also attending as a WDSF Presidium Member was USA Dance Senior Vice President Ken Richards, who has now served four years on the 12-member global Presidium. Simultaneous to the AGM was the annual meeting of the WDSF Sports For All Commission, one of 10 standing commissions. Lydia Scardina, USA Dance Past President, one of four Commission members was present.

Ronen Zinshtein, event co-organizer of the American DanceSport Festival in Boston in October, also attended the AGM sessions, as the ADSF event will host several WDSF World Championships.

The most important aim of the WDSF Sports for All Commission is to encourage and support the efforts and developments disseminating the health and social benefits to be gained by all members of society through regular physical activity.

The WDSF believes this goal can be achieved through a cooperation via the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the various National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and the National DanceSport federations (which includes USA Dance).

The Sport for All Commission, established in late 2013, promotes the Olympic ideal that sport is a human right for all individuals regardless of race, social class and sex. This important movement encourages sports activities that can be exercised by people of all ages, both sexes and different social and economic conditions.

Lydia Scardina

Sports for All Commission USA Dance Past President Lydia Scardina is one of four representatives worldwide appointed to this global commission.

Others include Chairperson Heidi Estler (Germany), Sandy Brittain (Canada), and Professor Rainbow Ho (Hong Kong).

To date, the Commission has prepared a major report to the WDSF regarding the 92 member Federations’ Olympic Day and other dance celebrations within their countries.

The Commission is currently working on a document to assist Federations with conducting celebrations through dance that focus on and encourage sport and physical activity for all.

NEW USA DANCE 15-Second TV COMMERCIAL TO AIR ON AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISON NATIONWIDE (Complete Story p. 9 or visit www.worlddancesport. org. See your local public television affiliated station for schedules in SeptemberOctober 2016)

August-October 2016

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Milestones

A New Memorandum of Understanding:

IOC Recognizes Importance of The World Games Editor’s Note: Release Reissued by USA DANCE, with edits for American Press.

The International World Games Association (IWGA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have agreed on a new Memorandum of Understanding. IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach and President José Perurena of the IWGA signed this important agreement about mutual support during the Sport Accord Convention in Lausanne. (This document supersedes the previous Memorandum of Understanding dated Oct. 27, 2000.)

The Memorandum of Understanding underlines the closer cooperation between the IOC and the IWGA, which was set out in Recommendation 6.1 of Olympic Agenda 2020. This states “…the IOC and the International World Games Association (IWGA) to closely cooperate regarding the sports program composition and their respective evaluations.” The new agreement confirms that “the IOC recognizes the importance of The World Games as a multi-sport event and the IWGA is committed to develop its activities in the Olympic spirit and in conformity with the Olympic Charter.”

The Memorandum of Understanding explains the principles of how this overall cooperation can be further developed:

OPENING CEREMONIES at THE WORLD GAMES 2013 in Cali, Colombia.

Three USA World Team couples competed in standard, latin and salsa.

Ken Richards

Before 30,000 fans, DanceSport dominated at The World Games 2013 in Cali, Colombia.

(1) …the IWGA accepts that only events that are not on the program of the Olympic Games can be included in the program of The World Games (TWG); (2) The IWGA shall also ensure that only sports whose International Federations are recognized by the IOC or are already members of the IWGA will be included in the official sports program of The World Games.

THE MILESTONE – The IOC agrees to grant patronage to the Organizing Committees of The World Games and to provide technical assistance. This means, for example, that the IOC and the IWGA shall explore possibilities of closer cooperation on their respective communication, promotion and marketing programs. Furthermore, the IOC will provide its expertise and help to promote IWGA’s activities within the Olympic Movement and encourages the NOCs to support and assist their national multi-sport delegations taking part in The World Games.

More Details: www.theworldgames.org.

THE 11th Annual WORLD GAMES 2021 COMING TO THE USA The World Games 2021 comes to the USA in 2021, hosted by the City of Birmingham, AL. USA Dance will be there and select WDSF-licensed adjudicators as well as USA Dance World Games Team of couples to compete in the DanceSport Games component.

Under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and organized by the International World Games Association (IWGA), The World Games 2021 will involve more than 25 sports, represented by approximately 100 countries and 4,500 athletes and officials.

Updates: www.theworldgames.org

DanceBeat

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

WDSF GRANDSLAM DANCESPORT COMES TO AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION – September/October 2016 The six-part 2015 World DanceSport GrandSlam Series comes to American Public Television stations around the country beginning in September 2016, showcasing the world’s best Standard and Latin dancers in a six-episode abridged series that covers the two regular legs of the series held in Helsinki, Finland, then Wu-

han, China in Hong Kong and Moscow, Russia, progressing to the Finals in Shanghai.

The first four episodes will focus on the highly competitive semi-final and final rounds for each style and an up-close-and-personal look at the competitors.

The GrandSlam Series will be hosted

by dance legend Peter Maxwell. He will be introducing the revolutionary judging system to the American audiences, a system whereby the judges no longer compare one couple with the others on the dancefloor, but focus on each couple individually and award points on an absolute scale.

APT Preview & Stations: https://www.aptonline.org/catalog.nsf/vLinkTitle/WORLD+DANCESPORT+GRANDSLAM+SERIES

All Photos Courtesy of WDSF

Meet Host/Commentator Peter Maxwell Peter has been principal coach to some of the most successful couples in the history of dancing. He has served as the Chairman of Judges for the Blackpool Dance Festival, as well as the World DanceSport GrandSlam Series. He is the Honorary Life President of DanceSport England and the WDSF Professional Division.

Episode 1

WDSF GrandSlam Standard Series Dancing legend Peter Maxwell invites viewers to leave the confines of a ballroom and to take a look at how true athletes make a challenging sport of dance as they compete in the World DanceSport GrandSlam Standard Series.

In a whirlwind tour that brings them from Europe to Asia and back to Europe, top dancers in gowns and tails perform at sporting venues and in front of massive audiences. Provided they make the six-couple final, they get a shot at good prize money and maximum ranking points at each leg of the Series.

The biggest names in the Standard dances meet at regular intervals throughout the year and at established locations on two continents for the uniquely sporty and fair match-up between couples.

Episode 2

WDSF GrandSlam Latin Series Peter Maxwell is the once again host to this hour featuring DanceSport of the kind you may not have seen before.

There is plenty of glitz and glamour that surrounds it, but once the world’s best face off against each other on the floor, the focus is on the sporting action that combines perfect technique with artistry and outstanding athleticism in a highly aesthetic performance.

WDSF produces the television coverage on all Grand Slam legs jointly with the host broadcaster to ensure that the highest standards are maintained. It brings its own director and other key production personnel to all locations in order to capture the spectacular action on the floor with great consistency.

The six episodes on American Public Television cover the Latin and Standard of the last two regular legs of the Series plus the Finals in Shanghai. Each episode focuses on the decisive stages in the Latin or Standard competition – semi-final plus final – and provides a closer look at some of the protagonists.

August-October 2016

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USA DANCE HONORS 2015-2016

DISTRICT VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS The lifeblood of USA Dance is its thousands of volunteers at the Chapter and National levels. The total amount of time volunteers contribute every week would be an astounding number that one could only guestimate. It’s not unusual to hear of volunteers working 10, 20, even 30 hours to ensure all the details of a successful social dance, beginners dance class, fundraising effort, after-school dance program, local competition, community outreach or member newsletter.

Every USA Dance member who joins a Chapter, attends activities or helps with the smallest of tasks makes an import-

Craig Kunkel

ant contribution. Yet, as common within any volunteer organization like USA Dance, there will always be those volunteers who give more, whose special care, willingness and skill sets take things to the next level. They are the ones who make volunteering a vital part of their lifestyle, and, for that reason, deserve more of our gratitude and recognition.

Every year, USA Dance Districts nominate one exemplary volunteer to compete for National Volunteer of the Year. This year, there were four District Finalists and four Honorable Mentions that set the bar high for their Chapters.

Carol Davis

Efim Kolesnikov

District 3 National Finalist

District 7 National Finalist

District 9 National Finalist

District 2 National Finalist

Nancy Drew

Debbie Barton & Mike Barton

Wayne Manning

Bonnie Burton

Representing Southwest Florida Chapter 6049

Representing Minnesota Chapter 2011

This couple added “sparkle” to joy of dance celebration at the USA Dance National 50th Anniversary Gala held in Dallas. For this special event with 200+ attendees, they literally set the stage, from lights, to curtains, table decorations and signs contributing the time, material and their talents.

Transporting these items sometimes meant an 80-mile round trip. And their creations for the many theme dances have added excitement to the Dallas Chapter for the past five years.

Wayne Manning from the Southwest Florida Chapter has served as the Chapter Vice President and assumed the role of ballroom manager for the Beginner and Intermediate groups classes, as well as the weekly Practice Dance program. He has also built a music library for use at chapter dances. An avid dancer, he participates in the chapter outreach programs with his partner.

Among his other volunteer duties, he manages the lending library and instructor selection process.

Bonnie Burton serves as the Vice President for the Minnesota Chapter 2011 and is a devoted and enthusiastic volunteer on several chapter projects, including the 28+ page Minnesota Dancer chapter magazine for which she edits, designs layout, supplies photos and authors columns every month. In addition, she actively recruits new members, and has volunteered hundreds of hours on various chapter projects, including the annual spring Tea Dance.

District 6 Los Angeles County (CA) Chapter 4031

District 8 Hattiesburg-Laurel (MS) Chapter 6116

District 9 Greater Daytona (FL) Chapter 6026

Representing Heartland (IN) Chapter 2022

Nancy Dew has been a key member of the Heartland Chapter for a couple of decades. She has served on the chapter board in numerous positions. No job is too big or too small for Nancy. This past year, Nancy served as chapter secretary, newsletter editor, membership chair as well as hospitality coordinator for the monthly social dances. She also makes a special effort to greet attendees at all of the events and make them feel a welcomed part of the USA Dance family.

Representing Dallas (TX) Chapter 5044

HONORABLE MENTIONS District 1 Boise (ID) Chapter 1014

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

SEPTEMBER 16 – 25, 2016 NATIONAL BALLROOM DANCE WEEK USA Dance Celebrates America’s

Love Affair With Dance T he 10 days of National Ballroom Dance Week are celebrated every year in September by USA Dance and its now 156 Chapters, and these “great excuse to dance” events are often in collaboration with local dance studios, instructors, dance clubs and even schools throughout the country.

Although NBDW is promoted primarily by USA Dance since its beginning in the Big Apple in 1989, it is truly every dancer’s reason to celebrate. And members for these past 17 years continue to share their love affair with dance in innovative and interesting ways with their local communities.

During National Ballroom Dance Week, hundreds of volunteers, rain or shine, sometimes have to make the best of “not so perfect” dance floors and acoustics, surrounding activities and unpredictable weather forecasts…but the dancing and dancer enthusiasm

never miss a beat.

This year, some Chapters had (or continue to have) the added publicity benefit of the WDSF GrandSlam DanceSport Series airing on their local American Public Television affiliated station.

Each of the six scheduled episodes not only brought public attention to the best of ballroom and latin competitive dancing, but awareness of USA Dance and it impact on social dance and DanceSport in America. The 15-second USA Dance commercial signed off every episode. (Next story in American Dancer, November-December 2016 issue).

To discover National Ballroom Dance Week activities in your area, please visit the individual Chapter websites via the USA Dance website http://www.usadance.org/chapters/find-a-local-chapter/.

Left: Group Classes.

HattiesburgLaurel (MS) Chapter 6116

Steve Coleman

Below Right: More Social Dancing. Ohio Chapter 2024

Loretta Majoy

Social Dancing. Sandusky (OH) Chapter 2094 Right: Public Performances.

Youngtown-Warren (OH) Chapter 2015

Susan Ryan

Randi Green

August-October 2016

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Introducing social dancing during Hattiesburg’s Summer Tunes Outdoor Concert Series.

Hattiesburg-Laurel (MS) Chapter 6116

Steve Coleman

Raising funds for the families of the victims in the Orlando terrorist attack at the Pulse night club. Orlando (FL) Chapter 6002

Brian Bateman

DANCING for SOCIAL CHANGE in AMERICA Nancy Emerson

Organizing 5th annual Dancing With the Antelope Valley All Stars to raise money for Youth Ballroom Program, 5th – 12th grades at the Antelope Valley College Performing Arts Theatre.

Antelope Valley (CA) Chapter 4037

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Dancing For Social Change? Not a new concept, not for a nonprofit organization, just one always needing more practice and clearer direction…just like dancing itself. Just a month or so ago, most of the world had front row seats at home to watch the thousands of Olympic athletes and their countries demonstrate for 16 consecutive days, how a singular, unified social purpose can change lives and destinies forever. One step at a time.

And in a world unified by technology, but sometimes divided by ideology and unrest, the message and spirit of Olympism inspires and reminds us that our world can be a better place. As dancers, we know how to take the lead or at least be good followers.

Within the USA Dance organization, at our 156 chapter levels, within our 11 districts and at the national Chris Crawl and global level, we as volunteers have the purpose to make a positive difference through dance, to educate, Performing Argentine Tango at the to embrace and to empower. It’s really about being pro- Spotlight Indy AIDS Fundraiser Heartland (IN) Chapter 2022 active and going the extra mile for a better world.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

Demonstrating dance and teaching group sessions in downtown Pittsburgh, during June and September. Pittsburgh (PA) Chapter 3007

Dave Sander

Hosting Special Populations dance program and student performances.

