PRESIDENT’S LETTER, PITTSBURGH CHAPTER USA DANCE, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Hi!  Hope you’ve survived the heat and the storms of summer and are looking forward to the fall! We’re looking for a full fall program of ballroom dancing. Come join us!

MEMBER APPRECIATION NIGHT. SEPTEMBER 19. WIGHTMAN SCHOOL COMMUNITY BUILDING

USA Dance Inc., our national organization, promotes excellence in ballroom dancing through 150 social chapters like Pittsburgh’s and competitions throughout the country. Membership is with the national organization. Once a year, USA Dance Pittsburgh shows our appreciation for USA Dance members by reducing the admission fee to $10.00.  (Note: Dancers who sign up at a dance get in free.)

Member benefits include reduced admission to every local dance (i.e. $15 instead of $20); links to American Dancer, the online magazine with breaking news, inspiring stories and expert advice; insurance and health benefit options; a discounted Dance Vision subscription; PerkSpot discounts from companies including Apple, Verizon, Marriott, Disney; and eligibility to compete for national titles and represent the United States in international competitions.

Your admission fees help the chapter support local collegiate club activities and a Special Needs Adaptive Program.

 Our September 19 dance coincides with National Ballroom Dance Week (September 14-20) and a USA Dance, Inc. Membership Challenge (July 30 to Sept. 30. Baseline is non-active members as of 7/30/26). Two winning Chapters will win $500 each one for the most new members and the second with the highest percentage increase in membership. We want to grow the number who love dancing!  You can help:
Bring a friend and encourage them to become a new member.
AND/OR reach out to a former member and invite them back.

September 19 theme is Black and Gold. Sarah Slevinski is teaching Tango and Bobby D is the DJ. And be prepared to buy 50/50 raffle tickets to support the Carnegie Classic, a USA Dance sanctioned competition.

COMING ATTRACTIONS
Dances

October 17. Wightman School. Halloween. Norrie Bastedo, DJ. Vincent Jones & Rachel Booth, CrossBody Dance & Movement, teaching Salsa.
November 21. Wightman School. Thanksgiving. Chris Drum, DJ and teaching Rumba.
December 19. Wightman School. Happy Holidays. Brian Lee, DJ and teaching Swing.

2027 NATIONALS
Organizing a Local Outreach Team

Nationals are coming back to Pittsburgh on April 2-4, 2027 and again in 2028.  Planning at the national level is underway for 2027 with a target attendance of 1,500. This means we need to be more effective in our outreach efforts to increase local participation, particularly in volunteer recruitment, the social dance program, competitions and spectators. Pittsburgh has hosted Nationals four times (2022, 2024-2026) in part because of the assistance the local chapter provides. With a very tiny group of volunteers our local outreach has improved in four years, but only modestly. With increased activity, we need more help, starting now.  I will schedule a Zoom meeting in the near future to start our planning. Please let me know if you’re interested.

Qualifying for Nationals

Except for collegiates, Pro/Am couples or Fun Dance participants, in order to qualify as amateurs to dance at any level (Pre-Bronze to Champion) in either American or International styles (or both) at Nationals, you must gain 6 participation points. Participation is the only qualifier, not whether you are among the top 3 or 6 winners. The most number of heats typically are at the Pre-Bronze and Bronze levels so you don’t need to be a life-long dancer to compete.

You can gain 6 points by participating in Regional DanceSport Competitions held at Chicago Marriott SW on October 30/Nov. 1 (Midwest); Newark, NJ on 1/15 -1/7, 2027 (The MAC); and Atlanta, February 19-21, 2027 (Southeastern).

You can gain 2 points at the Carnegie Classic held at Carnegie Mellon University on October 10. Although the Classic attracts primarily college students, the competition is open to all ages and all levels. The weekend includes a Social Dance on Friday night, October 9 and dance workshops on Sunday, October 11.

Hope to see you on September 19!

