MISSION STATEMENT

To Connect the People of Los Angeles through Dance

Why Join USA Dance, Los Angeles Chapter?

• Keep this website alive and stay connected with all the dance activities and cool dancers in Los Angeles.
• Enjoy special member discounts on dances and other professional resources.
• Help get DanceSport recognized as an Olympic sport.
• Support affordable dance competitions sponsored by USADANCE.
• Feel rewarded for your participation and for your love of dancing.
  

Membership in USA Dance is just $25 for a social dancer. (If you intend to compete in an affordable amateur competition then it's $60). All of the $25 goes to the national organization and the L.A. chapter's only income is tickets for the dances, raffles etc. A membership needs to be renewed one full year after you join, not on December 31st, so no need to wait for January 1st to get a full year for your money.

We have enough events in an average year to offset an entire membership expense plus you will get considerable discount at shoe stores etc., but it's not about money, it's about belonging to the only American organization that supports and represents amateur dancing for kids, adults and seniors.

Joining at one of our Chapter Dances will get you a free admission for one future event. As a non-profit organization, we do make a small profit from our parties (well usually!), but we are giving it back in the form of scholarships and dance lessons in the public schools. So we cannot discount the admission for members of South Bay Dance Club, or Smooth Dancers, or Dance Buddies etc. even though these organizations are our friends and command our respect. Member prices require the real thing, a USA Dance membership.

Hope to see you with a membership card in your hand soon.

Here is the USA Dance national mission statement.

We are organized and operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes and are approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a Section 501©(3) nonprofit organization. USA Dance is a Virginia Corporation and is registered with the State Division of Consumer Affairs, Commonwealth of Virginia, PO Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23209, Telephone (804)786-2042, as a charitable organization authorized to solicit and receive donations from the public.

In furtherance of its educational and charitable purposes and goals, USA Dance:

1. Serves as the National Governing Body for ballroom dancing and DanceSport, the competitive version of ballroom dancing, in the United States subject to the statutes of :

	The International DanceSport Federation (IDSF); and
	The United States Olympic Committee (USOC);

2. Organizes and supports programs for the recreational enjoyment of ballroom dancing by all ages and creates affordable opportunities for the general public to participate in ballroom dancing and DanceSport;

3. Promotes DanceSport as a sport both nationally and internationally and fosters its inclusion in the Olympic and Pan American Games;

4. Organizes and supports DanceSport events internationally and nationally, including national, regional and local championships;

5. Selects the elite DanceSport Athletes to represent the United States in the IDSF World DanceSport Championships and the World Games and finances their participation;

6. Promotes and supports ballroom dance programs in colleges and secondary schools;

7. Applies special programs to attract beginners to ballroom dancing and to both encourage and assist these dancers in meeting their goals;

8. Emphasizes to the public the healthful aspects of ballroom dancing; its physical, mental and social benefits;

9. Organizes and supports programs to increase the number of dancers and to assist in the elevation of dancing skills, both competitors and recreational social dancers

    

   USA Dance has over 20,000 members throughout the United States.

   That doesn't seem like a lot of people!

   And yet USA DANCE chapters organize half a dozen regional championships, many more local competitions, and a three-day National Championship competition each year.

   USA DANCE chapters also provide a program of social dances somewhere in each of forty-two states. In some places, these are the only public dances offered!

   USA DANCE is the governing body for amateur DanceSport in the U.S.

   What does that mean?

   USA DANCE governs amateur dance competitions in the U.S. These competitions are open to amateur athletes in all age groups and include several dance disciplines.

   International Style Ballroom includes standard and latin dances. Standard = Waltz; Tango; Slow Foxtrot; Viennese Waltz; & Quickstep. Latin = Cha Cha; Rumba; Samba; Paso Doble; & Jive.

   American Style Ballroom includes smooth and rhythm dances. Smooth = Waltz; Tango; Foxtrot; & Viennese Waltz. Rhythm = Cha Cha; Rumba; East Coast Swing; Bolero; & Mambo.

   Nightclub Dances include Hustle, Salsa, Argentine Tango, and West Coast Swing - the California State Dance - among others.

   USA DANCE's National Champions in International Style Ballroom compete in the World Games and in other international competitions.

   USA DANCE is also working with the International Olympic Committee to bring ballroom dancing to the Olympic Games as a medal sport.

   The Amateur Athletic Union's Junior Games recently added ballroom dancing as a medal sport.

   In addition, several states - including California - have ballroom dance events as part of local Senior Olympics schedules.