Southwest Florida Chapter 6049

Carol Davis

Why USA Dance?

What does it really offer to our community?

By Don Davenport, District 9 Director, Lehigh Acres, FL irst of all, most of us think about dancing as a night out, maybe a dinner dance, our local club such as the Elks, Moose, VFW, American Legion or just a special night spot we enjoy.

That’s fun, and that’s what dancing is all about, right? After all, I always considered myself a pretty good “barroom” dancer.

But after taking ballroom dance lessons at various dance studio’s and learning many lovely figures that I usually forgot or seldom had the opportunity to dance with others, sometimes, including my partner, we felt there must be a better way. That’s when we discovered the local chapter of USA Dance. Not only did they hold social dances, but they participated in community activities that fostered the growth and enjoyment of dance. There were Black-Tie Balls, dance

F

showcases, competitive dancing, social dances with dance lessons to introduce the novice dancer to this new world. Needless to say, I was overjoyed to find this organization.

Then I came face to face with the facts that somebody has to run this organization and it’s all based on Volunteers!

What an eye-opener. Being a retired military guy you can imagine what I thought about volunteering. Foolishly, I jumped right in and there was a squad of folks that worked very hard to make things right, and the few worked hard so the many could enjoy the World of Ballroom Dance.

This group improvised and tried different ways to make the joy of dance spread and then, suddenly an eye-opener, we found that the National organization of USA Dance had many tried and proven methods of furthering the mission “To Improve the Quality and Quantity of Ballroom Dance in the United States of America”.

As I studied these resources, one dramatic fact came out, dancing is good for your health, physically, mentally, socially, you name it. This is not just for us elders, but for everyone.

Well, it’s a little late in life for me to become a doctor, but this is where I can contribute to my community, not just to further my own passion for dance but to share with as many folks as possible a happy and fun way to good health.

Let’s face it, dancing is not yet an Olympic Sport, but it’s on its way! As you read your copy of the American Dancer magazine note how many true Athletes there are in this sport. We cannot all be athletes, but we can enjoy recreational social dancing throughout our lives and encourage others to do the same.

You can make a difference. Join USA Dance, volunteer some of your time in helping others enjoy this sport and most of all Dance!

“The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you can alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change the world.”

–James Baldwin , Novelist, Social Critic August-October 2016

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CELEBRATING SOCIAL DANCING IN AMERICA

TOP 10

SOCIAL EVENTS OF THE YEAR S

ocial Dancing in America pre-dates all of us.

There’s a meaningful history of dance, deep-rooted in our diverse social tapestry, as far back as the original colonies and beyond. Today, social dances are perhaps more multi-generational, at least in ballroom dancing. So it’s not unusual to have grandparents and their grandchildren at the same dance, moving to the same music.

For the 2nd year running. American Dancer Magazine asked its 156 Chapters on Facebook and via email to nominate the Top 10 USA Dance Social Dance Events of the Year. Winners would be recognized for their innovation, apparent volunteer teamwork, overall event attendance and if the event would be inspiration to others. Fortunately, collecting lots of event nominations

Nancy Emerson

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is the easy part. The more difficult part is making the final decisions. Every event entry deserves recognition.

Just observing all the variety of creative dance events being held every year – thousands actually – is road trip inspirational. This year, there were four social events that made the new Honorable Mention list.

What’s equally important is that our local communities are dancing, that USA Dance has an important role in that outreach, and that we know we can make a difference for others, for ourselves and for the communities that give us opportunity.

Top 10 in America? Everything from charity balls to holiday celebrations, masquerades to theme dances.

Envelope, please! And the Winners are . . .

1AVDANCING WITH THE ALL STARS

3NBDW PERFORMANCES

5GREAT GATSBY DANCE

2THE PRESIDENT’S BALL

4 USA DANCE 50th ANNIVERSARY GALA

6 NEW YORK DANCE PARADE

LANCASTER, CA

Antelope Valley Chapter 6049 Antelope Valley College Next: February 18, 2017 www.usadance6049.org YORBA LINDA, CA

Orange County Chapter 4018 The Nixon Presidential Library Next: Jan. 22, 2017 www.usadance-oc.org

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MINNETONKA BEACH, MN

Minneapolis Chapter 2011 Mall of America Next: Weekend, 2017 www.usadance-minnesota.org DALLAS, TX

Dallas Chapter 5044 Embassy Suites, Dallas www.usadancedallas.org

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

MEMPHIS, TN

Greater Memphis Chapter 2012 Next: April 8, 2017 www.usadancememphis.com NEW YORK, NY

Greater NY Chapter 3004 Next: May 20, 2017 www.nyusadance.org

Orange County Journal

Yang Chen

Cathy Dessert

3

6 7 8 Ginny Engler

David Sander

9

5 Sylvia Rose

4 10

Beverly Frye

EVENT HONORABLE MENTIONS Bobby Wiech

Ron Turner

7DANCING IN THE SQUARE PITTSBURGH, PA

Pittsburgh Chapter 3007 Next: June, September 2017 www.usadancepgh.com

8 NATIONAL BALLROOM DANCE WEEK RICHMOND, VA

Richmond Chapter 6006 Regency Mall Date: September 2016 www.usadancerichmond.org

9 MEMBER APPRECIATION HALLOWEEN ‘TAXI’ DANCE CHARLOTTE, NC

Charlotte Chapter 6029 Infinity Ballroom Date: October 2015, July 2016 www.charlotteusadance.org

10FLORIDA DANCE SPREE DAYTONA, FL

Greater Daytona Chapter 6026 Gold Star Ballroom Next: Apr. 28-29, 2017 www.greaterdaytonachapter.org

1 YOUNGSTOWN, OH NATIONAL BALLROOM WEEK CELEBRATION Youngstown-Warren Chapter 2015 Next: September 2017 www.usadance2015.com 2 INDIANAPOLIS, IN INDIANA WOMEN’S PRISON Heartland Chapter 2022 Date: Ongoing www.indyusadance.org 3 TIDEWATER, VA TIDEWATER NYE (New Year’s Eve) Tidewater Chapter 6008 Next: Dec. 29, 2016 – Jan. 1, 2017 www.twcusadance.org 4 LAKE PEARL, MA WINTER BALL DOCMA Chapter 3039 Next: Dec. 11, 2016 www.docma.net

August-October 2016

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Grassroots

THE BATTLEof the GATSBYS

Roarin’ 20s from Chicago to the Deep South CHICAGOLAND CHAPTER 2001 10th Annual Gala, Great Gatsby Chevy Chase Country Club – Wheeling, IL Date: April 17, 2016, 5-11 pm Attendance: 140 Event Organizer: Chapter VP Susie Johnson Attire: Roarin’ 20s formal, semi-formal; many men in tuxedos Dance Lesson: A packed-floor Charleston line dance, taught

by Shawn Hinterschied & Stephanie Schoenherr/May I Have This Dance studio Entertainment: Three Showdances performed by Alex Tecza & Katya Lindholm/Master Dance Studio; plus Hinterschied & Schoenherr Highlights: Ticketed event with reserved seating; elegant dinner; 1920s Charleston & Tin Pan Alley Music by DJ James Finn; Snowball Mixer, Costume Contest with prizes, Raffle for prizes; Guests from as far away as Seattle and London, and 10 from the Milwaukee Chapter 2030.

Comments: Susie Johnson– “This is the best turnout we’ve had in years!”

Bonnie & Clyde Photo Opps. Gary Elam & Marilyn Elam with Layna Tracey & Drew Tracy.

The 1926 Model T Ford, courtesy of the Elams.

Sylvia Rose

Sylvia Rose

Great Gatsby party in full swing to the beat of the Ed Jones Orchestra.

GREATER MEMPHIS CHAPTER 2012 Greatest Gatsby Dance On Earth–Covenant United Methodist Church–Cordova, TN

Timothy Place

Milwaukee Chapter 2030 Flapper Ladies – Juli Wesson, Connie Hernke, Carol Reed, Charlotte Rooney, Donna Heidenreich and Sandy Stach.

Date: April 9, 2016 Attendance: 130+ Event Organizer: Sylvia Rose Attire: Roarin’ 20s Entertainment: Ed Jones Orchestra (AL); Joria Jolly & Ben Stovall, Quickstep; Joria & Troupe; Michael Wiggins & Beth Hays with students – “A Little Charleston” performance Highlights: Photos taken with the 1926 Model T Ford in Roarin’ 20s attire Comments: 2nd annual event; nearly 150 photos were taken to give to guests.

HATTIESBURG-LAUREL (MS) CHAPTER 6116 1920s Gatsby Gala in Memory of Brian Blair Hattiesburg Cultural Center– Hattiesburg

Kerry Lovel

Just Cruisin’. Carrie DeLorge, Paula Proskauer, Gail Viator, Joycelyn Perry

Date: Feb, 26, 2016 Attendance: 20 from Chapter Event Organizer: Hattiesburg Arts Council, various Attire: 1920s style Entertainment: Big Band orchestra Highlights: USA Dance members were invited to attend and encourage the dancing.

Comments: Fundraiser for Brian Blair Memorial Fund and opportunity for USA Dance to promote social dancing and the chapter.

Dianne Coleman and Michael Forster Kerry Lovel

Jive Time! Reginald Larkins & Caitlyn Wilson (LA)

GUMBO LA CHAPTER 5031 Roaring Into The 20s–Fundraiser Sponsors: Whistle Stop & Studio 371–Houma, LA Date: July 9, 2016 Attendance: 100 Event Organizer: Whistle Stop, Owner Carrie DeLorge Attire: 1920s style or “what makes you feel like dancing” Dance Lesson: Rumba by Carrie DeLorge/Studio 371 owner Entertainment: Dancing Classroom Students – Rumba by Ben Dupre & Laney Allen; Waltz & Foxtrot by Remington Bethancourt & Laney Allen; Messiah Montessori Dancers – Waltz/Foxtrot/Rumba by Dakota Purvis & Morgan Leblanc; Waltz by Jesus Viet Diaz & Amelie Bouquet; Jive Performance by Reginald Larkins & Caitlyn Wilson (LA), USA Dance National Champions, Youth Novice & Pre-Championship Rhythm/Smooth.

Highlights: Door prizes, general dancing, rumba dance contest, good night waltz Comments: USA Dance Gumbo LA Chapter has supported the local Dancing Classrooms program, directed by Nancy Vallee, for approximately five years. This year, the Chapter initiated an art raffle to assist with fundraising.

Steve Coleman

Teresa Howlett and Ken Waites

Sylvia Forster

Steve Coleman

August-October 2016

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Grassroots LANCASTER (PA) CHAPTER 3006

A SILVER CELEBRATION OF HISTORY, JUBILANT HOMECOMING 1991-2016 Resource: Deb Strubel Photos by George Winchell (the chapter’s first publicist in 1991) Sometimes the best way to appreciate the present is to look back at the past. The Lancaster Chapter did just that in May during their 25th anniversary dance -- A Silver Celebration. The “dress to impress” blacktie optional dance was held at the Living Hope Community Church and featured the Dave Winters Band and DJ Dance Avanti, playing all the ballroom, latin and clubstyle dances. The event team of many volunteers was led by Past President Carol Szutowicz and current President Don Diehl.

During the catered event, attended by 157 dancers, a short chapter history was presented during the announcements, a written history was on all the tables, and two scrapbooks full of chapter photos and memorabilia were on display. The founding visionaries from 1991 and 1992 were in attendance and honored for their efforts in starting the original USABDA chapter.

Other original members, now in their 60s, 70s and 80s are still active dancers -- a testament of the benefits of partner dancing for body, spirit and mind. The oldest dancer there and “still cutting a rug” was 98-year-old gentleman John Grumbine.

Kiki Nye, 1992-1994 board president, said: “It felt like a homecoming to be at your dance…We were very honored with the recognition…It was good for the current dancers to learn about and see who have worked so hard over the years to continue dance in Lancaster… We saw so many ‘old’ friends that are dear to our hearts.”

The Lancaster Chapter was originally called the Red Rose Chapter, since Lancaster is known as the Red Rose City. And, of course, the 25th Anniversary dance displayed red roses and white carnations on all the tables. The original 45 members held monthly dances, the first being Feb. 8, 1991. Today, the chapter has 78 members.

Website: www.lancasterballroomdance.org.

Renee Gillies, Beth Stine, Susan Blessing, Deb Strubel, Dan Diehl, Kathy Hummer

Original board members: Sally Denlinger, Kay & Duane Sorenson, Miles Martin, Bob Herr, Joe Yourgal, Kiki & David Nye, Dave Flowers, George Winchell

20 YEARS AND COUNTING. . .

Florida Dance Spree Success Formula: Work + Lots of Dancing

Bobby Wiech

Jack & Jill Winners -- Michael Webb & Chere Simpson -with Judges Diedre Williams & Joe Mounts; Jean Krupa

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The Florida Dance Spree boasts a long-standing USA Dance tradition, stretching back 21 years to its first weekend celebration in 1995. Only one year had to be cancelled without much warning as Hurricane Frances in 2004 made its notorious visit to Florida on the event’s 10th anniversary celebration.

But Floridians love their dancing and most of the time, their weather, and the Florida Dance Spree (originating its name from its 1996 venue,

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

the Sun Spree hotel) has gained momentum as it returned to its original birthplace lodge in Sebring, FL and in more recent years to the Gold Star Ballroom in Daytona.

