Vision Statement for DanceSport VP Position Introduction I have been engaged with dance for a majority of my life, beginning as a social dancer and then joining the WDSF, FIDS (Italian Amateur Federation) as a youth amateur competitor, and competing as a professional dance athlete. As a competitor I was the Italian Junior Latin American and Ballroom Champion, Italian Youth Latin American and Ballroom Champion, and Italian Open Amateur Latin American Champion. As a professional competitor, with Melissa Dexter (three time United States Professional Latin American Champion), I was the Italian Latin American Champion, Italian Showdance Latin Champion, World Latin American Showdance Vice Champion, All England Champion, Imperial Champion, finalist in the European Latin American Championships, and finalist in the World Latin American Championships. Following my retirement from competitive dancing, I began coaching competitive couples, producing national champions and world championship representatives in the United States, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Russia and Spain. I also have adjudicated more than 400 competitions including the World Dance Championships, European Championships, WDSF Grand Slam Competitions, German Open Championships, and many National Championships. In Italy, I was heavily involved in growing and improving DanceSport. I became the first National Director of Italy for the Ballroom Dance Federation International, where I worked with other National Directors to grow the dance community at large. I also became an examiner for the Italian Amateur Federation, and was a member of the technical committee for the Latin division and judges/coaches training committee where my focus was to increase the caliber of Italian competitive dancing and DanceSport athletes. I oversaw the design of the initial web site to support the WDSF professional division, produced a dance competition at Fiera del Mare in Naples, Italy, with over 25,000 spectators, and secured Coca-Cola Italy as a corporate sponsor to support the Italian Dance Championships in Bologna, Italy. I believe that the success that has been produced in the Italian Dancesport community - creating a community of thousands of dancers and producing DanceSport athletes at the highest levels - can be replicated and even expanded on in the United States. Here is synopsis of my vision for increasing the quality and quantity of dance in the United States. Improving Quality of Dancesport Events The quality of DanceSport in USA Dance is high, but we can reach an even higher quality of dance (and increase participation) by providing high quality seminars to adjudicators, coaches and educators, connecting with corporate sponsors and organizations that award grants to raise funds for competitions, competitors and DanceSport research, and leveraging connections with international competitions, the World Games and the Youth Olympics. Expanding Training for Adjudicators, Coaches and Athletes An important aspect of improving the quality of DanceSport in Italy was high level seminars and training. Many of the techniques used in Italy can also be brought to USA Dance. For trainers and coaches, we can hold advanced seminars that not only cover dance technique, but also 1 of 5
address anatomy and physiology (there has been significant research conducted in Europe on which muscles are involved when initiating dance movements and performing dance steps), sports psychology, nutrition, and preparing long-term dance goals and competitive plans. I intend to see similar training for USA Dance coaches and trainers which they can then bring back to their students and athletes. Seminars should also be made available to adjudicators using blinded video. For example, adjudicators can be shown videos of DanceSport athletes wearing the same outfits where the faces are blurred and the music is separated from the dancing (thus, allowing the music to be altered some athletes are off time). Such training improves consistency between adjudicators. Finally, training for trainers and athletes can be expanded to use Olympic Training Centers. There are such centers in Chula Vista, California (in San Diego County), Lake Placid, New York, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. We can use these and similar facilities to provide top quality training to coaches and DanceSport athletes. Training would include seminars on nutrition, practicing and training skills (e.g., planning for the athletic season), sports psychology, music, physical training (e.g., muscular development and training at the gym), alternative dance styles (ballet, hip hop, flamenco, other art forms that support DanceSport events), dance technique, rules and regulations of USA Dance, WDSF and competitions, and teaching skills. This is the training that Dancesport athletes in Europe receive. I was a member of the technical committee for the Latin division, and of the judges/coaches training committee for the Italian Dancesport Federation and will bring the same caliber of training to USA Dance. Promoting Research Grants and Corporate Sponsorships Research grants and corporate sponsorships will improve the quality of dance as well as the visibility of USA Dance. In Europe, DanceSport leverages research grants to study