My local USABDA chapter offers competitive "Nightclub" events at the four competitions we host yearly. We offer Salsa, West Coast Swing, Night Club 2-Step, and Hustle events. Collegiate competitions (which usually allow non-student adults to participate) often offer these events, too. Many people learned these dances socially, and started asking them to be added to the competitive roster. There's not currently a USABDA National Salsa Championship, but there are other forums (such as Salsa conventions) that handle that sort of thing.

I'm also starting to see the Nightclub events turn up at NDCA competitions. They've always had them in the Pro/Am events, but now at least two competitions that I know of in California have them as regular amateur events, too.

I have been thinking about this a lot recently. Here are a couple of ideas, feel free to disagree with all of them, I could really use some feedback...

First, we should differentiate between people who compete and practice for competitions, and people who just want to dance for fun or for social reasons. Apart from a few senior level competitors people in the first group already are young, so we only need to consider the second group.

Here in the UK nine out of ten 20 and 30 somethings who dance for fun or to meet new people dance Salsa. Having been involved I'm convinced that most of them choose Salsa simply because that is what people in their age group dance. I feel that ballroom would actually have some advantages over Salsa as a social thing, but only someone with an overriding passion for ballroom will choose it if it means that they will be spening their free time with people who are from 10 to 60 years older than they are. So, the solution is to organize ballroom classes and parties which attract a predominantly young crowd!

How to achieve that?

Ideas for classes:
1. Teachers should be young. People who are still competing might be ideal. They would probably be in their twenties. Maybe they are not as good teachers as someone a bit older, but they will attract young people.

2. Most young people have no money, so it should be organized as a not for profit activity, very much like university ballroom clubs.

3. The location of the practice venue should be good for young people. Here in England that means city center instead of suburbs. I don't know where young people in America like to live and hang out, but I'm guessing it's the same there?

Ideas for parties:
1. Young people should like the look and feel of the venue. A standard mainstream nightclub which happens to have a big dancefloor might be ideal.

2. The venue should be located in the same area where the mainstream nightclubs are.

3. The timing of the party should be as late as with other clubs. If a ballroom party ends at 11pm, young people will walk out thinking: "What are we going to do now? We have already been to a party, and the night hasn't even started yet!"

4. It might be a good idea to pay some money to a few competing dancers who have only just started climbing up the adult ranking list if they come to the party and do some dancing there. People who think that ballroom is stuffy and only for old people will change their mind when they see some hungry new talent burning the floor...

Some bizarre and sinister ideas:
1. Try to turn top ballroom competitors into "stars" and add a soap opera element to competitions: big emotions and dramatic events. This would probably make ballroom more popular in all age groups.

2. Emphasize and reinvigorate ballroom music. Parties would have live music, and the performers would have a more rock star kind of quality. This should appeal to younger crowd.

3. And of course: Create opportunities for young people to see the current top competitors dancing. It looks so athletic and so sexy that once you have seen it you cannot dismiss ballroom as a hobby for old people!

Preston (London, UK)

My chapter makes a difference. We host four competitions per year, with low-cost workshops, so as to get lower-level competitors and young people started in competitive dancing. We keep our prices very low: $15 for adults for as many events as they are eligible to dance in, $5 for people under 18. We also host the USABDA Western Regionals every other year, also at low cost: $25 for adults for all they can dance, I can't remember what it is for kids, but I think it's $10. These are some of the lowest competition entry fees for adults that I've ever heard of, and people don't have to pay extra for entry tickets to the ballroom either.

We also award scholarships from time to time at our events, just last month we awarded $100 to a Junior couple in a random drawing at the competition we were holding.

Our chapter is atypical of USABDA: nation-wide there are many more social dancers than competitors. Our chapter is the reverse: the vast majority of the members are competitors, so we tailor our activities to suit their needs.

I've been a Board member of our local chapter for over a year now, and have been volunteering with the chapter for much longer than that. The most significant thing we get from our annual dues is an insurance policy that covers all our events. This is very important in this day and age when any little accident could bring on a huge lawsuit.

I think our situation is quite different than socially-focussed clubs. Competitive dancers have to be members of USABDA so that they can dance in qualifying events leading to the Amateur World Championships. This impetus is not present in a social club, which makes 'why are we doing this and what are we getting out of this?' a very important and significant question.

Gene,
You have a serious ego problem. You should seek counseling...

Hi all--

At our last collegiate event to gain new members we played a video of the latin festival and changed our name from a "ballroom club" to a "dancesport team". We got over 500 signatures of interested students. This blows away our former efforts. The video made all the difference. Getting kids (college aged) to see that "ballroom" dancing is powerful, athletic, sexy and contemporary got them to sign up fast!