The 2016 20th annual Dance Spree, attended by approximately 120 dancers, was also a successful District 9 Chapter Leadership Meeting for board members in addition to the full weekend of 15 dance workshops, dinner dances and performances, general social dancing, fun team matches and Jack

Michael Shelton & Daneen Shelton

ROCKY MOUNTAIN (CO) CHAPTER 5006

Peter Bain & Tracey Fleming; Stephen Sutton & Stephanie Sutton

HIGH ALTITUDE PERFORMANCES

SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES All Photos by Tamara Christian Fine Art Photography In the March-April issue of American Dancer, the Spring and Fall DanceSport Competitions organized for the past 13 years by the Rocky Mountain Chapter at the historic Denver Turnverein were featured.

The Rocky Mountain Spring Competition held on May 14, attracted 56 competitors from three states and an additional 50 spectators, volunteers, officials and adjudicators.

The audience sits up-close around the dance floor, creating a more personal experience for the dancers as they’re cheered on.

As Chapter President Sara Hadley

and Jill contests. Out of Florida’s 20 chapters, 17 chapters were represented, plus chapters from Georgia and Massachusetts. In addition to the 86 registered participants, there were about 30 local members and extra dance hosts on hand for the evening dance parties.

A few highlights that made the weekend special included the Friday night Chapter Parade (with theme outfits), the Starry Night Semi-Formal Dance on Saturday and District 9 Director Don Davenport’s presentation on membership benefits and website marketing.

explained, their recognized USA Dance competition is designed to showcase the members’ talents, partnering skills, hard work and love of dance. Couples compete in both International and American styles, as well as club-style dances.

The Chapter’s Fall Competition was held Oct. 1, also at the elegant 151-year-old Denver Turnverein, now a full-time dance and cultural center with 1,200 members that actually began in the 19th century as a social club and was once a gymnastics training facility. More information: www.usadancedenver.com

William Hooker & Robyn Collins

The Blue Super Stars (Southern Star/Suncoast/SouthWest chapters) won Team Match bragging rights. Jean Krupa, organizer; Winners Tracey Zirfas, Mike Johnson, Don Davenport, Peg Johnson, Yoshie Davenport, Richard Moss; Judges Diedre Williams, Joe Mounts.

Bobby Wiech

March - April 2016

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Grassroots WILLIAMSBURG (VA) CHAPTER 6009

TAG, YOU’RE IT. ‘YES, I WILL DANCE WITH YOU’ Sometimes the simplest of solutions can make the biggest difference. Ask Candace Wolf, Vice President of the Williamsburg (VA) Chapter, who appreciated first-hand what it felt like to be a new and beginning dancer coming into a social dance scene.

And here is her story. . .

By Candace Wolf “Tags” are provided at each USA Dance ballroom dance in Williamsburg, as people pay to get in the door. Anyone wearing a tag, lead or follow, is willing to dance with anyone who asks.

Basically, a tag means “Yes, I will dance with you.”

This system has helped considerably to prevent hurt feelings, rejection, and to break up cliques. It has even helped with the issue of single and married people wanting to dance together, but being leery of offending a spouse. The tag system is explained at every dance.

To create interest, the type of tag is changed thematical-

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

ly every month. A few examples would be: for Valentines the tag is a heart safety pinned to the shirt, for Cinco de Mayo a beaded necklace with the appropriate colors, for a winter dance a pinned snowflake, and for a Hawaiian Luau a lei is worn.

The dance tag needs to be recognizable from across a crowded dance floor. It also needs to be relatively inexpensive (in case someone does not return it to the check-in table as they leave).

It’s certainly not practical to chase someone down to return their tag, making them uncomfortable and defeating the tag’s purpose. Normally about two to three dozen are provided for 5080 people, just enough to make the tags a wanted item.

In a way, individuals who wear a tag end up serving somewhat as a host and hostess for the evening. For those not willing to wear a tag, it doesn’t pose a problem at all.

Instructor Phyllis Harris (right) assisted by Emma Wilson, President Tri-Cities (VA) Chapter 6060

ANCHORS AWAY, RICHMOND 6006!

YOUTH OUTREACH PREPARES NAVAL JUNIOR ROTC CADETS FOR FIRST-EVER MILITARY BALL

By Phil Sisk, Chapter President & Photographer As part of the Richmond (VA) Chapter Youth Outreach program, we reached out to James River High School to offer dance training. Gabe Pascarella, our Youth Coordinator, contacted Lieutenant Commander Peter Greenwald, Commandant of Cadets for the Naval Junior ROTC program at James River and explained the benefits of dancing and how we could offer the students training with a professional instructor.

LTC Greenwald, an Afghanistan veteran, has been with the JRHS program since it was commissioned in 2009, following his retirement from active duty in the U.S. Navy, and he saw this as an opportunity to introduce the cadets to ballroom dance and to begin preparations for a first-ever Military Ball at the school.

Gabe then coordinated with the school and with local instructor, Phyllis Harris, to set up class times to teach the 101 cadets in the program. In order to make this work in the brief time allotted by the school’s schedule, it was important to get volunteers to work with the cadets as dance partners and mentors.

Gabe reached out to USA Dance members and 13 of them stepped forward to help: Ginny Engler, Helga Gallahan, Beth Gordon, Sandra Kerr, Theresa Kitts, Ramona Krailler, Will Krailler, Gabe Pascarella, Marlene Pascarella, Bruce Ripley, Ellen Mary Ripley, Phil Sisk and Emma Wilson. Over the course of two days, six periods of instruction were conducted at the school by Phyllis and her team. After the typical slow start in each class as the students overcame their discomfort in being in dance hold, the pace quickly advanced as Phyllis made it fun and challenging for these young men and women cadets.

By the end of each session, the entire group was dancing the Bachata and Merengue in group formations -- and doing it well.

Some of the classes were so quick to grasp the instruction that Phyllis added intro Salsa steps.

Two of our volunteers, Phil Sisk, chapter president, and Bruce Ripley, chapter treasurer, are both retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonels and quickly bonded with the cadets and staff. The rest of the volunteers provided the experience needed to enable the cadets to overcome their inexperience and become engaged in the training. Phyllis kept their attention with a firm command of the class.

The success of the dance instruction for the cadets was summed up by LTC Greenwald: “USA Dance brought a whole new dimension to our NJROTC classroom. In a short amount of time I saw a transformation in many cadets: young women and men together, enjoying themselves and respecting one another as ladies and gentlemen on the dance floor. I am very grateful for you, Phyllis and your volunteers. Truly, God brought us together. I cannot wait to have you back with the cadets in the fall.”

This was echoed in a note from the School Principal LTC (Ret) Jeff Ellick, who also served in Afghanistan: “I appreciate the support of the Richmond Chapter of USA Dance teaching cadets from the James River High School Naval JROTC the beauty and elegance of ballroom dancing!

Ballroom dancing was a new skill taught to our cadets. There were many relevant life-lessons learned, including teamwork, social interaction, and most importantly, fun.”

This program was made possible by the generous donation to our Youth Program by Lynn Wagner and Bill Irwin from monies raised by bottled water sales at The Dance Space.

James River High School Naval Junior ROTC Program: www.jrhsnjrotc.org August-October 2016

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Grassroots

High Energy from Charlotte to Chicago Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2016

Oct. 28 – 30, 2016

CAROLINA FALL CLASSIC NQE

CHICAGO DANCESPORT CHALLENGE NQE

The Carolina Fall Classic, a USA Dance National Qualifying Event, returns to the University Hilton in Charlotte on Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 with three days of American and International competition for dancers of all ages and proficiency levels. This year, the event will once again host WDSF Open World Ranking Tournaments – Senior I, II and III Standard; Senior I and II Latin; Teacher-Student Divisions are also offered.

Of special focus will be the new USA Dance Solo Proficiency Nationals, as solo proficiency events for young dancers without partners has become one of USA Dance’s most promising divisions.

For the event, Daniel Calloway and Sami Yli-Piipari are the Co-Chairs of Adjudicators and three USA Dance Chapters are volunteering – Carolina Heartland 6092, Charlotte 6029 and Lake Norman 6119. Scholarships are expected to exceed $9,000.

The Chicago Dancesport Challenge, a USA Dance National Qualifying Event, returns to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL Oct. 28 through 30 for three high-energy days of American and International style competitions.

The Chicagoland Chapter 2001 organizes this competition every year and mixes into the schedule, breaks for general social dancing, a Jack & Jill Swing and Salsa competition, as well as Open Argentine Tango and Open Hustle events.

The prestigious WDSF Open World Ranking Tournaments will showcase top Adult International style dancers from the United States and other invited countries.

On the floor in Chicago will also be a freestyle Showdance Championship, Scholarship Formation teams, as well as Cabaret, Teacher-Student and Same-Sex divisions.

Ryan Kenner

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: ‘A HUGE SUCCESS’ Every chapter has its own tried-and-true formula for growing its local membership.

The New London (CT) Chapter wanted to share what worked for them this year: so when a chapter increases its membership by 67% at a single dance, not counting renewals, they’ve earned some bragging rights.

According to Chapter President Ray O’Connell, their March St. Patrick’s Day dance was the focal event during the Annual Membership Drive. They promoted to members and non-members, and had 22

extra boost from their local Fred Astaire Studio owner, who permitted USA Dance to promote within the studio.

Three days before the dance, they sent out reminders about the drive and the fun Irish-themed dance. They focused on member benefits and the $77 value received for the annual $35 dues – $4 discounts at all Saturday night dances, a $12 free dance admission, American Dancer valued at $25/ year and even a chance to win a free bottle of wine that night.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

John Anderson

Judy O’Connell, also assisted

by Raeleen St. Pierre, signed up 20 new members during the St. Patrick’s Day Dance. President Ray O’Connell checks the new member applications.

Ray O’Connell

USA DANCE NATIONAL ELECTIONS

MEET THE CANDIDATES –

MAKE YOUR DECISIONS Electronic & Telephone Polls Open Nov. 4-14, 2016 (main voting process)

Mail-In Ballot Deadline – Postmark On/Before Nov. 14, 2016 • Eligible Voters – Current, In Good Standing on July 1, 2016 Questions – Email Leland Whitney, Nominations & Elections Committee Chair at lrwhitney@msn.com Candidate Websites – elections.usadance.org

T

he membership of USA Dance, Inc. elects national officers every three years and DanceSport delegates to serve terms of two or four years. All elected officers, delegates and later appointed directors and committee chairpersons serve USA Dance as volunteers.

On Aug. 11, the Nominations and Election Committee’s announced its approval of candidates for National office…and the USA Dance Election campaign officially kicked off Aug. 16.

While the USA Dance 2016 election period coincides with our country’s Presidential Election, needless to say, this will be an exciting time for USA Dance members as the organization maps out its Next 50 Years.

Members will vote* for the candidates of their choice when the

PRESIDENT (vote for one)

Senior Vice PRESIDENT (vote for one)

GLENN G. WEISS

ANN DUROCHER

RUTH E. LONG

Professional Dance Coach

Retired

Executive

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Houma, Louisiana

Zebulon, North Carolina

USA Dance LA Gumbo Chapter 5031

USA Dance Greenville (NC) Chapter 6046

USA Dance Member Since 1998

USA Dance Member for 5 Years

Chapter Positions/Offices: Board Member, 2015, Competition Organizer.

USA Dance Roles: Social Dancer & DanceSport Athlete: American Smooth Bronze & Silver, American Rhythm Bronze & Silver, International Bronze

USA Dance Nor-Cal Chapter 9641 for 20 Years

electronic and telephone polls open Nov. 4th and close midnight Nov. 14th. Mail-in official ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 14th.

For USA Dance, this Election is an historical one – electronic (online) voting system is in place via the national website www.usadance. org. Members are highly encouraged to only consider this tool for voting. For those who require other means, please see an official printed ballot on page 26 of this American Dancer issue.

USA Dance is a democratic membership organization, which means all members have a Voice and a Vote! * According to the USA Dance Bylaws governing National Elections, members may vote if their membership was active and in good standing on July 1, 2016.

USA Dance Member

USA Dance Roles: USA Dance Adjudicator, WDSF Adjudicator, Coach.

Campaign Platform: Having spent almost my entire life in the competitive DanceSport world, first in Denmark and since 1993 in the USA, I believe I bring a unique perspective and knowledge to the table that will be of benefit to USA Dance. Together with the hundreds of volunteers, we will take this organization forward.

National Positions/Offices: 2014-2016 Director, Development; Appointed Senior Vice President 2016; 2015 & 2016 Managing Director of USA Dance National DanceSport Championships; Organizer, Gumbo NQE. Campaign Platform: My professional training and experiences within USA Dance assure me that I have the leadership and team building skills to perform the duties of this position. I respect and value the work and input of past leaders, while I also believe that new ideas are critical to our future success.

Campaign Platform: An experienced executive, I will apply business acumen to grow USA Dance and improve the future of our sport for all dancers. I will partner with leadership and chapters at every opportunity to build strength. A competitive and social dancer, I am eager to help build a positive future for USA Dance.