physical, psychological, and nutritional topics related to DanceSport. This research improves the quality of DanceSport. However, there are still many topics that still remain to be studied. Assisting researchers to apply for grants will both improve the quality of dance and create a bridge to DanceSport athletes (and those interested in DanceSport) in universities who may be looking for research/thesis topics. This research is an opportunity to engage with the collegiate network in a collaborative manner that has yet to be explored with USA Dance. Similarly, corporate sponsorships of competitions, national teams, and DanceSport athletes significantly improves quality of DanceSport by allowing athletes to focus more on training as well as improving the visibility of specific events and DanceSport as a whole. I have produced and promoted large competitions in Italy, including the Italian Dance Championships - for which I secured Coca-Cola Italy as a corporate sponsor and which was nationally televised and drew over 65,000 attendees. I will bring my experience from promoting and producing DanceSport in Italy to USA Dance. Leveraging International Competition, World Games, and Olympic Connections USA Dance is a member of the WDSF and therefore recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the World Games. There is an immediate opportunity to provide focused training to USA Dance representatives to the World Championships as well as USA Dance competitors attending large competitions such as WDSF Grand Slams. There is also an need to recruit a USA Dance team for the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aries, Argentina. As well 2 of 5
as to build a USA Dance team for the 2021 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. Competing in world class events such as these raises the level of competition for the individual competitors as well as USA Dance as a whole. Furthermore, such opportunities are not available to non- USA Dance members and these events can be used to increase membership, improve training, and expand the visibility of USA Dance to the public and to potential sponsors. In Italy, I oversaw preparation of national teams to compete in World Championships, WDSF Grand Slam events, and in anticipation of World Games and Olympic recognized events. This involved promotion of the events, auditions, training and coaching. As Vice President of DanceSport I will oversee a similar process to promote USA Dance events, attract athletes, and prepare USA Dance representatives. Growing Membership It is critical that USA Dance increase its membership. Many of the steps listed above should increase membership in USA Dance. In addition to these steps I also envision building USA membership by developing a USA Dance Professional division, improving connections on the West Coast between local chapters, and expanding existing competitions on the West Coast and re-engaging with college DanceSport programs through out the United States. Developing a Professional Division USA Dance needs to create a professional division. USA Dance is one of the few WDSF members without a professional division. As a result, top amateur competitors from USA Dance must either dance for another WDSF member country to compete as professionals, or must join NDCA (effectively severing their connections to USA Dance). By establishing a professional division, we provide a level to which high-level amateurs can aspire, compete internationally in WDSF professional division competitions, and maintain their connection to USA Dance. Creating a professional division should also increase participation in USA Dance competitions, both NQEs and non-nqes. USA Dance does not discriminate against competitors who are also members of the NDCA, accordingly at least some current NDCA competitors - both professional and amateur - can be expected to participate in USA Dance competitions. This will also breathe more life into teacher-student divisions of USA Dance competitions and bring in additional amateur students who currently only compete in NDCA competitions. In Italy, I was involved in the development of the Italian WDSF professional division. While developing a professional division for USA Dance will require significant effort, the rewards are worth the effort. A functioning professional division will provide a goal for high-level amateurs, and lay a foundation for maintaining current members and expanding membership to teachers and amateur students who are disaffected by the NDCA. I know and have worked with many of the WDSF presidium members and members of the WDSF Professional Division management board. I will bring my experience and leadership to developing and growing a professional division for USA Dance. 3 Growing the Connections Between Local Chapters USA Dance has a strong presence on the East Coast of the United States and a good presence in the Central United States. Unfortunately, USA Dance has a limited presence on the West Coast. The West Coast had a very large population and many dancers, but few of them are 3 of 5