Jane Downing, President USA Dance Pittsburgh #3007
Dancer008-@outlook.com or 412 508-1952

PRESIDENT’S LETTER, PITTSBURGH CHAPTER USA DANCE. JULY 14, 2026

Hi!  I’m back. My apologies for the gap in communications. Between activities related to the first ever USA Dance National Dance Festival in March, a variety of computer hacks and general re-entry issues, I’ve been more than negligent in my direct communications.  You deserve better!  

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST SIX MONTHS

As of July 1, 2026, USA Dance Pittsburgh has 185 members: 107 are DanceSport athletes/competitors, and 78 are social dancers. On March 27-29, Pittsburgh hosted USA Dance Inc.’s national ballroom competitions for the 4^th time and added a social dance program and a summit for professionals.   My profound gratitude and thanks to everyone -volunteers, competitors, social dancers, professionals and spectators- who participated.  So – how did we do?

2026 USA DANCE NATIONAL BALLROOM DANCE FESTIVAL (NATIONALS)

Competitions

Nearly 800 individuals including collegiates from 45 colleges and universities competed. Amateur competitors included 88 local USA Dance members – 20 adults and 68 collegiates from the four local clubs, and an estimated dozen more collegiate partners. The number of local Pre-Bronze and Bronze dancers in both styles was impressive!

The Point Park DanceSport Team won first in the Collegiate Team Match and the Latin Formation Team event. Lincoln Kosyla and Elizabeth Woodberry, the Team president, won the Amateur Collegiate Latin Open Championship.

The Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP) Performance Team danced a Cha Cha to “Golden” (K-Pop Demon Hunters’ signature song) as a formation on Friday evening.

The 8 Fun Dances attracted 30 competitors from Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania including 14 USA Dance Pittsburgh members and an equal number from the Youngstown Chapter. Local winners included Joe Aiken and April Fisher, Night Club Two Step and William Comer and Kyr Brenneman, Bachata.

Social Dance Weekend

An estimated 200 dancers signed up for the dinner, two themed social dances and 41 dance workshops. They also watched the competitions or attended Chapter and professional workshops. Twenty one of 41 dance workshops were taught by local instructors: Christine Zona and Jim Page, Night & Day; Chris Drum; Ivan Sovetov & Valeria Mkrtchian, Fred Astaire; David Geidel, Cris Sharpley, Tunisia El, Eva Dobesch, Arthur Murray; and Nicolette & Agustin Garcia-Pawlowski, Los Sabrosos.

Local Marketing and Volunteer Recruitment

Gloria Schohn and I were joined by two marketing professionals, Shuhuei Lee and Cathy Bowen, who produced sophisticated images of ballroom athletes which were used in a variety of media (post cards, print and social media, a bill board) and a 30 second video which aired on the national website to encourage spectators to watch the competitions. Thanks to Gloria, Mayor Corey O’Connor welcomed participants via video and proclaimed Friday to be USA Dance Day. WTAE aired a conversation Gloria and I had with Talk Pittsburgh hosts in 2025. Regular updates on the Festival were sent to nearly 30 ballroom dance and social dance organizations in the Pittsburgh area.  

We recruited 43 volunteers, 26 of them local, to help keep everything moving. Our overall efforts were rewarded by being named Chapter of the Year for USA Dance District 3.

PITTSBURGH CHAPTER EVENTS

We’ve had five monthly dances, four at Wightman School and one at Winchester Thurston School We greatly appreciate the support of Matias Jonsson & Irene Yarovoi (Apasionado Studio), Dmitry Demidov (Demidov Dance), Jimmy Page (Night & Day), Cris Sharpley (Arthur Murray Penn Hills and McMurray) and Jonathan & Stratton DeWitt (Nova Ballroom) for teaching both International and American patterns, and DJ’s Matias Jonsson, Brittany Demidov, Marc Boucher, Bobby D and Brian Lee for their music. Thanks to both Barb Johnson and April Fisher, both components of the Spring Session of the Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP) was held.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Dances

July 18, 2026 Wightman School.  Happy Birthday, USA. Norrie Bastedo, DJ. Frank Blakemore & Victoria Andromalos-Dale, West Coast Swing. Wear red, white and blue.