August-October 2016

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SECRETARY

SOCIAL DANCE VP

TREASURER

(vote for one)

(vote for one)

(vote for one)

DAPHNA LOCKER

SCOTT COATES

JIM DiCECCA

Psychologist

Owner, Commercial Warehouse & Trucking Company

Senior Software Engineer & Project Manager

Brooksville, Florida

USA Danc MASSabda Chapter 3002

New York, NY USA Dance Greater NY Chapter 3004

Nashua, New Hampshire

USA Dance Southern Star Chapter 6038

USA Dance Member Since 1989

USA Dance Member

Chapter Positions/Offices: President, Greater NY Chapter; Organizing Committee Member for the Manhattan Amateur Classic NQE.

USA Dance Member 20+ Years

Since 1999

Chapter Offices: Past Vice President, 19 years.

National Offices: Appointed National Secretary, 2016

National Offices: DanceSport Delegate; Appointed National Treasurer, 2015

Chapter Positions/Offices: Chapter President; Special Projects Director; Competition Organizer (New England DanceSport Championships NQE).

USA Dance Roles: Registrar for The MAC, Fall Frolic, Spring Fling, Summer Sizzler, Liberty Ball, and the new Metropolitan DanceSport Championship; DanceSport Observer at NQEs.

Campaign Platform: Looking forward to, with lots of help, finishing the job of straightening out the books and getting USA Dance back on track.

Campaign Platform: I see the job of secretary as one of ‘facilitator of transparency.’ I will work to make sure that the minutes are timely, and that they are posted in the USA Dance Document Library as quickly as possible. My goal is to open up avenues of communication to all.

National Offices: Membership Director.

Campaign Platform: I will bring exceptional leadership, networking and experience to the position, as I work with chapter leaders, District Directors, and all dancers to expand training and programs for our chapters and extend reach and awareness beyond the current dance community in order to grow.

DANCESPORT VICE PRESIDENT

(vote for one – DanceSport amateur athlete members only)

WILLIAM J. DAVIES

MIKE LYNCH

Professional Dance Coach & Adjudicator

Retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel; Currently Senior Analyst & Certified Project Management Professional

New York City, New York USA Dance Greater New York Chapter 3004 Since 2003

USA Dance Roles: USA Dance Adjudicator, WDSF Adjudicator Campaign Platform: I will use my experience and knowledge to make USA Dance’s DanceSport department the best organization for its members in the world. I will also work hard to increase the number of competitions. I hope to produce educational videos, for the purpose of enlightenment.

To All Eligible Voting Members of USA Dance Please acquaint yourself with all 15 candidates running for National office, visit their more comprehensive campaign pages on the USA Dance website election.usadance.org and join the candidates on their social media pages for constructive dialogue and idea exchange.

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Fredericksburg, Virginia

USA Dance Member Chapter 6001

USA Dance Mid-Eastern

USA Dance Member Since 2008 USA Dance Roles: DanceSport athlete - Mike and his wife Rose-Ann are the 2015 & 2016 USA Dance American Smooth National Champions, Senior II & III; 2016 USA Dance International Standard National Champions, Senior III; 2016 USA Dance World Team member at WDSF Senior III Standard World Championship.

Campaign Platform: As an active athlete competitor, proven leader and project management professional, I will pursue resources to strengthen the foundation and advance the goals of DanceSport. My platform is centered on integrity, equity, transparency, communication and respect. I will actively seek to leverage members’ time and talents to optimize organizational success.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

RENATA SHVARTS Professional Adjudicator & Chairperson of Judges; Competition Organizer; Studio Owner, Coach & Choreographer; President of Junior Athletes Dancesport Association (JADA); Retired Professional & Amateur Competitor Brooklyn, New York USA Dance Greater New York Chapter 3004 USA Dance Member for 8 Years National Positions/Offices: Appointed Director of Education/USA Dance Academy, 2016.

USA Dance Roles: USA Dance Adjudicator; WDSF World Class Adjudicator & Chairperson of Judge; Featured Columnist in American Dancer Magazine.

Campaign Platform: Vote for Renata Shvarts to move Dancesport forward together! • Reorganize DanceSport to better serve our Athletes, Organizers and Professionals • Expand USA Dance Academy to advance Athletes • Invest in professional development of Adjudicators and Coaches • Nurture existing competitions and commence new competitions • Rally the West • Rebuild the Collegiate network • Improve Communications.

DANCESPORT DELEGATES

(Vote for Four – Top 2 To Serve 4-Year Term; 3rd & 4th Top to Serve 2-Year Term)

CAROLE BARBER

IRINA FEINGOLD

ROGER GREENAWALT

Mathematics Instructor, High School

Solutions Architect

Data Analyst/Actuary

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

Haledon, New Jersey

Indianapolis, Indiana

USA Dance Membership at Large

USA Dance Heartland Chapter 2022

USA Dance Member Since 2007

USA Dance Member Since 1993

USA Dance Carolina Heartland Chapter 6092 USA Dance Member Since 2009 USA Dance Roles: DanceSport Athlete -Carolina Fall Classic 2015 Senior III Championship Rhythm & Smooth Champion; Manhattan Amateur Classic 2016 Senior III Championship Rhythm & Smooth Champion; USA Dance Nationals 2016 Senior 3 Championship Rhythm medalist; USA Dance National American NineDance Champion 2015 & 2016.

USA Dance Roles: DanceSport Athlete – Winner of many USA Dance NQEs and WDSF Open events in USA & Canada, Senior II, III Championship Standard; 2016 Nationals – Senior II & III Championship Standard medalist; 2015 Nationals – Senior II & III Standard Vice Champion; 2015 USA World Team, WDSF Senior III Standard World Championship; Top 20% WDSF World Ranking, Senior II & III Standard.

Campaign Platform: My main focus is to ensure that every DanceSport competitor has a fair competitive experience. I believe that Senior IV Nationals should not be held separately, that a randomized selection process should be put in place for National Officials, and that the Dancesport Council should consist entirely of athletes.

Campaign Platform: Vote Feingold to be heard! Common sense solutions: Equal treatment of senior dancers all ages; Attention to the West regions; Flexible ranking system; Athlete friendly event schedule; Fair National qualification system; Open streamlined bi-directional communication between athletes and officials; Affordable training and education for all athletes.

INNA BRAYER Professional Adjudicator, Dance Teacher & Coach; Professional on DWTS Season 7 Brooklyn, New York USA Dance Greater New York Chapter 3004 USA Dance Member for 22+ Years National Offices: DanceSport Delegate, 2015-2016; DanceSport Delegate Serving on the Executive Committee USA Dance Roles: Other Sports Liaison; Former USA Dance Amateur 10-Dance National Champion and World Team Member; Program Organizer for USA Dance participation in Nickelodeon World Wide Day of Play 2015 and USA Dance Performance on Good Morning America & Other Television Shows.

Campaign Platform: It is crucial for us to develop more support on the West Coast by accommodating the members involved, and to pull Senior IV events into our National Championships. With positive changes our membership require, we can grow USA Dance membership and our events to the likes of the European organizations.

Chapter Position: DJ National Positions/Offices: DanceSport Delegate; DanceSport Delegate Representative on the Executive Committee; Served on Grievance Committee.

USA Dance Roles: DanceSport Athlete: 2015 Chicago NQE Champion, Senior II & Senior III Rhythm.

Campaign Platform: I am a DanceSport athlete with 12 national smooth/rhythm titles and have served on the DanceSport, Executive and Governing Councils. I welcome the new leadership and offer my experience and complete support. Serving on several grievance committees, I strove for fairness; my focus will be justice, integrity, transparency and communication.

EDWARD GOLBERT

NICOLE PALAGASHVILI

DanceSport & Fitness Instructor/Choreographer

Student Natick, Massachusetts

Brooklyn, New York

USA Dance Chapter MASSabda 3002

USA Dance Greater New York Chapter 3004 USA Dance Member Since 1999 USA Dance Positions/Offices: Appointed DanceSport Delegate, 2015 Campaign Platform: To build a bigger, better, and stronger USA Dance that focuses on connecting Social and DanceSport athletes, exploring USA Dance educational program to grow better athletes of all ages/levels, altering our rulebook to encourage participation and improve relations with universities. To build and support existing competitions to provide additional opportunities to compete.

USA Dance Member Since 2010 National Offices: Appointed DanceSport Delegate, 2016 USA Dance Roles: DanceSport Athlete – Nationals 2016: Adult Standard, Vice Champions; USA World Team member Campaign Platform: I am looking to make USA Dance the ultimate federation of the United States. I hope to help create an interconnected relationship between competitive dancers and social dancers alike. If elected, I aim to listen, develop and act.

USA Dance 2016 National Elections Online Voting Polls Open Nov. 4th through midnight Nov. 14th.

Mail-In Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 14.

Candidates’ Official Campaign Pages are on the USA Dance website: election.usadance.org.

See Official Mail-In Ballot on Page 26 of this issue.

USA Dance Members Have A Voice and A Vote!

August-October 2016

25

USA DANCE 2016

NATIONAL ELECTIONS BALLOT IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS: The preferred method of voting in this 2016 National Election is by electronic means using either online or telephone as described on the USA Dance website elections.usadance.org.

If a printed ballot is the only method that you can use, it must be postmarked by Nov. 14, 2016 and include the following two required documents:

1

a photocopy of this official ballot page indicating your votes, your signature and membership number;

2

a photocopy of the back cover of this issue of American Dancer that shows your official mailing label.

If the label is not addressed to you, you must use the electronic means of voting.

The ballot is to be mailed to: USA Dance National Elections Director 1835 Jefferson Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105

These candidates have been approved by the USA Dance Nomination and Elections Committee.

Please review each candidate’s submitted bios/credentials in this issue and more comprehensive information on each candidate’s campaign page as linked on the USA Dance website elections.usadance.org.

Eligible voters must be 18 years of age or older and members of good standing of USA Dance as of July 1, 2016. A member may only cast his/her vote one time (online, telephonically, or by mailed-in ballot).

NATIONAL PRESIDENT (vote for one):

G lenn Weiss

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT (vote for one):

A nn Durocher R uth Long

SECRETARY (vote for one):

D aphna Locker

TREASURER (vote for one):

S cott Coates

Only social members may vote for this position:

SOCIAL DANCE VICE PRESIDENT (vote for one):

J im DiCecca

Only dancesport athletes may vote for these positions:

DANCESPORT VICE PRESIDENT (vote for one):

B ill Davies M ike Lynch R enata Shvarts

DANCESPORT DELEGATES (vote for up to four):

C arole Barber I nna Brayer I rina Feingold

E dward Golbert R oger Greenawalt N icole Palagashvili

YOUR FULL NAME (as listed with USA Dance) By signing this official ballot, I verify that I have completed and signed this ballot myself and that all information provided is accurate.

USA DANCE MEMBER # YOUR SIGNATURE 26

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

DATE

S RECRUITMENT PLANS,

ocially Yours

By Jean Krupa Social Dance VP

OUTREACH KEY TO GROWING CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP W

hat troubles me most when writing about growing membership is the comeback “We make more money off non-members”. While that may be true (for the chapter), I find this very shortsighted thinking. The more membership dollars USA Dance has coming into the national organization the more benefits can be offered to the chapters.

Many dancers have been long time members and supporters of USA Dance and appreciate the long list of direct chapter benefits: the 501c3 charitable organization status, liability insurance, music licensing, IRS report filing, chapter website marketing program and support, webpage and map listing on the national website to help direct people to chapters as they travel. There’s a long standing public awareness of the USA Dance brand that also benefits chapters in finding facilities, scheduling events and generating local publicity.

There’s also invaluable Chapter benefit in having a bimonthly magazine American Dancer, regular chapter newsletters from National USA Dance, promotional materials and programs, and all the policies and guidelines created for effective operations. Not to mention having a Central Office administrator, district directors and national volunteers to call on to help Chapter leadership with questions and problems.

USA Dance is not a social dance club. It is a nonprofit organization that serves as a means to establishing a variety of dance-related programs and encouraging more people to enjoy the many benefits of dancing – from recreation to fitness to social interaction. And we support and engage both social dancers and competitive dancers alike.

Recruiting dancers to become members.

Essential to initiating a member recruitment strategy is deciding first who you want to reach, what member benefits you can offer and addressing why someone should join (or not join). Be sure to use Facebook to spread the word about your chapter events and benefits.

So how can you keep members renewing?

Aside from giving members strong reasons to get involved and stay involved, find out who in the chapter is likely not to renew. Then, form an outreach plan to reach those members. Plan a complete multi-step renewal process that includes e-mail, mail and/or phone. Consider offering incentives and discounts. The more personal your follow-ups are with a potential new member or renewal, the more likely that member will renew.

Alisa Flora-Lewis

Fort Wayne, IN 2046 Special Olympics program engages special needs adults in year-long dance training culminating in an annual fun competition.

Zaya Sta r

USA DanceSport Kidz introduce dancing to inner-city kids in Buffalo, NY during Nickelodeon’s World Wide Day of Play.

Dom Cioccone

North Central New Mexico Chapter 5047 “takes dancing to the road” during National Ballroom Dance Week.

Then, consider focusing your efforts during National Ballroom Dance Week, Sept 16-25.

This 10-day celebration is also a prime opportunity to recruit members for your chapter and encourages Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health and having positive social interaction. NBDW is an occasion where we not only celebrate, but promote dancing in general and USA Dance in particular.

Emphasis should be given to reaching many new local communities and groups -- especially people who would not have this opportunity to dance unless USA Dance reached out to them.

