First you take a couple of armatures, which is to say wire frames of a straight torso with the arms out to the side. Then you stick a styrafoam ball on the top as a head, cover it in pro-tan, paint on some outrageous facial features, and wrap them up in costumes.

Perhaps the person meant 'amateur'(as opposed to professional), although I like the other definitions. LOL

Bunch of smart a-- replies here.

An amature is someone that does not get paid for dancing. This creates a distinction from Professionals when dancing at a competition. Professional divisions at a comp are generally the very best dancers. Amatures can be anyone of any ability.

In certain coutries amateurs are allowed to accept money, but yes amateurs are generally people who are not currently intending to make dancing their career/profession. The amateur divisions in dance consist of many levels from beginner hobbyists to world class competitors.

That is a typo. Althought just like an armature can't do much on it's own, us dancers can't do much with a partner, good training and practise.

The word is Amateur which means none Professional. Professional doesn' t necessarily mean a teacher. I can be a Professional competitor without passing any teaching examinations. I can be a professional teacher without ever competing in any competition either Amateur or Professional or ever will..
To pass from an Amateur to a Professional teacher I would need to join a Society and pass my examinations. Then I can teach Medal Classes under the banner of that Society.
Heres where it gets complicated. There is no law which would stop anyone forming their own Society. Once all of the legal part was done. They can be up and running. In the past it has happend here. But the standard of dancing was a joke. It is all of twenty years but I was at a place where a couple were taking their their teaching examination. They danced out of time in both the Cha and the Rumba. The Samba was a joke along with the Passo and the Jive which was equally sub standard. Under this Society they passed and became Professional teachers. Its a bit like starting another religion. Anybody can do it.

In some countries you have to follow certain rules to become a professional.

In others, you have to follow certain rules to remain an amateur.

What's rather funny is the penalty for violating those rules - in some places, it means you get declared against your will to be an amateur again instead of a professional. In others, it means you get declared against your will to be a professional instead of an amateur!

Only within the rules of that Society. Which is now for the Amatuers Dancesport IDSF. I suppose you are aware that the Professional WDC and the IDSF are at each others throats. Its interesting to note that according to Italian Olympic sports law the word Professional is illegal and was dully noted. At this moment in time we have two World Professional Champions WDC and IPDSC the later was created as a seperate legal entity in December 06 in Rome and was supported by the IDSF. The WDC failed in court to get a ruling against the formation of the IPDSC. I think maybe years down the track there will only be competitors and a competition will be all in together. That seems to be the ultimate aim of the IDSF.
This paragraph might be of interest.
There are many Professionals who wish to work with the IDSF but their interests are being stiffled by a body which is not based on sports principles and philosophies and does not want to adopt , implement and adhere to the IOC and WADA Anti Doping Codes.

"Which is now for the Amatuers Dancesport IDSF"

Once again you show your ignorance!

The IDSF does not grant status to any individual competitors; their national IDSF member organiztions do that, and EACH HAS IT OWN UNIQUE CRITERIA.

"The WDC failed in court to get a ruling against the formation of the IPDSC."

On the other hand, the event was ruled a comic farce by the court of popular opinion. Both IDSF and WDC are rapidly showing their true crybaby colors to the dance public.

There are other things to consider. Where I live as it is at the present we will never see a major Professional competition. We have and will see again an IDSF major competition. Correct me if I am wrong but even on TV we never see a full blown Professional Competition. We do see IDSF. I can' t see any of those TV Empresarios becoming interested untill some sort of order is found.
The IDSF does not give status. You are showing your complete ignorance as usuall. You had better look again.
Ask our Canadian friends how many competitions were blacklisted by the IDSF. I Think it was one out of about six which was ok'd. If you search it is easy to find a list of competitions ratified by the IDSF.In the Uk the EADA said that they had to agree with IDSF or presure would brought against them. This was on dancesport uk's site concerning competitions not granted status. Try to get your facts right before you spout off please. I beleive any controlling body has to be a bit hard at times. You can' t have in a international competition judges not qualified to judge that particular event. Can you.