PITTSBURGH CHAPTER (3007) USA DANCE, INC. PRESIDENT’S LETTER APRIL 2025

Hi! Happy Spring! 

From all accounts, the 2025 USA Dance National Ballroom DanceSport Championships In Pittsburgh were a success. Seven hundred thirteen dancers, ages 8 to 80, including 16 college teams from all over the country, competed over three days for the love of dance and the privilege of going on to world competitions. A majority of the dancers were amateur couples, but there were also professional/amateurs, solo proficiencies, teacher-students and professionals dancing two styles – International Standard and Latin, and American Smooth and Rhythm, as well as competitions for 9-and 10-Dance, Show Dance and Night Club dances. Our Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP) performance team did a great routine on Friday evening to a standing ovation! Congratulations to Barb Johnson and April Fisher and the SNAP team!

Hats off to all the Pittsburgh area Amateur, Pro/Am and Professional couples and teams from CMU, Pitt and Point Park, who participated. And many thanks to the 40 individual volunteers from the Pittsburgh area who helped support the Championships by staffing the Volunteer Room, Consignment Shop and Ticket Booth; awarding medals; organizing dancers in the On Deck area to compete on the ballroom floor; keeping the ballroom safe and accessible to spectators; monitoring the doors of the Main Ballroom, the Social Dance and Workshops, Officials Meals area; and escorting winners for drug testing late at night.

Gloria Schohn and I were given Volunteers of the Year awards for promoting Nationals in a way that had never been tried before. Last fall, Gloria was asked by the now-President of USA Dance, Chuck Garrett, to find ways to increase the number of spectators to watch the Championships. While the final results haven’t been tallied yet, in addition to local outreach to the 17 ballroom dance studios, the four collegiate clubs and sale of $15.00 spectator tickets at the four social dances, and the on-going efforts provided by our board, our experiments included publications in the calendar of Sports Pittsburgh, a division of Visit Pittsburgh, the 55 Plus Magazine, the Murrysville  Star and Penn Franklin News; promotions for 2 for 1 tickets in two non-ballroom dance programs and Dancing With The Stars Tour; and appearances on KDKA’s Pittsburgh Today Live and Talk Pittsburgh. We think we contributed nearly $9,000 in ticket sales. Not bad for a first-time effort. Next year will be even better!

The next USA Dance Pittsburgh event is April 19 at Wightman School with Peter Suchy teaching Night Club Two Step and Brian Lee as DJ.

Hope to see you dancing, soon! Jane Downing, President, Pittsburgh Chapter (3007) USA Dance, Inc.

PITTSBURGH CHAPTER (3007) USA DANCE, INC. PRESIDENT’S LETTER, February 22, 2025

Hi!  Hope you’re keeping warm in this elongated winter season!

Preparations are well underway for the 2025 USA Dance National Ballroom DanceSport Championships at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh on March 28, 29 and 30.^th  Options to participate:

Volunteers: Need for 60-70 volunteers over 16 hours for each of 3 days. Perks include access to the ballroom (3+hours/session) and ballroom access all day, food and $35 for parking (8+ hours/day). Electronic sign-up form at www.usadancenationals.org/volunteers. Assistance available at Saturday night social dances until March15.

Competitors –There are no qualifications to register for ShowDance, Pro/Am, Teacher/Student, Mixed Proficiency or Professionals, or Amateur Couples for 8 Fun Dances. Deadline is March14. www.usadancenationals.org/competitors.

Spectators: Local tickets are available for $15.00 (cash or check)/session at Amore (3/1) and USAD Pittsburgh dance on March 15, credit cards also accepted.

Social Dance: Friday, March 28 from 5-7 pm. $10.00, dance only. Cost included in ticket for Friday Evening Session.

Consignment Shop: Sell or purchase gently used costumes or dancewear throughout Nationals. www.usadancenationals.org/vendors

USA Dance Inc. is celebrating its 60^th birthday this year. The $60x 60 campaign is to encourage individual contributions to support Nationals at www.usadancenationals.org/donate for online contributions or checks to USA Dance Inc., 2870 Kerrisdale Ridge Drive, Medford, OR 97504

The Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP) has started with general dance and Performance Team practices under the guidance of Barb Johnson, April Fisher and mentors. Come watch the Performance Team show at USA Dance Nationals on Friday afternoon.

Attendees at our January 18 Wightman School dance have inquired about the status of the Duquesne University student who was injured. She received a MCL sprain and bone bruise and is recovering. Although the accident seems to have been caused by too many dancers in one spot, luckily, it was not worse. We hope she will be dancing again soon. Many thanks to Christine Zona for “Preparing for Competitions” workshop and the Quick Step lesson, and Brian Lee for his music.

Housekeeping:  1) Non-member raffle winners will receive one free admission within three months; 2) Please sign up online for USA Dance New or Renewal memberships (where you can also print your membership card); 3) We will post a liability waiver at the registration table for injury or theft and a new photo release.  Non-members will continue to acknowledge the waiver by signing in each month.   

Our next dance is March 15 at the Coraopolis VFW Jimmy Page teaching Waltz and Mark Boucher, DJ.  Wear green and help us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  

Hope to see you dancing,
Jane Downing, President, Pittsburgh Chapter (3007) USA Dance, Inc.

USA DANCE PITTSBURGH PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Hi! Hope your holidays were good. I offer my apologies for the gap in communications as the end of the year was very full. Now, we’re in full preparation mode for the 2025 USA Dance National Ballroom DanceSport Championships coming to the Wyndham Grand Hotel March 28-30, 2025. https://www.usadancenationals.org. Highlights include:

New qualification rules for competing. I’ve communicated them to the 21 studios in the Pittsburgh area with the hopes of increasing the number of local Pro/Am (Professional instructor and Amateur student), amateur and Professional couples.    

Events which do not require prior qualification.  Pro/Am participation in the 9 American style dances and the 10 International style dances, and Pro/Am and amateur couples in the eight Fun dances: Argentine Tango, Salsa, Hustle, Country 2 Step, Merengue, West Coast Swing, Bachata and Night Club 2 Step.

Tentative Schedule

• Competitions for Pro/Am couples are scheduled for Friday morning (Feb.28) and the Fun Dances most likely Friday afternoon.
• Collegiate activities on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon most likely will include CMU, Pitt and Duquesne University students.
• Pro Shows, Friday and Saturday evenings. Championships, every night.

Social Dance. Friday evening between 5 and 7 pm. Tickets are $10.00

Spectator Tickets. USA Dance Pittsburgh will be selling $15.00 tickets for each of the 6 sessions at its next three dances:  January 18 at the Wightman School Community Center; February 15 at the Arthur Murray Robinson Dance Studio; and March 15 at the VFW in Coraopolis.

Volunteers. A total of 60-70 are needed over the three days for 14 different positions posted on the USA Dance Nationals website under Events. The sign-up sheet will go up shortly. If you work at least three hours you can watch the competitions for the rest of that session (either matinee or evening). If you work at least 8 hours, you will get meals and $35.00 (for parking). We hope you’ll help us make this a welcoming place for extraordinary dancer athletes from almost every state in the union.

On Saturday, January 18 at Wightman School, Christine Zona is going to hold a short workshop at 6:30 pm for those interested in or thinking about competing at Nationals and will be teaching Quick Step at 7:00 pm. The DJ is Brian Lee. At the break, we will be holding a brief business meeting for members to ratify the board members for 2025/26. The election was uncontested.

Hope to see you dancing
Jane Downing, President, USA Dance Pittsburgh