August-October 2016

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E

AMERICAN

DANCER

xclusive

By Forrest Outman

ASK THE HISTORIAN

America’s Waltz Whirling Its Way Through History

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

Carson Zullinger

Lisa Dubinsky

Ryan Kenner Photography

Paul Duhaime & Kelly Madenjian (RI)

Stephen Torres & Nicole Barron (NY)

Donovan Kirrane & Zhanna Sheyner (MA)

W

hen we think of the words Waltz History, most people will visualize Austria, Vienna, or perhaps a ball at some European court. However, American Style Waltz truly is a dance all its own and appropriately bares its root’s namesake.

The American Waltz is full of unique innovations which capture the spirit and freedom of our culture. Let’s take a moment and examine some of the unique and wonderful history of this American original.

The Waltz may have come our way via Austria, but this whirling dance has seen many an overhaul since its arrival on American shores. One of the earliest and most significant being the Boston Dip which was created in December of 1870 by Boston dance master Russ B. Walker.

This waltz called The Boston used a dipping and rising action while employing a simple pivot turn with only one step per measure. The usage of a deeper knee bend and pivot turn were both new innovations that today we owe to the Boston. The Boston grew to become immensely popular with many variants evolving and remained in popular usage up until World War I. The Waltz of today is a smooth glide dance, but this wasn’t originally the case. The early Waltz forms employed a leap to travel. The gliding action we see in use worldwide came by way of the Glide Waltz, yet another American innovation. It seems the Glide Waltz was actually based on the Galop or Valse a Deux Temps. Ironically, the Glide Waltz happens to also be part of The Boston, with Russ B. Walker having published “The Galop Dip” sheet music in January of 1871.

The name Glide Waltz caught on as the young collegiate practitioners of Boston would exaggerate the dipping action and began to tarnish the dance’s name as it was gaining interest, thus necessitating a rebranding. One thing of particular note is that the dip and glide were being danced to multiple styles of music such as Waltz, Galop, and Polka. The application of The Boston to multiple dance music genres, in effect, aided in influencing future dances outside of Waltz.

The above mentioned Waltz variants, Boston Dip and Glide Waltz, might be unfamiliar to many readers; however, the following innovations are in common practice to this very day.

The Canter Waltz was created by Miss Marguerite Caperton of Newport, RI in 1913. The Canter was actually inspired by the OneStep with its fluid even strides. In the original Canter you would

step on 1½ and 3 thus taking Two-Step to a ¾ time measure. This created an even and smooth movement that possessed a novel feel by dancing between the beats and creating a more melodic interpretation. Many dancers would dance on the 1st and 3rd beats though, which created an irregular gait similar to someone with a leg injury hobbling, i.e. like a lame duck.

Last, but not least, is the Hesitation Waltz. The Hesitation was also created in 1913 by Miss Alice Martin of NY. It was simply the usage of one step per measure, meaning -- step on 1, hold 2, 3.

This was usually done following progressive walks in Waltz time

The early Waltz forms employed a leap to travel. The gliding action we see in use worldwide came by way of the Glide Waltz, yet another American innovation. to break up the monotony. And it was also common to embellish the held beats in hesitation by pointing, lifting, or swinging the free leg on beats 2, 3. The developé kick of today’s Waltz is actually a direct descendant of the Hesitation Waltz These are but a few examples of the countless innovations Americans, rather than Europeans, have implemented into Waltz. Even figures such as the Grapevine and Butterfly were popularized in the USA as far back as 1889.

So, what was once a whirling dance of some difficulty and redundancy has evolved into a complex and beautiful showcase of America’s ingenuity and our true strength -- our vast cultural diversity.

Noted historian, educator, and preservationist, Forrest Outman specializes in social dances from the late 19th Century and later. Current projects include documenting and recreating Peabody, Collegiates, Shags, The Jeep, pre-WWII Fox Trots and Hustle. He recently completed a project spanning more than four years, which tackled the origins of Fox Trot. For more information, visit Forrest Outman on Facebook or DanceHistorian.com or write to ForrestOutman@Gmail.com.

August-October 2016

29

IN THE LOUISIANA BAYOU

GUMBO DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS NQE EMERGING NEW TALENT IN AMATEUR DANCESPORT

By Cecil Phillips All Photos by Moondance Studios/ Bobby Campbell

T

he 17th annual USA Dance 2016 Gumbo DanceSport Championships, held June 24-26 in Baton Rouge, LA, was a sparkling affair, attracting more than 300 new and talented dancers from 27 states plus Canada, Austria and the Netherlands. Many of the winning Adult and Senior couples were first-timers at the Gumbo, and the Junior and Youth divisions were filled with dozens of rising stars from Louisiana.

Event Organizer Ann Durocher also noted more entries than ever before in the International Style events, plus a noticeable increase in the Senior age groups. “We had semi-final heats in most of the Standard Senior categories,” she reported, “which resulted in highly competitive Championship events. The quality of dancing was exciting to watch.”

An important factor in the kids’ competitions was the attending Dancing Classrooms programs in Lake Charles and other cities in Louisiana. Those programs, organized originally

by Nancy Vallee, produce dozens of athletes in the Pre-teen, Junior and Youth categories. And approximately 50 of them entered the Gumbo in American Smooth and Rhythm events.

As always, the three-day competition was enhanced by a full panel of certified adjudicators and officials, headed by Dan Callaway as

Finalists’ Exchange of Congratulations WDSF Senior II Open Standard World Ranking Tournament. Vincent Feingold & Irina Feingold, Winners

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American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

The Following Adult Couples Won their NQE Championship Divisions: Stephen Nadeau & Jessica Smith (MD): Adult 10-Dance, Latin Corey Griffiths & Kyriel Pineault (MI): Adult Standard Vincent Feingold & Irina Feingold (NJ): Senior II, III Standard + Senior II WDSF Open Standard Hans Stork & Ans Stork (AZ): Senior III WDSF Open Standard Douglas Montanus & Olga Montanus (AL): Senior I 10-Dance, Latin

David Peng & Betty Yeh (TX) Senior I, II Championship Latin, 2nd

The Following Couples Won the Most First Places in the Junior, Youth Divisions: Reginald Larkins & Caitlyn Wilson (LA): 10 Firsts, including Youth Championship 9-Dance, Rhythm, Smooth Creighton Duncan & Joyia Melancon (LA): 9 Firsts, Junior I and II events Dedrick Johnson & Victoria Self (LA): 10 Firsts, Youth and Adult events For complete competition results: www.o2cm.com/results.

chairman. Partly because of the adjudicators’ qualifications and partly because of the Gumbo’s long-standing reputation, the World DanceSport Federation sanctioned two events as WDSF Open Standard World Ranking Tournaments in the Senior II and Senior III divisions.

At the traditional Saturday evening banquet a special presentation was made by the board of directors of Louisiana DanceSport, the official organizing body for the Gumbo DanceSport Championships.

The board formally dedicated the 2016 Gumbo program to Ann Durocher, the chief organizer of the competition for 15 years.

During her tenure, the event has grown in size, in the quality of dancing, and in reputation as one of the best organized National Qualifying Events in the nation.

Ann’s team of more than 50 volunteers again demonstrated their proficiency by producing another excellent competition, including all the details and services that make up a wonderful weekend for the dancers, officials and spectators.

From the registration desk to the dressing rooms, from the on-deck area to the dance floor, from the dance music to the awards presentations, and from the vendor displays to the hospitality suites, there were competent and courteous volunteers making sure that everything ran smoothly and timely.

Douglas Montanus & Olga Montanus (AL) Senior I Championship 10-Dance, 1st; Standard, 5th

Douglas Robinson & Trish Wathen (OH) Adult Master of Syllabus, Rhythm, 1st Amateur Open, Open WCS, 2nd

“…5 stars to the Gumbo. Amazing competition! The best NQE in the U.S.! This year they outdid themselves! Big thank you to the organizers, volunteers, officials! Thank you for all the smiles, for many hugs, we felt very welcome. And the audience was fantastic!” – Irina Feingold

Vincent Feingold & Irina Feingold (NJ) Senior II, III Championship Standard, 1st WDSF Senior II Open Standard, 1st

Bill Anderson & Lane Barry (LA) Senior II, III Pre-Championship & Senior III Championship Rhythm, 1st

Ean Johnson & Paulina Ward (AL), 2nd, and Ethan Johnson & Aleksandra Montanus (AL), 1st Pre-Teen II Bronze Latin

August-October 2016

31

BOSTON DANCESPORT STRONG

NEW ENGLAND DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS FIRST NQE FOR 2017 USA DANCE NATIONALS

By Todd Kirrane Ambarish Roy & Anna Sheedy Adult Championship Standard, 3rd

Colin Williams & Aya Du (NY) Pre-Championship Standard, 2nd; Championship Standard, 5th

32

A

fter competing with several international competitions for their dates in September, when the organizers were looking for a new date, the USA Dance’s elite Senior athletes told them ‘move it and we will come’.

Well they did not disappoint! Originally a one-day competition, this year the 5th annual New England DanceSport Championships became a two-day event of non‐stop dancing.

From Latin to Smooth, Standard to Rhythm, the Senior competitors ruled the floor at the first National Qualifying Event for the 2017 USA Dance National DanceSport Championships.

The NEDSC kicked off Friday night with Under 21 International-style Championships, Adult and Senior Standard Championships, and the Adult and Senior American-Style Rhythm Championships.

Athletes throughout the United States took to the over‐sized dance floor to compete for the right to dance at the 2017 Nationals. The International panel of judges had their work cut out for them as they chose the winners of the different divisions. Winning the night was World Team Members Murat Medzhidov & Valerie Dubinsky in the Under 21 Division and Fernando Lareu & Nicole Palagashvili in the Adult Standard Division.

As exciting as their dancing was, by far, the crowd favorite of the evening was the Senior III Standard Championship event which started as a semi‐final with seven American couples from six states, joined by two Canadian couples.

In the end, Vincent Feingold & Irina Feingold of New Jersey won four out of the five dances to take first place. They also beat out a strong straight final to take the top spot in the Senior II Standard category with Thomas Yu & Yuko Naululani Yu from Washington DC, finishing second in both events.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

Starting bright and early Saturday morning, the high quality dancing continued with more than 70 Teacher/ Student events in both the International and American Styles. These relatively new events to USA Dance introduced a host of brand new studios and competitors to the NEDSC and included dancers from Junior I to Senior III and Pre‐Bronze to Championship level.

After the competition rounds, the teacher/student couples expressed their surprise and support for the what they described as the “amenities” of USA Dance -- a large floor, supportive audience, and 90-second music time which they were not used to in pro‐am competitions.

Wrapping up the event Saturday night was the Adult Amateur Latin Championship. The exciting final event featured six strong couples from the United States and Canada. It was a battle down to the last dance between the top three couples. But in the end, Michael Shaponick & Maria Yakhkind of Massachusetts took first place, winning the Samba, Cha Cha, and Rumba. Filipp Akopyan and Uliana Shunevich were a close second, winning the Paso Doble and Jive. Rounding out the top three was Daniel Zaharia & Sarah‐Maude Thibaudeau of Canada.

While many competitions judge the success of their event on the amount of entries or the amount of money made, Event Organizer Jim DiCecca and the MASSabda Chapter volunteers have always judged it on the satisfaction of the dancers.

According to competitor Irina Feingold, they particularly “loved” the danceon presentations, which the NEDSC included for most Adult and Senior Championships events. She also noted that the “registration was quick and simple; dance floor was very nice size and good quality, and there were plenty of seating area around dance floor.”

Kelly Madenjian, who won both the Senior I and II American Smooth Championship events with partner Paul Duhaime, said, “All the volunteers were helpful and friendly” and that the NEDSC was “a very lovely comp.”

Based on the positive competitor and spectator feedback, the 2017 NEDSC NQE will be a don’t-miss event.

Chri stophe r Af fo n so & Holly Hatlebe Pre-Teen II rg (M A) Silver Stan dard , Latin , 1st

John Lentini & Susan Lentini (MA) Senior II, III Bronze Rhythm, 1stv

Gregory Warwick & Karen Batchelder (MA) Senior II, III Novice Rhythm, 1st

Murat Medzhidov & Student Shayna Shpits (MA) Teacheer/Student Junior I PreChampionship Standard, 2nd

Awaiting Final Latin Results. Teacher/Student Div. Polina Berisheva & Mike Shaponick (MA); Adult Novice - Shantel Mays & Liam Ryan (CT) and Damiena Luje & Dorian Luje (CT).

Clifford Pepper & Carrietta Pepper (FL) Senior III Pre-Championship Standard, 3rd; Senior IV Championship Standard, 4th All Photos by Lisa Dubinsky

August-October 2016

33

Courtesy of WDSF

AT THE NEW AMERICAN DANCESPORT FESTIVAL

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

RETURN TO USA

Open Senior I Standard – Open Senior I 10-Dance Plus NorthAmerican Collegiate Championships

T

he American DanceSport Festival is proud to host the return of WDSF World Championships to the United States and the first time in the U.S. for Senior I Standard and Senior I Ten-Dance, in Boston, Oct. 8-9, 2016, at the University of Massachusetts campus.

This is also the first time these World Championships are “open,” meaning that anyone who is an open-level competitor in that age category may compete, rather than just the top two couples selected to represent their countries.

Over the weekend, event organizers anticipate the ADSF to attract world-level competitors, representing more than 25 nations. There will also be more than 30 judges, including 25 international ones from 15 countries.

The ADSF will also host professional division events in both Standard and Latin

and the new North American Open Collegiate Championships, which will allow all amateur dancers in all four styles to compete for the North American Open Titles, as well as the North American Smooth and Rhythm Amateur Championships.