As I mentioned before we just need more pros here in the US so that we can have more exhibitions/shows and reputable lessons in order to change people's overriding perception of ballroom as all tea dances for 70 year olds. Not that I am against tea dances mind you Even my 70 year old students can move better than your average american 17 year old.

Most young people that see us dance or that we can get to watch a competition are hooked after that. Alternate forms like West Coast and Lindy and Salsa have brought in a younger crowd as well, partly because the lessons are often free or part of a bar cover charge.

M

It's similar here, most young (teen-twenties) dancers are swing or salsa dancers. People often want to do what their peers do, so it's understandable.



I agree that young attracts young, but until you get young people involved how do you get "young" people who know how top dance well enough that they can teach well?



I agree with this as well, but good professional teachers teach for a living, so where will the money come from to pay them? On the other hand, lots of people are willing to share their expertise (locally it is the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association) for free.



I'm not sure there really are any "cities" in Vermont, but the Burlington area does have a fair number of dance options.



Sure, it might be ideal, but what mainstream nightclub is going to open their doors to young people, many of whom won't be able to buy alcohol, the major source of income for that nightclub?



I agree.



This is a very good point. I would, however, start earlier than other clubs and parties so that you can include dance lessons before the event.



If you pay them, doesn't that risk their amateur status? I get the point though, maybe using the event as a fundraiser for them without paying them directly would work.



Good luck, but how would you do that?



Rock star quality live performers cost money...



OK, this is great! In the US, most locales have cable television. And with cable television comes a little-known benefit known as public-access. Anyone in the local cable area is able to produce thier own TVshows, and the show will be transmitted to all cable recievers.

Yes, lots of people won't see it, and you might (probably not) need your own equipment, but I think most cable access stations have loaner video cameras, and editing equipment, so everything should be available.

Later this month, from Sept. 19th to the 28th, is National Ballroom Dance Week in the US. Locally there are lots of dance events planned, and I'm going to collect footage of dancers, and some interviews, and produce a half-hour cable access show.

Although I will broadly cover as much of the local dance scene as possible, I think that I already have the ending scene. An attractive young woman (20ish) said that she and her friends love to dance, and that it is the best way for guys to meet women. You only need a small core of young people to attract more young people, and she could start that trend.

Kevin

I agree. I tried to get the dance program at the U. here to change to "DanceSport" but the school of dance didn't want that. When they have the club they have very few but if they have a "Swing night" the place is packed with 100's. Go figure. I'm embarrased to say I am involved in "Ballroom" dance because that reminds me of some surreal scene in a movie where someone remmebers back to the first half of the 1900's. Heck, there are not even any "ballrooms" in my city, other than those at hotels that are typically never even used for dancing! There are some dance venues.

The USABDA now charges about $60/yr for competitors and this is on par with NDCA. This is way too much.

More importantly, USABDA/ballroom dancing should include Salsa. It is the leading dance form in most cities. Swing is probably next.

Maybe USABDA should have an open, local "Dance Fever" type competition?

I agree with you. It is hard to dance when there are really no competitors in your area. Someone does need to generate interest but telling kids to join "USABDA" or somewhere else that they slave away learning some basic steps will not work. Take a look at other sports. You can get on a team even if you suck. Dancing should be the same way. The more you do it the better you will become.

My $.20,TimJowers

Here in Kansas City our USABDA chapter which had been active for years, recently seperated from USABDA all together. They complained that they got nothing at all in return for their annual dues. Now they are the Kansas City Social Dance Club.

Do any of you belong to a USABDA group that actually makes a difference in dancing in your area?

Addict-

Dancesport is slowly, but surely, growing in the US as a youth activity. Commercial ballroom franchises in the US are the reason why we have no youth dancers. How could they ever afford the prices???

With the ever growing International style trend in the US I think you will steadily see an increase in young dancers. Exposure is important of course, but it is just as important that the exposure be positive. Plenty of young dancers are turned off by out-of-date teachers playing out-of-date music and teaching completely out dated patterns and techniques. It takes experienced qualified instructors to teach any large group class...a bad teacher will only cause people to turn away from dancing for good.

We are working diligently to expand collegiate dancing. Eventually this will be profitable, but the start up years for a team are difficult, so most good instructors don't bother. We teach children ages 3+ as well, but they are not our focus right now.

What the US desperately needs is better training opportunities and help for new independent instructors. Until we are able to train enough reputable instructors to service the entire US, then dancesport will be hard pressed to grow successfully here. Meanwhile, we all have to work to grow the dance community in general. After all when there is a market, someone will invariable find a way to fill it

M