USA Dance members. I am co-owner of Dancessense Studios, a 6000 square foot facility for dance that hosts the USA Dance San Diego Chapter #4005 and have thought a lot about increasing West Coast participation in USA Dance. A low effort step to grow membership will be to coordinate interaction between existing USA Dance chapters. For example, the San Diego Chapter is working on coordinating events with other Southern California chapters so that chapter events are held on different days and members can carpool to events held by other chapters. This step will increase the value of USA Dance membership to social dancers who typically receive reduced entry fees to USA Dance events. Expanding Competitions USA Dance needs to expand participation in current competitions. In Italy, many competitions include events beyond the traditional ballroom events (i.e., smooth, rhythm, standard, and latin american). WDSF and USA Dance competitions can include many additional events, including salsa, west coast swing, argentine tango, hustle, and breakdance. By expanding competitions to include these other events we can expand the number of participants. Also, these alternative dance styles are eligible for participation in the World Games and Youth Olympics, so by expanding these USA Dance competitions to include these events we will not only provide opportunities for new participants, but also begin the building of teams to high-profile international events. Furthermore, I intend to expand the number of West Coast competitions affiliated with USA Dance. Currently, USA Dance s competition calendar lists only a few competitions on the West Coast: one in Seattle, one Southern-California, and an NQE in Northern California. There are several existing competitions that can and should be brought under the USA Dance umbrella or at least into affiliation with USA Dance. For example, Lisa Sandoval (President of the USA Dance Antelope Valley Chapter) runs the High Desert Dance Classic in Lancaster, California. This multi-day competition has been in existence for over 10 years and is primarily a west coast swing and salsa competition, but also has ballroom events and includes a very well attended elementary school event that frequently has hundreds of elementary school students form the local schools performing ballroom dances. I will work with Ms. Sandoval to make at least one day a USA Dance event with USA Dance judges. 1 This would expose the large contingency of west coast swing and salsa dancers that attend the event to a higher level DanceSport (particularly with creation of a professional division), and would potentially allow significant expansion of USA Dance membership in Southern California. Similarly, I intend to reconnect with colleges and universities. At one point, there was a welldeveloped Youth College Network under the aegis of USABDA (the predecessor of USA Dance). The Youth College Network oversaw local collegiate competitions and held an annual international competition that alternated between the locations in England and Florida. While this annual competition no longer occurs, there is still a vibrant college network. For example, during the first weekend of March there were collegiate competitions in both San Diego and Berkeley, California. We need to re-establish connections with the college DanceSport clubs 1 The west coast swing events are recognized by the World Swing Dance Council for awarding registry points and will need to continue to use recognized West Coast Swing judges. 4 of 5
and bring them back into the USA Dance network. This can be done by re-establishing national and international college competitions, and by creating collegiate events in existing competitions. This would provide value in joining USA Dance to university DanceSport athletes. The importance of re-establishing a strong college network cannot be overstated. These students are highly educated and motivated, and if they see a value in USA Dance can be counted on to continue dancing after they leave college. Examples of DanceSport athletes who participated in Youth College Network events and returned to dancing after college include the USA Dance chapter presidents for both the San Diego and Antelope Valley chapters. Other DanceSport athletes that participated in YCN events include Victoria Drubetskaya (a current USA Dance adjudicator) and Alec Mazo (a founding professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars). Reconnecting with colleges and universities is a low hanging fruit that should pay off significantly in expanding membership on the West Coast and throughout the United States. I have maintained connections with local collegiate programs and will focus on regrowing USA Dance s college network. Conclusion In my view, USA Dance has even greater potential than the Italian organization, given the size and talent available in the United States. As a team, we will be able to elevate USA Dance with the opportunities that are immediately available within DanceSport. In particular, within the next 18 months, I see strong opportunities for improving the quality and quantity of dance in USA Dance and expanding the profile of USA Dance nationally and internationally. The opportunities are imminent and together we can raise quality and quantity of DanceSport in the United States. I look forward to providing my experience, my leadership, and the skills I have acquired and demonstrated through my involvement in DanceSport to support the collective vision of USA Dance for DanceSport. 5 of 5