Special discounts are available for Collegiate registrants.

Furthermore, the ADSF is offering extensive WDSF Open Events in Junior II, Youth, Adult Rising Star, Adult, Senior I, Senior II, Senior III Standard and Senior IV Standard. The most exciting events may very well be the WDSF Open Adult World Ranking Tournaments for Standard and Latin. In the ranking system of the WDSF, these events have attracted hundreds of high-level couples from all across the globe.

The American DanceSport Festival launches many more “new beginnings”. For the first time ever, and part of the USA Dance

Competition Information: www.americandsf.org 34

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

Academy, the ADSF will host a Congress on the WDSF JS 2.1 judging system on October 6-7. The Congress qualifies professionals as WDSF adjudicators for World Championships, World Games and GrandSlams. In the past, USA judges would have to travel abroad to attend such events. Now, this valuable education will be offered within the USA. The new American DanceSport Festival officially kicks off with an Opening Gala Dinner on Friday, Oct. 7, setting a festive tone for the competition weekend. The Gala will feature a dinner, entertainment, and recognition for a dance industry honoree.

Lastly, the ADSF is organizing a post-competition training camp on Columbus Day, Oct. 10, at Todos Dance and Fitness Studio in Natick, MA. This one-day camp (10 am – 7 pm) will include fitness, lectures and private lessons with 11 world-renowned teachers and coaches.

Competition Results: www.o2cm.com

IN THE

PublicEye SYTYCD: The NEXT GENERATION

LEV & SOFIA W

hen ABC TV’s Dancing With The Stars premiered in June 2015 followed by So You Think You Can Dance on Fox TV one month later in July, most of the contestants on Fox TV’s new show SYTYCD: The Next Generation had not even been born or were at best two years old.

So this “next generation” of dance stars literally grew up in the mesmerizing world of dance tv shows, dreaming of dance stardom, and watching all the former USA Dance amateurs, turned DWTS pros, become household names around the world.

USA Dance over the years has arranged the dance and talent show auditions of many members, and not just youth. Many appeared on Dancing With The Stars and America’s Got Talent, others on shows like Nickelodeon TV and MTV Made. But after the first few years, the major network’s

interest in dance kids waned. . .until this year, when on Feb. 1, Fox officially announced SYTYCD: The Next Generation.

USA Dance submitted auditions for eight young dancers, solos and couples, ages 8 to 13. The show was focused on solo auditions, but would accept couple performances for the ballroom/latin kids.

Auditions were held in New York City and Los Angeles, and from there, they would move into the SYTYCD Academy.

Of the dancers USA Dance submitted, only Lev Khmelev, age 10, from West Hollywood, CA, made it into the SYTYCD Academy, which was televised. Lev was assisted by his USA Dance partner Sofia Sachenko (age 8) from Beverly Hill, CA, who performed their latin routines to high compliments from judges Nigel Lythgoe and Jason Derulo, who commented on their emotions and choreography.

All Photos by Irina Khmeleva

Although Lev (and Sofia) didn’t make the Top 10 on SYTYCD: The Next Generation, the journey for them was just starting. Their appearance on SYTYCD has led to a major appearance on season two of Little Big Shots, the new NBC show, hosted

by Steve Harvey and produced by Ellen Degeneres among others. The show should air in September.

August-October 2016

35

XINGMIN LU & KATERINA LU

An American Champion's 11-Year Journey from the National Podium to Blackpool History

FROM A CHAMPION’S

PERSPECTIVE

X

ingmin Yu & Katerina Yu of New York are familiar faces at USA Dance NQEs and Nationals. For more than a decade, their International Standard performances have earned the respect of fellow competitors and adjudicators who have awarded them many titles, including USA Dance six-time National Champions and Vice-Champions in 2015 and 2016.

Their amateur dance career began in 2005, when Xingmin signed up to take dance training from Katerina. Both had competed with different partners before, but something special “clicked” this time. They quickly realized they shared so much in common. . .but their love for each other and passion for dance became the driving force. Now 11 years later, they have realized an important aspiration – winning at Blackpool -- and it was a history book moment, as they became the very first couple to win the new Over 50 Ballroom division. Out of 149 couples from around the world, including 10 from the United States, they earned 1st place in all four dances.

Rewinding to their first appearance at Blackpool in 2006 – then, they placed 11th in Senior Ballroom. With the exception of a disappointing 30th place in 2008, they have consistently placed between 4th and 11th, making final rounds four times – with the 4th in 2012 and a 5th in 2015.

As Katerina admitted about 2008, they were simply trying too hard. “We got our heads together and told ourselves that it was not all about the result, that it was about our enjoying our dancing. . .[so] with the change of mind set, we became successful again.”

When you watch the DSI TV video of the Over 50 Ballroom final round and award presentation, the distinguishing remarks at the end by the commentator was that the top two couples had the best toplines.

Congratulations, Xingmin & Katerina!

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Ivo Dimitrov

I

AMERICAN

DANCER

nterview

AMERICAN DANCER: What were your expectations this year at Blackpool in the new Over 50 Ballroom division? How did you prepare?

Xingmin: We felt we had a chance to win this competition given our level of dancing and our previous results. However, we did not take anything as granted. As a matter of fact, I dare to say that we worked harder this year preparing this Championship than we did in the previous years. Besides our regular lessons and practices, we also did weekly run-through with Igor Litvinov and Gyrotonic with Leslie Davenport.

quite soon and now we are in full gear again. I do have to say that winning Blackpool gave us a different perspective on things and a renewed confidence.

AD: What has been

the reaction of friends and family?

Xingmin: The reactions from our friends and family are overwhelming. The night we won the competition, we received so many congratulatory messages from all our friends. After we came back to New York, Bill Davies surprised us by celebrating our success in the studio with a cake.

Katerina: We were answering our Facebook

“We are fortunate to have worked with many great teachers and coaches, both in the United States and abroad. We are very grateful and humbled for all the knowledge and encouragement they have given us over the years.”

AD: What was your reaction when they announced you as the winners?

Katerina: Blackpool Festival is an experience like no other. The atmosphere, the live music, the best-of-the-best sitting in the front row supporting you with their applauses all the way to the final. To win the Blackpool Festival is something you can imagine many times over. But the reality is that even if it is at 2 o'clock in the morning, as was the case for our competition this year, it is simply indescribable, and in a way, very sobering.

AD: An American Blackpool Champion!

There are only a few couples in this elite group – how did it feel coming back home?

Xingmin: You are absolutely right. . .

We are proud to represent the USA and be the British Open Champions.

After we came home from Blackpool, we took a little time to enjoy our success. On the other hand, we always get so inspired at Blackpool every year after watching all the wonderful dancing. We went back to work

and text messages ‘til 5 o'clock in the morning. My mother who lives in Prague, which is one hour ahead of England, stayed up ‘til 3 am to find out the result.

AD: Who or what has been your greatest inspiration?

X&K: One of our greatest inspirations is tennis legend Roger Federer. He inspires us by his perseverance over the years and performance on the highest level in an extremely competitive field with many young athletes. Both born in former communist countries, we are also inspired by the American spirit that you can strive to achieve your dream through hard work and perseverance.

AD: How would you describe your partner relationship?

Xingmin: I would say that we have quite a productive partnership. One thing special about our partnership is that it started as a teacher student relationship.

There was a period of adjustment at

Timeline Media/Rassi Borneo

the very beginning when we became partners. However, we worked through the challenges. The key is communication.

Also, follow the simple rules: rule number 1 - she is right. Rule number 2 - if she is not right, go back to rule number 1.

Katerina: We have very few ups and downs. We found each other late in life, and we have great love and respect for each other. We understand that love is more important than anything else. So if there is a down, we sit down and talk about it. When there is up, we celebrate together. Also, advice for the guys, if you say “yes, darling” say it like you mean it.

AD: How would you define the role of a true Champion in Amateur DanceSport?

X&K: We believe that true champions provide inspirations to others through their hard work and dedication.

They are also ambassadors of our sports to the outside world.

AD: You are among our country’s most talented and respected athletes and artists. Your pursuit of excellence never falters, so once you’ve had such a well-deserved banner year, many may want to know what’s next?

X&K: We will just keep dancing.

We will one day push our walker to the edge of the floor, get in a dance hold, and get on with it.

From USA Dance partner DSI TV: Video from the Over 50 Ballroom final round and award ceremony: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zyqVSkomXBM

On Xingmin & Katerina’s Success: “Both Xingmin and Katerina are individuals and self-sufficient. Because of that, they can join into a cohesive, dynamic dance partnership. They have achieved an equality of partnering skills. Their life partnership has evolve into the desire to support each other’s endeavors, so when they bring this into their dance partnership, success is theirs.” – Bill Davies, dance champion, coach, adjudicator (NY)

August-October 2016

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NJ DANCESPORT CLASSIC NQE

ON DECK AT THE SUMMER SIZZLER–ENDLESS STREAM OF CHILDREN, TROPHIES, SCHOLARSHIPS AND CHEER Gary Pa

rkansk y

Gary Parkansky

By Bill Davies, USA Dance/WDSF Adjudicator/ Coach, from New York

W

endi Davies celebrated her 14th year of running the New Jersey DanceSport Classic -- “The Summer Sizzler” – which has been a USA Dance National Qualifying Event for the past five years. Because of this designation, attending competitors have the opportunity to attend the USA Dance National DanceSport Championships.

The Summer Sizzler was held June 11-12 at the posh Rodgers Dance Center in Hackensack, NJ. This venue is perfect for this event. This year’s outstanding group of officials, assembled by Ms. Davies, were Registrar Daphna Locker, Music Master Bruce Maine, Scrutineer Chris Sayotovich, Chair of Judges Dan Calloway, Emcees Brad Morrison and David Wright, Deck Captain Debbie Russell and Volunteers Coordinator Amanda Ashcraft.

The distinguished panel of adjudicators included Inna Brayer, Viktoria Drubetskaya, Sandra Fortuna, Genadi Kijnyer, Steve Mesh, Patti Panebianco, Glen Weiss, Katusha Wilder, Ruslan Wilder and Bill Davies. Attending was USA Dance Observer Myra Coffield.

This year’s entry of 170 couples was divided among 115 children couples and 55 adult couples. Unlike most NQE’s, this comp offers nine perpetual trophies, four for adults and five for children, with scholarships. The winning of a perpetual trophy besides the scholarship money, adds the couple’s name

to the trophy along with the great dancers of Lior Golden the past, which is quite a reward. & Heather Unfortunately, this year’s adult entries Lohney (PA) were small and did not take advantage of Saturday’s adults-only whole day and evenings schedule. On the other hand, the children took advantage of their schedule on Sunday, which was non-stop competitions of charming, well trained kids. Not only that, but the older (under 19) open competitions were of a terrific standard.

Speaking of Standard, it is too bad that the children’s majority of competing was in Latin. The Standard events were sparse. I know at the beginning Standard is more difficult to do than Latin because of the tricky partnering needed to succeed. But we must keep in mind that we in this country need a large number of Latin, Standard and Ten-Dance couples.

Brad Scholtz Included in Sunday’s events was the Allen Team Match. This event was comprised of Granzberg four teams of four couples each. The couples & Milana were two syllabus couples, one latin and one Lazareva standard; and two open couples, one latin (NY) and one standard. This event brought the audience into a mass of cheers and emotional expressions of support for the teams and individual couples.

Let us not forget that without the volunteers, that do so much to make USA Dance events such a success, we would be unable to produce such quality competitions. (Wendi wants to extend her special thanks to all volunteers past, present and future.)

A nna Na

dler

Samuel Anton Shapiro & Maria Chernobrivets (NY)

Stanislav

Zilbervarg

Kirill Budagovskiy & Galt Zilbervarg (NY)

August-October 2016

39

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR II STANDARD JUNE 4, 2016 Timisoara, Romania

R

epresenting the USA abroad as a new Junior II couple is as emotionally unpredictable as it is inspiring. But the younger athletes -- with the added help of their attending coaches and families – channel all the overwhelming excitement into the needed energy and focus of championship athletes in the making. And it’s no different whether it’s the World Championships in Romania or the Olympics in Rio. When it’s time

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WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JUNIOR II STANDARD

Daniel Kidon & Evelynne Chin

59 out of 70

Mark Starovoytov & Sophia Elkin

Tied 62-70 out of 70

to perform, they give it everything they have. And they come home with new stories to tell and new game plans to follow.

Photos by “The Moms” – Xuan (Patricia) Chai-Chin, Elena Siminova, Jolanta Kidon

AMERICAN

DANCER

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DANIEL KIDON & EVELYNNE CHIN (NJ)

Dancing Together: Less than 1 year.

Coaches/Studio: Dasha Sushko, Igor Vladimirovich Litvinov, Giampiero Giannico/ Ballroom Dreams USA Dance Standard Placements: Nationals 2016 – Junior II Pre-Championship, 1st; Championship, 3rd.

AMERICAN DANCER: What was your expectation for the Junior II Standard World Championship?

Daniel: I expected the Junior II Standard World Championship to be a very tough competition. I am pleased with our results as it was such a big competition and our partnership was quite new.

AD: What are your strengths and challenges on the floor?

Mark Starovoytov & Sophia Elkin and Daniel Kidon & Evelynne Chin

Evelynne: Our strength is we are good friends off the floor, so we communicate well and trust each other on the floor.

