I am in the process of researching information to be able to offer other opportunities to our dance community to social and ballroom dance and offer ballroom workshops around my town. Firstly, I'm looking for a good venue with an adequate dancing floor. Then I'm looking for some good music to have at the dances and thirdly, I'm trying to figure out how to get professional dancers to do workshops and the whole logistics of putting such workshops on (ie. prices for inst.). I put on events for a living but I'm not up on all the details of hosting workshops. Any help in any of the above will be greatly appreciate it.

They can most likely put you in touch with people who have directed this kind of event.

If there are other amateur dance groups or clubs in your area, try contacting them as well.

Good luck. Only good things can come with your success.



jj

Thanks for the response. I was the 2008 Chapter President for USA Dance New Mexico Chapter and have those contacts but I was hoping to expand the network we have as it is a fairly new Chapter and I did get to reach out to many proffessionals and they in kind supported all my requests. I was hoping to expand a little.

1st... where are you based ?.. i can direct you with that info.

1LadyHawk. There is nothing that can stop you from forming your own Dance Society. Thats how most of them started in the first place. You could if you wished also run your own Medal Classes. Who knows how big you could become. I doubt if AM ever dreamt when he opened his first shop how big it would become. Good Luck

Starting one with Medal test aspirations and getting it recognised, are 2 different propositions .

If you wish to remain insular, thats OK, but chances of inclusion into the Major dance bodies, without very strong dance background is highly improbable .

You may however start a Soc. purely for social dance acceptance, that does not get involved in the politics of dance .
As to bringing in Profs.. no problem.. its all about the money .

Terence. A group starting their own Medal Classes and running their own tests wouldn't be bothered with getting recognised. Why would they.
If what I read on this site is correct there are many places where there is nothing at all in the way of Ballroom Dancing Studios. Start your own and your own Society. Get the name registered and your on your way. Otherwise you'll wait a long time if ever.

IN house tests have little merit.. the WHOLE point of the exercise ...an independant evaluation .

WHOLE point?

Do you mean that preparing for a "test" or "exam", and making a systematic study of dance technique and its execution has NO point, unless accredited by an existing Society (all of which were new, once).

Was an ISTD Medal worth NOTHING in the year the society was formed?

My point was this.. many on here have criticised the Chain schools for adopting these forms of exam, and think they are " weighted " ( and many times they are )

I have been an examiner for both Indies and Chains and the " directions " i have been " given " by some studios is beyond belief .

Also, you cannot make comparisons with todays Internationally recog. Soc, against a " start " up situation... this is pure pragmatism .

And, to compare the current recog Soc. with any of todays "start ups " is virtually a non sequitor... after all, they were the ones that WROTE the technique !

And lastly.. who would be giving the Exams ??