Did you know that 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of USA Dance Here’s a little history for you.
Purpose and Early Years
USA Dance, Inc. was originally organized in 1965 as the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association, Inc., also known nationwide as USABDA, to promote the acceptance of ballroom dancing in the Olympics.
In 1965, during the organization stage of USA Dance, the late Normand Martin, a leading social and competitive dancer, and ballroom dance champion, organized a group of interested dancers to petition the Olympic Committee for the inclusion of Ballroom Dancing into the Olympics. Those early efforts to get into the Olympics failed but in developing the bylaws, it was realized that the dance world of the American dancer went far past accommodating the “International Style” competitors who were interested in the Olympics. As the founders worked on defining the dancing guidelines and requirements to be considered in developing the Bylaws, the American Style competitor and a vast number of serious and dedicated Social Dancers suddenly came into view.
The resultant Bylaws of USA Dance addressed four very important areas of association: the International Style competitors, the American Style competitors, the Social dancers, and the Youth and College dancers. While helping the competitors compete nationally and internationally, those early plans of USA Dance also helped set the stage for the availability of floors, music, and venues for the Social dancers, who were then and still are the backbone and strength of USA Dance.
In January 2005, a corporate resolution was filed with the state of Virginia, changing the name to USA Dance, Inc.
Becomes a National Organization
During its early years, USA Dance consisted primarily of a small number of members in the greater New York area, a few in the Washington, DC section of the country, plus a small number on the West Coast. In 1978, the Mid-Eastern Chapter was formed, and actions were initiated to take USA Dance into other parts of the country and to commence creating a national organization. National elections were held in 1979, and the next few years saw the beginning of the present organization, with chapters being formed in several states.
During the 1980s, efforts were made to bring all other amateur ballroom dance organizations into USA Dance. In 1985, USA Dance reorganized and was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. New Bylaws were formulated, providing for a national organization with a regional and chapter structure.
In 1987, a unification election brought all Amateur dancers into one national organization, which was then recognized by the international governing body, the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF). Since then, USA Dance has functioned as the National Member Body for all forms of DanceSport in the United States.
Growth
The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) coined the term “DanceSport” in the early 1980s.
Since the 1985 reorganization, USA Dance focused on promoting the growth of all styles and forms of DanceSport, both competitive and recreational social dancing. This included a program to establish a network of chapters in each state. These efforts were very successful, with major growth each year in the number of dancers, chapters, and related activities such as competitions, workshops, and social dances. Much volunteer labor and resources were devoted to promoting ballroom dance and DanceSport in colleges and secondary schools.
In 1999 a separate Social Division was established to promote and guide the growth of sports and exercise through social dancing in the United States. The goal is to promote social dancing as a healthful lifetime recreational activity suitable for families. This is the largest division of dancers within USA Dance.
In 1999, the Collegiate Network was restructured, and the volunteer staff was greatly expanded to provide a promotional and management organization capable of meeting the immense challenge of taking social ballroom dancing and DanceSport into every college and secondary school in this nation. That is a major goal for USA Dance volunteers in the next decade.
Journey Into The Olympics
In 1997, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted the WDSF full recognition as the International Governing Body for DanceSport. In 1999, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) granted USA Dance affiliate membership. Subsequently, USA Dance became the Recognized Sports Organization for DanceSport in the United States by the USOPC and the National Member Body of the WDSF.
In 2018, the DanceSport discipline Breakin’ was added to the Youth Olympic Games program and subsequently included in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games held in Paris, France. USA Dance’s Viktor Montalvo won the Bronze Medal for the United States.
Focus of Current Activities
USA Dance continues to center its activities on programs that enable members to have fun dancing, achieve their dance goals, and grow the sport.
There are currently 117 USA Dance Chapters located in communities all over the United States. Chapters regularly bring together dancers who love to dance and welcome beginners to the ballroom floor. Chapters also organize and support educational programs for the public about the healthful aspects of recreational ballroom dancing and DanceSport, the competitive form of ballroom dancing. These programs emphasize the physical, mental, and social benefits of dancing and include expanding dancing skills among people of all ages and capabilities.
The Collegiate program continues to prosper. Its goal is to establish a line of communication with Collegiate dancers across the country, informing them of special dance events, competitions, clubs, and news related to the dance community.
USA Dance conducts national, regional, and local DanceSport Championships annually and maintains a calendar of these events. National DanceSport Champions of all ages compete for the opportunity to represent their country in the World DanceSport Federation World Championships. United States representatives are also sent to the World Games, which are held for Olympic-recognized sports that are not in the Olympic Program.
Summary
USA Dance’s mission is to improve the quality and quantity of dance in the United States.
It is a nationwide 501(c)3 non-profit organization with 6,000 members who love ballroom dancing and appreciate its excitement, romance, and social and health benefits.