Our challenge is we have only been dancing together for less than a year. It takes a bit longer for us to improvise on the floor when needed.

AD: Did you prepare any differently for this competition?

D: We practiced quite a lot more than we did for other competitions. We also took

more coaching lessons from world-class teachers. These extra lessons and practices helped with our stamina and definitely made a difference when we got there.

AD: What did you learn in Romania that will help you in the future?

E: Regardless how prepared you feel you are, it is never enough.

You never know what exactly is going to happen. I have never experienced anything like it, including the atmosphere.

MARK STAROVOYTOV & SOPHIA ELKIN (MA)

New Starting Points from Romania. Mark & Sophia with Daniel & Evelynne

40

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

expectation about the Junior II Standard World Championship?

Sophia: I knew that it was going to be a huge competition with a lot of strong couples. I was looking forward to learn something from the best dancers in the world.

Mark: I expected for there to be many talented couples from numerous countries. While we did not rank as high as we had hoped, I am still pleased with the result, since it is worth remembering that we just entered the Junior II division AD: What are your strengths and challenges as a couple?

S: We have a great relationship.

We have a lot of the same opinions and it’s easy to work out a conflict. We struggle to express our feelings on and off the floor, because we’re both a little quiet around each other, since the partnership is still new. Also, when we get nervous on competitions, it shows in our dance.

AD: What did you learn in Romania that will help you in Dancing Together: One year. the future?

Coaches/Studio: Ronen Sophia: Seeing the best Zinshtein, Mariam Izmaylova/ couples in the world perform Todos Dance & Fitness Studio gave us motivation to improve USA Dance Standard our quality of dancing. They Placements: Nationals 2016 moved effortlessly across the – Junior II Pre-Championship, floor and I tried to mimic that.

2nd; Championship, 4th; plus The way the winners danced 10-Dance Championship, 3rd. gave me an idea of what judges around the world look for, and AD: What was your now I know how to improve.

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP YOUTH STANDARD JULY 9, 2016 Kitakyushu, Japan

In the United States, Kitakyushu, Japan has two sister cities – Tacoma, WA and Norfolk, VA. Otherwise, this less familiar city to many Americans is relatively new, founded in 1963 after the merger of five municipalities. Exciting travel to this DanceSport mecca, but not an easy trip. For Kinsley & Michelle out of California, the flight was at least 6,000 miles; for Justin & Alexandra in Boston, more than 7,000, just one-way. Jetlag is always an issue for USA World Teams traveling to Asia or to Europe. So many try to fly in

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AMERICAN

DANCER

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KINSLEY LIN & MICHELLE YIU (CA),

Nor-Cal Chapter 4004 USA Dance Titles/ Placements: Nationals 2016 - Youth Standard Vice Champions; Youth 10-Dance, 4th overall, 1st in Standard; Youth Latin, 7th.

WDSF Standard Placements: 2014 WDSF Junior II Latin World. 5th; 2014 WDSF Junior II Ten-Dance World, 5th; 2014 WDSF Junior II Standard World, 30th; 2015 WDSF Youth Standard World, 37th; 2016 WDSF Youth Standard World, 34th; 2016 WDSF Youth Latin World, 50th; 2016 WDSF Youth Latin World Open, 14th.

Coaches: Tomas

Atkocevicius, Aira Bubnelyte/ Dance Vita Ballroom Thoughts On Competing at the World Championship: Michelle: Youth Standard at the World Championship is very, very strong, much stronger than it is in U.S. competitions or even at USA Dance Nationals….We learned that everyone truly gives their all when it comes to actually competing in the Championship. No one holds anything back; there are no hesitations, no what ifs. All the preparation has been done, and all that is left to do is deliver.

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP YOUTH STANDARD

Kinsley Lin & Michelle Yiu

34 out of 62

Justin Lin & Alexandra Dubinsky

Tie 39-40 out of 62

Also in Japan: Kinsley Lin & Michelle Yiu placed 14th out of 32 in Open Latin, July 10.

at least a day early. But on the final return trip home, the couples admit it was all worth it.

All Photos by Lisa Dubinsky

M: We placed outside of the

top 24, but we were still very happy with our dancing so the placement to us did not hurt as much. For the U.S., it means that there is still a lot of work to do….

Coaches: Ronen Zinshtein, Mariam Izmaylova Thoughts on Competing at the World Championship: Justin: Youth Standard

Division at a WDSF World Championship is very strong.

Also, most of athletes compete in many WDSF events in Europe with over 150 athletes every month.

J: The distance was

definitely a challenge. After a very long travel time, we had to feel physically and emotionally ready.

J: Our advantage was due to the

Kinsley: Something I’ve

learned from my most recent WDSF event is that although it is a World-Class event with competitors from all around the world, we should still enjoy it and have fun.

M: The challenge was that everyone had improved a lot since the last world championship in Rimini. All the couples had matured in their dancing, and at times it could be intimidating. In the end though, we just focused on ourselves and on our own dancing, and used the high caliber of all the dancers around us to push us to do our very best.

JUSTIN LIN & ALEXANDRA DUBINSKY (MA), MASSabda Chapter 3002 USA Dance Titles: Nationals 2016 -- Youth and Under 21 Standard National Champions WDSF Standard Placements: 42nd Youth World Championship, 2014, 12th in Open World Youth, 2014, 86th Youth GOC Stuttgart, 2015, 200th GrandSlam, 2015, 19th Under 21 World Championship, 2015, 4th Open Under-21 Vancouver, 39th Youth World Championship, 2016

fact that we practiced on a very similar floor in our home studio.

Sasha: We were 39th which

means that we are among 40 best standard youth couples in the world.

Showtime in Japan! Kinsley & Michelle and Justin & Alexandra (Sasha)

August-October 2016

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WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SENIOR II LATIN JUNE 4, 2016

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SENIOR II LATIN

Kosice, Slovakia

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Roger Korsiak & Holli Hornlien

Tied 26-27 out of 77

Gokturk Yurtyapan & Asli Yurtyapan

Tied 40-41 out of 77

AMERICAN

Senior I Standard finalist; Senior II Standard, 10-Dance Champions; Senior II Latin, 3rd WDSF 2016 World Championships: Senior II Standard, 9th; Senior II Latin, 21st; Senior II Standard, 40th Latin Coaches: Yegor Novikov, along with Natasha Sergiyenko, Sasha Gorodetskyy, Simeon Stoynov.

DANCER

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ROGER KORSIAK & HOLLI HORNLIEN (CA) USA Dance Chapter: Orange County 4018 USA Dance 2016 Nationals: Senior II Latin Champions; Senior I Latin, 3rd place WDSF World Championship Placements: Senior II Latin 2015 – 26th, 2016 – 26th Latin Coach: Shirley Ballas

AMERICAN DANCER: How did you prepare for this World event, differently from Nationals?

Holli: I took training for the event very seriously. Thirty days prior, I went on a strict regimen with diet, rehearsal, exercise, mental and emotional focus. When we arrived at the competition, I felt incredibly healthy and energized, which made a difference.

Roger: The time between Nationals and the world championships was so close this year that we just continued our same practice regime that we used for Nationals.

AD: What does your high placement in Slovakia mean for the USA? R: We placed 26th. I do not know what past Senior II couples have placed so I don’t know if we have raised, lowered or maintained as a nation. As a representative for the USA, I feel my actions and behavior as a person and a dancer both on and off the floor are far more 42

AMERICAN DANCER: What is

SENIOR II WORLD TEAM – Asli, Gokturk, Roger, Holli

Courtesy of Asli Yurtyapan

important to the image of the USA than the placement.

AD: Any couple rituals once you arrive at a competition?

H: I am very proud of our

H: I am fond of Roger’s offering

generation of Senior Latin Dancers. The greatest compliment we hear is that the bar has been raised in the last few years. Many of us hold ourselves to a high standard so to be right on the edge of the top 24 really is significant to me, and I hope means something for the USA.

of a prayer of gratitude before we walk out on the dance floor. We are truly blessed by health, art, sport, international friendships, affirmation and recognition. It’s important to keep what is sacred and divine in mind.

AD: What advice did your coach give that made the most difference?

R: For me it was a phrase that I remembered -- “Go out there and dance. It doesn’t matter if you are first or last”. That stuck in my mind and it took some pressure off me. I always want to dance well and make my teacher proud. By that comment lifted that burden and I felt that it made a difference for the better.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

AD: What have you learned since your last WDSF event?

R: As a Senior Dancer I am constantly learning and forgetting. It is hard to say exactly what has made a difference. Each time we go out we give it our best. Some days are better than others. We enjoy what we do and love the experience along the way.

GOKTURK YURTYAPAN & ASLI YURTYAPAN (WA) USA Dance Chapter: Seattle 1004 USA Dance 2016 Nationals:

it like at the Senior II Latin World Championship?

Asli: I would say it is highly competitive, actually more competitive than we expected.

We found out that many competitors in Europe in Senior II division have been dancing at these high levels since their early adult years.

Also motivation of successful amateur dancers to turn to professional is rather different in Europe.

AD: How did you prepare for this highly competitive event?

A: WDSF Senior II World Latin Championship was early in the calendar after the Nationals.

When we received the invitation, we had about one month to prepare for this event.

Since this was our first World Event at this level, we focused working on our existing improvement opportunities.

But for future World Events, we definitely will prepare ourselves both physically and mentally on a different level based on the experiences we gained in Slovakia.”

AD: What have you learned from this experience that has

Marek Estocin

Roger & Holli

made a difference?

Gokurk: This was our first WDSF World Event. We are hoping to make the difference in the next WDSF World Event AD: What were your challenges competing in Slovakia?

G: Flying for 24 hours with little or no sleep and dancing early next morning with nine hours of time difference was quite challenging. Also, staying sharply focused between the many heats with long pauses between them was another factor. I believe, being in the World Event for the first time among those elite competitors and judges whom we met for the first time and trying to

make ourselves seen, is a great challenge in itself.

AD: What were your advantages on the floor there?

A: We felt physically strong on the floor since we are doing Ten Dance. We are used to many back to back events.

We also had the advantage of having Roger and Holli with us, who made us feel part of a great Team. They shared their experience from previous world events and helped us to gain as much as possible in Slovakia.

Gokturk & Asli

We don’t feel that we have made ourselves visible on the floor to the extent that we could have. But, we are also fully aware that becoming great dancers require patience, lots of work and learning from past experiences on international competition floors. Our results will improve as we start implementing new knowledge gathered in Slovakia and will continue to accumulate from many other competitions in the future.

AD: Anything special happen

AD: What does your placement mean coming back home?

G: We feel that our placement does not reflect our capacity.

on this trip?

A: Being part of the USA World Team was an honor and truly a great experience. Competing in a World Event and representing

WDSF ATHLETE’S OATH “In the name of all athletes I promise that we shall take part in this WDSF World DanceSport Championship, respecting and abiding the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of a sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of the athletes.”

Marek Estocin

Holli Hornlien was invited to read the Official Athlete’s Oath in English prior to the start of the WDSF World Championship.

Marek Estocin

USA, together with a fellow couple, as a team, we felt stronger, more supportive and appreciative of each other. We are thankful to USA Dance for giving us this wonderful opportunity.

G: I thought the opening ceremony was also a great moment, especially when they announced each country and the names of the couples one by one.

AD: What was your coach’s best advice for this competition?

A: The advice of keeping the energy up and being in constant connection with each other throughout the routine was very helpful.

AD: What advice did you give yourselves?

G: In the past few years we made great progress in both Latin and Standard categories.

We had the honor to dance with many other fellow dancers whom we had set as our role models in the beginning. We have come a long way to earn the privilege to represent a great country. We look good and we are as strong as the best couples on the floor.

August-October 2016

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WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SENIOR III STANDARD – JULY 10, 2016 Rimini, Italy

WDSF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SENIOR III STANDARD

N

eedless to say, representing the USA at the WDSF Senior III Standard World Championship in Rimini, Italy was a special occasion for our official World Team members, who were also joined by one of our California couples. First-time experiences always come with excitement and apprehension, whether the competitor is a life-seasoned senior or a young junior still accompanied by parents and coaches. For anyone who thought “Murphy’s Law” was just restricted to home adventures, ask Thomas & Renée Malinowski, whose luggage (with costumes) was lost up until the last moment, who had already purchased

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AMERICAN

DANCER

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MICHAEL LYNCH & ROSE-ANN LYNCH (VA)

Dancing Together: Since 2005 USA Dance Chapter: MidEastern 6001 Standard Coaches: Mariya Vysotskaya, Vladyslav Dolya, Alan Dixon, Garry Gekhman USA Dance Titles: Five-Time National Champions: 2015 Senior II, III Smooth; 2016 Senior II, III Smooth & Senior III Standard WDSF World Placements: 2016 Senior III Standard, tied 133-138 out of 345 Misc: Both retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonels; met in 2000 at the Pentagon; married in 2003.

AMERICAN DANCER: What

was your expectation of this first-ever World Championship experience?

MIKE & ROSE-ANN: We approached the competition with passion and no expectations other than to deliver the best “us” that we were capable of at that time.

We were indeed honored and privileged to be part of Team USA Dance. . . .We consider them special friends 44

Mike Lynch & Rose-Ann Lynch

Tied 133-138 out of 345

Thomas Malinowski & Renee Occhialini Malinowski

Tied 284-288 out of 345

Note: Also competing electively at the WDSF World Championship were David Getchell & Allison Gonzalez, who tied 175-182 out of the 345 couples on the floor.

new attire, and ended up being “grounded” in Europe for days later because Renee’s unexpected ear infection meant they couldn’t fly back home.

