Social Recreational Dance "Industry"

DVIDA / DanceVision

DVIDA (Dance Vision International Dancers Association) "ProDVIDA is a professional teacher organization that is open to all professional dance teachers and competitors." Membership Requirements: "A candidate for Professional Membership in ProDVIDA must be an individual ... who is either a professional dance teacher or professional dance competitor who has completed and passed a DVIDA professional full or one dance examination."

DVIDA is a business-run association, which is often superior to a member-run association. [Digression: strong recommendation: If you have not read the book Bowling Alone, I recommend it very, very highly.] [Digression-digression: this book is on Kindle, Amazon's Wireless Reading Device, which I also very much like and recommend considering if you like reading.]

ProDVIDA has 300+ professional members; plus 200+ studios using DVIDA Syllabus.

Business-side on the side > a la carte

Associated with DVIDA is DanzSupport, which addresses the business side in addition to the professional elements.

Although DanzSupport is a business-services arm of DanceVision rather than a trade/industry association, it provides some of the same elements that are greatly needed in social recreational dance industry.

Management Seminar

DanzSupport/DanceVision provides a Management Seminar in connection with its Professional Teacher Camp in Las Vegas in June.

Business-side guide

DanzSupport also has available The Professional Guide to Profitable Dance Instruction

Turnkey Service

Diane Jarmolow's association with DVIDA also connects her BDTC In A Box (Ballroom Dance Teachers College)  (based on DVIDA Syllabus) product to DanceVision. This product offers studios/teachers a turnkey service, including Business Guide for it, to offer to students.  Diane also offers Business Consulting a la carte independently of DanceVision.

Could create industry/trade association

Since DanceVision already has some of what is provided by a trade/industry association, would it be useful to create one?

In my view the answer to that would be a very definite Yes. Not just useful but valuable, very.

Development of a strong industry/trade association would benefit social recreational dance industry greatly. And, it seems to me that it would be nothing but beneficial for DanceVision and all associated with it.

Industries with strong trade/industry associations, especially those that also have strong professional associations, are far more robust industries than those without. Social recreational dance industry would be more robust, and that would create far more demand for, and adoption of, DanceVision products and services, including all of the products and services of ProDVIDA, DanzSupport, BDTC In A Box, and DanceVision overall. And this increased demand and robustness would extend throughout the rest of the industry.

Prior to talking with DanceVision directly about this topic, it looks to me that not only could they create whatever they want in this area, they might also see the same sorts of benefits in it that I see. DanceVision is clearly a community-oriented company and in addition to the profit potential would consider that also. Additionally DanceVision is a business in contrast to a committee-run association; thus it is far more nimble, decisive and resourceful than a member-run organization considering the possibility of developing a trade/industry association.

In industries which arrive at their industry-infrastructure-development phase (a different thing than professionalization phase) it is a small group of the market leading companies which organize and develop the trade/industry associations.

And rather than being a burden, it is an opportunity for them to create a new, far more stable and solid, foundational base for their industry, and their own companies, to go forward into the immediate future.

If DanceVision does not see to be a key part of the possibility of development of a strong trade/industry association in social recreational dance industry hopefully they will be supportive of and possibly helpful with development of it.

Dance Educators of America

Dance Educators of America is a member of NDCA.

The member page at NDCA notes that "The artistic structure of DEA has three branches: <...> The Ballroom Branch which include only those members qualified to teach ballroom and social dancing ...."

But on the DEA website, in the History of DEA popup near the bottom of the About DEA page, the origins don't "name" "Ballroom", and the "Artistic Structure" at the bottom of that popup lists only the Performing Arts Branch and the Education Branch, with no mention of Ballroom here or anywhere else on the site that I'm able to find. I need to check with them on this. It makes sense that other associations took on that role as DEA focused on the performing arts area.

Dance Teachers' Club of Boston

Dance Teachers' Club of Boston is a member of NDCA.

"The objectives of the Club are to elevate and advance the art of dance in all its educational aspects and to encourage uniform methods of instruction." (website)

"The purpose of the Club was to raise the artistic style of ballroom dancing and to foster social activity among the teachers." (NDCA page)

"... the Club has continued to grow, to attract new membership, and to spread its love of dance throughout the world."  (NDCA page)

"We work diligently to contribute to the progress and growth of the dance industry."  (NDCA page)

National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA)

National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA) is a member of NDCA.

"The purpose of this non-profit organization is to help professional dance teachers in the fields of ballroom, latin, country western, swing, theater arts and other similar types of partner or social dances prosper both artistically and financially." (website)

"... a group of dance instructors formed an association to strive to advance the Art of Ballroom Dancing, standardize the teaching material, expose the members to progressive methods of instruction, keep members informed of new trends in the social and competitive dance fields and add integrity to the profession." (website)  [with additional in depth discussion of the purposes of the Association]

"Our Current goal is to help our members increase their business by providing them with the opportunity to help their students improve their dancing ...." (NDCA page)

New York Society of Teachers of Dancing

New York Society of Teachers of Dancing is a member of NDCA.

"The founding mothers and fathers decided early on to make it an all-ballroom organization, and it remains so to this day." (NDCA page)

North American DanceSport Teachers Association (NADTA)

North American DanceSport Teachers Association (NADTA) is a member of NDCA. I'm not finding a website; but did find a half dozen hits on google, and several dozen for the former name, North American Dance Teachers Association. I'll be checking with them on the details.

"The object in forming the ADTA was to more fully provide an organization in the U.S.A, which would include International Styles and Theatrical as well as American Styles in equity." (NDCA page)

Pan American Teachers of Dancing

Pan American Teachers of Dancing is a member of NDCA. I'm not finding a website; but did find a dozen-plus hits on google. I'll be checking with them on the details.

"The original board felt the need in the United States for an independent curriculum for American Style dance instruction." (NDCA page)

"Pan American Teachers of Dancing, Inc. developed a performing arts (PA) department encompassing the dance fields of ballet, tap, and jazz. Our PA department continues to grow." (NDCA page)

U.S. Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (USISTD)

U.S. Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (USISTD) is a member of NDCA. [section below is from the website]

Aims and Objectives of the USISTD

The Aims and Objectives of the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing…….

First: To coordinate and develop the interests of teachers of International Style Ballroom & Latin-American dancing, American Style Smooth & Rhythm dancing and Theatrical Style dancing on the North American continent within the standards established by the
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, London

Second: To cooperate with other recognized teaching organizations in order to work for harmonious relations within the profession and, where pertinent, with the ISTD.

Third: To work for the protection, elevation and advancement of the dignity, prestige and interests of the art of Ballroom Dancing, DanceSport, and of the profession of teachers of dancing in particular. To establish in connection therewith, standards of professional ethics and conduct, and procedures for discipline of its members in case of a breach of said standards of professional ethics and conduct.

United States Terpsichore Association (USTA)

United States Terpsichore Association (USTA) is a member of NDCA.

"The US Terpsichore Association is a professional organization which supports and promotes knowledge of ballroom dancers ...." (website)

"Terpsichore officers [are] working to improve the dance business from every possible angle" (website)

"The Terpsichore Association was founded to represent the professional dancing teacher ..." (NDCA page)