All Competition Photos by Dr. Helmut Roland

for life, and will always treasure the bond and camaraderie of our Rimini experience.

AD: Did you train any differently, mentally or physically, for this event?

M&R-A: For the first time in 11 years, we halted our smooth lessons, and focused only on standard.

Our smooth coaches Kirill and Daria Gorjatsev were very understanding and supportive, which helped considerably.

After Nationals, we danced standard sixseven days a week and doubled up on standard lessons not only to prepare for Rimini, but also our first ever Blackpool….

AD: Rose-Ann, tell us more about being selected to read the Athlete’s Oath during the Opening Ceremonies R-A: The opening ceremonies were delightful, and it was quite an honor to read the oath. USA was one of the smallest teams at the competition, but we were anxious to show our red, white, and blue. As we were lining up for the march on, the event organizers approached the USA team and asked if we would read the oath.

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

AD: How do you feel about your performance in Rimini?

R-A: We felt good about our performance in Rimini. Our coaches had stressed the importance of holding our frame, and we did. The best moment for us was during the waltz in round three; we walked onto the floor and heard a lot of yelling. We looked up into the stands and saw the rest of our team waving the red, white and blue at us. WOW! After that, I think we danced the best waltz we’ve ever danced.

AD: What was the real and challenging reality of this World experience?

M & R-A: During the Rimini Dance Festival, there were eight ballrooms going at once in the facility each designated by a different color backdrop. Senior III World Championships took place in the main venue, the non-air conditioned, 80-degree plus temperature Tricolor “Green-WhiteRed” Ballroom. Open unisex changing area.

No place to practice other than the concrete floor perimeter. No water other than vendors. The huge number of entrants, lengthy duration of rounds, and warm conditions challenged couples to maintain focus. There were 402 registered couples with 345 dancing in our event that ran from 8 in the morning to past midnight. The first round took almost 3 hours: 22 heats of waltz, 22 heats of tango, etc. The couples were all going for it, and no one gave an inch of space. . . What an incredible opportunity to see the World’s best at our age. Indeed, movement is what clearly set the great couples apart from the good ones.

THOMAS MALINOWSKI & RENÉE MALINOWSKI (CT)

Competing Together: 6 years USA Dance Chapter: Greater Hartford (CT) 3056 Standard Coaches: Bill Davies USA Dance Titles: Senior III Championship Standard – Nationals 2016 5th; Nationals 2015 10th WDSF World Placements: 2016 Senior III Standard, tied 284-288 out of 345 Misc: Dance both Senior II, III Championship Standard AD: Describe what it was like for you representing the USA at the World Championship?

Renée: We have all made dance a priority in our lives. We juggle jobs and family, illness and injury, with practice, lessons and travel. Are we crazy? Yes! We’re crazy for dance. And when an opportunity to represent our country arises unexpectedly, like it did for us, after the initial shock, we become overjoyed.

Being at the World Championship with hundreds of other fabulous dancers from 24 countries was a very emotional experience for me. Partially because I had been recently ill, but mostly because it was impossible to forget that you were there as one of very few representing the United States. We wore USA flag pins and waved USA flag bandanas. The pride we felt for our country that day was intense. I will be forever grateful to USA Dance for this unforgettable opportunity.

AD: Did you train any differently, mentally or physically, for this event?

Tom: We trained for the event with a focused intensity we have not felt before. Probably because we felt a responsibility not just to ourselves and our

coach, but to USA Dance, to our peers and even to our family for our performance.

AD: What was the best advice received or you gave to yourselves prepare?

R: I became ill in June and was hospitalized with a kidney ailment just one week before we left for Italy. We came very close to backing out. With my doctor’s permission we decided to take the trip and make the most of it.

When we arrived in Italy, our luggage was lost – no dress, no shoes, no tailsuit – even our beautiful USA World Team jackets were gone!

Tom & I decided that nothing was going to dampen our spirits. We had arrived a week early to spend time with family and had to forego some of that time to buy replacement items. Also, we were grateful to Mike Lynch for bringing his extra tailsuit for Tom. Several days later our luggage arrived just in time for the competition.

These challenges definitely made a positive impact on our

that dance. We think it is important to have realistic expectations about our results at a competition. If we had done that dance to the best of our ability, we believe we would have made the next round. . .It is not so easy to say that you came in 284th in anything. But, after seeing the level of excellence among the competitors at this competition, we could not be disappointed in ourselves.

experience at the competition.

We were determined, and we persevered! Our advice to ourselves: “All we can do is the best we can do.”

AD: How do you feel about your performance in Rimini?

T & R : We were very pleased with our performance in all of our dances except one. We would have loved a “do over” on

AD: What did you learn from others or experience that athletes in the USA would like to know about?

T: After speaking to a few dancers from other countries we were impressed by the length of time they have studied dance – some of them as many as 35 years. Also, more than one couple we spoke with travel four to seven hours each way to and from lessons.

Additionally, in this age group Italy had 300 couples entered in the competition. Wow!

David Getchell & Allison Gonzales (CA )

USA Dance Chapter Nor-Cal 4004 Dancing Together: Nearly 10 years Divisions: Senior II, III Championship Standard

"It was a massive event with over 400 registered couples. It was evident that most of the competitors were very familiar and comfortable with the procedure as they came very well equipped and prepared….the competitors were very well trained (many had their coaches with them) and knew what it took to advance from round to round. We were very impressed with the overall quality of the dancers. It was a tremendous experience and one we will look forward to repeating."

May-July 2016

45

DANCESPORT CALENDAR 2016-2017 A/A = Amateur/Amateur

T/S = Teacher/Student

SS = Same Sex Events

MP = Mixed Proficiency

August 2016

Quest For The Best October 29, 2016 Events: A/A, MP, F Hosted by Seattle Chapter #1004 Kent Commons - Lynnwood, WA

September 2016

Liberty Ball November 5, 2016 Events: A/A, T/S, MP, SS, C Organized by Renata Shvarts & Steve Mesh Airport Marriott - Philadelphia, PA

Fort Wayne DanceSport Special Olympics August 6, 2016 Hosted by USA Dance Fort Wayne Chapter #2046 Walb Student Union, Indiana - Purdue Campus, Fort Wayne, IN Kansas City Dance Classic September 10, 2016 Events: A/A, T/S Organized by Matt & Ellen Pansing Camelot Ballroom - Overland Park, KS (Kansas City) Carolina Fall Classic – 2017 NQE September 30-October 2, 2016 Events: A/A, T/S, SO Organized by Wayne & Marie Crowder University Hilton - Charlotte NC WDSF Open Senior I & II & III Standard WDSF Open Senior I & II Latin September 30-October 2, 2016 Events held at Carolina Fall Classic USA Dance National Solo Proficiency Championships September 30-October 2, 2016 Events held at Carolina Fall Classic University Hilton - Charlotte, NC

October 2016

Rocky Mountain Fall Competition October 1, 2016 Events: A/A, F Hosted by USA Dance Denver Chapter #5006 Denver Turnverein - Denver, CO American DanceSport Festival October 8-9, 2016 Events: A/A Organized by Ronen Zinshtein Clark Athletic Center, Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston WDSF World Championship October 8, 2016 Open Senior I Standard October 9, 2016 Open Senior I 10-Dance Events held at the American DanceSport Festival North American Collegiate Open Amateur Championships October 8-9, 2016 Events held at the American DanceSport Festival Clark Athletic Center, Boston, MA NJ DanceSport Classic – Fall Frolic October 2016 Events: A/A, MP, SS, SO Organized by Wendi Davies Rogers Dance Center - Hackensack, NJ (Note: Date to be announced) Chicago DanceSport Challenge – 2017 NQE October 28-30, 2016 Events: A/A, T/S, SS, SO, C, F Hosted by Chicagoland Chapter #2001 Hyatt O’Hare Hotel - Chicago, IL WDSF Open Adult Standard, 10-Dance & Latin October 29-30, 2016 Events held at the Chicago DanceSport Challenge Hyatt O'Hare Hotel - Chicago, IL

Calendars: The updated USA Dance DanceSport Calendar and Rulebook (for eligibility rules) can be found at www.USADance.org under "DanceSport". Note that Calendar information is subject to change. Please

46

SO = Solo Events

November 2016

December 2016

California State DanceSport Championships – 2017 NQE December 3, 2016 Events: A/A Hosted by NorCal Chapter #4004 Just Dancing Ballroom, Oakland, CA Metropolitan DanceSport Championships December 4, 2016 Events: PT-Adult A/A, T/S, MP Organized by Lev & Yelena Vesnovskiy, Genadi Kijnyer Aviator Sports & Events Center - Brooklyn, NY

January 2017

Islanders DanceSport Challenge January 7-8, 2017 Events: A/A, T/S, MP Organized by Renata Shvarts Olympia Recreational Center - Staten Island, NY Manhattan Amateur Classic (The MAC) – 2017 NQE January 13-15, 2017 Events: AA, MP, SS Hosted by Greater New York Chapter #3004 Hyatt Regency - Jersey City, NJ WDSF Open Junior II Standard & Latin January 13, 14, 2016 Events held at Manhattan Amateur Classic.

Florida Fun Amateur Mini-Match January 15, 2017 Events: A/A, T/S, MP, F Organized by Mary K. Thomas Circle Square Cultural Center - Ocala, FL Winter Frolic January 28, 2017 Events: A/A, SS, F Hosted by Royal Palm Chapter #6016 Gold Coast Ballroom - Coconut Creek, FL

February 2017 2017 Southeastern DanceSport Championships – 2017 NQE February 3-5, 2017 Events: A/A, T/S, SO Hosted by Wayne & Marie Crowder Sheraton Birmingham, Birmingham, AL Quest For The Best February 2017 Events: A/A, MP, F Hosted by Seattle Chapter #1004 Kent Commons - Lynnwood, WA

reconfirm all details on the actual competition event websites before making plans. Proficiency Points: Only NQEs and the National DanceSport Championships earn proficiency points. Since a new proficiency point system is

American Dancer | www.americandancer.org

F = Formation

C = Cabaret

Mid-Atlantic Championships – 2017 NQE February 17-19, 2017 Events: A/A, SS Hosted by Mid-Eastern Chapter #6001 North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center - Bethesda, MD

Senior IV National DanceSport Championships

February 17-18, 2017 Hosted by USA Dance Mid-Eastern Chapter #6001 North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center— Bethesda, MD

March 2017

NJ DanceSport Classic – Spring Fling March 2017 Events: A/A, MP, SS, SO Organized by Wendi Davies Rogers Dance Center – Hackensack, NJ WDSF Adjudicator’s Congress at Nationals March 30, 2017

USA DANCE 2017 National DanceSport Championships

March 31-April 2, 2017 Also Hosting WDSF World Ranking Tournaments: Open Adult & Senior 1 Standard Open Adult & Senior 1 Latin Renaissance Harborplace Hotel - Baltimore, MD

May 2017

New England DanceSport Championships – 2018 NQE Date and location TBA Georgia DanceSport Competition Date and location TBA

June 2017

NJ DanceSport Classic - Summer Sizzler – 2018 NQE June 10-11, 2017 Events: A/A, MP, SS, SO Organized by Mario Battista & Wendi Davies Rogers DanceSport Center - Hackensack NJ Gumbo DanceSport Championships – 2018 NQE June 23-25, 2017 Events: A/A, T/S Hosted by Louisiana Gumbo Chapter #5031 Crowne Plaza - Baton Rouge LA WDSF Open Tournaments June 23-25, 2017 Events held at the Gumbo DanceSport Championships

in development, for the period beginning April 2016 through Nationals 2017, athletes may enter the levels they determine appropriate. Event Organizers: To make event changes/ updates, please email DS-Competition@usadance.org.

National Qualifying Events USA Dance 2017 National DanceSport Championships

Sep 30-Oct 2, 2016 CAROLINA FALL CLASSIC Charlotte, NC Oct 28-30, 2016 CHICAGO DANCESPORT CHALLENGE Chicago, IL Dec 3, 2016 CALIFORNIA STATE DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS Oakland, CA Jan 13-15, 2017 MANHATTAN AMATEUR CLASSIC Jersey City, NJ Feb 3-5, 2017 SOUTHEASTERN DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS Birmingham, AL Feb 17-19, 2017 MID-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS Bethesda, MD For more information visit: www.usadance.org

Tyler Wilson & Klaudia Kluzinski (UT) Adult Championship Standard Division 2016 Mid-Atlantic Championships Rassi G. Borneo/Timeline Media

Non-Profit Standard Class U.S. Postage

PAID

Lebanon Junction, KY Permit #542

USA DANCE

2017

NATIONAL DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS Showcasing America’s Top DanceSport Athletes International & American Styles Pre-Teen to Senior III Scholarships & Selection of USA World Teams to WDSF World Championships

Hosting Four WDSF World Ranking Tournaments: Open Adult & Senior I Latin Open Adult & Senior I Standard Renaissance Harborplace Hotel Baltimore, MD

March 31 - April 2, 2017

USA DANCE

NATIONALS www.USADANCENATIONALS.org Christopher Lesesne & Anastasia Krivosheev (GA) Pre-Teen I Bronze Latin, 2nd Place USA Dance 2016 National DanceSport Championships Photo: Lisa Dubinsky