New membership drive begins. Save $35.00 membership fee. Join tonight, and come to the next two dances, i.e. savings of $20.00, 7/18; $5.00, 8/15 & $10.00, 9/19.

August 15, Wightman School. A Night in the Caribbean. Brian Lee, DJ. Augustin Garcia-Pawlowski, Bachata.

September 19. Wightman School. Member Appreciation Night. Member admission fee is $10.00. Bobby D, DJ. Sarah Slevinski, Tango.

2027 Nationals

Planning Assistance Needed

Nationals are coming back on April 2-4, 2027 and again in 2028.  Planning is underway for 2027 and will include changes to the four elements. Target attendance is 1,500 which means a greater number of volunteers and more effective outreach. If you’re interested in joining an advisory committee to brainstorm outreach and marketing, please contact me.

Qualifying for Nationals

Except for collegiates and those participating in the Fun Dance competitions, in order to qualify to dance at Nationals, you must gain 6 participation points. You can gain 2 points at a College Challenge, 4 points at a Local Challenge or 6 points at a Regional Competition.

The Carnegie Classic (2 points) will be held at Carnegie Mellon University on October 10. Early registration is underway. The weekend also includes a 10/9 social dance and 10/11 dance workshops.

Two additional collegiate challenges will be held in Rochester NY, October 17 and at Ohio State University on October 24. 

Regional DanceSport Championships (6 points) will be held at Chicago Marriott SW on October 30/Nov. 1 (Midwest); Newark, NJ on 1/15 -1/7, 2027 (The MAC); and Atlanta, February 19-21, 2027 (Southeastern).

Hope to see you on the dance floor soon!
Jane Downing, President
USA Dance Pittsburgh #3007
Dancer008-@outlook.com

PRESIDENT’S LETTER, PITTSBURGH CHAPTER USA DANCE. JANUARY 27, 2026

USA Dance Inc. is actively recruiting dancers to the new National Dance Festival on March 27-29, 2026 at the Wyndham Grand Hotel Downtown for activities in one or more of the four tracks: Ballroom DanceSport Championships; Collegiate Ballroom DanceSport Championships; Social Dance Celebration; and a Professional Summit. Early registration and USA Dance membership save $$’s.

SOCIAL CELEBRATION

A multi-day dance camp with workshops accessible to social dancers and competitors and taught by local and national instructors.

• 3-course welcome dinner Friday night.
• Over 40 dance workshops in 2 ballrooms Saturday and Sunday.
• Themed (optional) social dances on Friday/Saturday from 7:30 – 11 pm.
• Spectator access to the National Championships.
• A “Locals” Weekend Package-(with all of the above). $369 for members.
• A la carte discounts for USA Dance members ($20 workshops; $35 social dances).
• 8 Fun Dance competitions for social dancers Friday afternoon. Spectator tickets, $25.00 in advance, $35.00 at the door.
  • Further information. https://usadancenationals.org/social-celebration.

NATIONAL DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Spectator Tickets Available: $40.00 in advance. $50.00 at the door.

Friday Evening Championship Events (preliminary schedule):

• Youth 10-Dance; Under 21, Standard; Adult Formation Team, 9-Dance, Smooth, Smooth Showcase,& Latin Showdance; Adult to Senior 2, Rising Star Rhythm & Standard; Pro Rhythm & Standard & Rhythm & Standard Showdance; Senior 1-6, 9-& 10-Dance, Smooth & Rhythm, Standard & Latin, Rising Star Latin & Smooth.

Saturday Evening Championship Events (Preliminary Schedule):

• Junior 2, Standard; Youth, Standard; Under 21, Latin; Collegiate Team Match, Rhythm & Standard; Adult, 10-Dance, Latin, Rhythm & Standard Showdances; Pro, Latin &Smooth and Showdances; Senior 1-6, 10-Dance; Rhythm, Latin & Smooth.

Sunday Evening Crowning Champions (Preliminary Schedule)-

• Junior 2, 10-Dance & Latin; Youth, Latin; Adult to Senior 2, Rising Star Latin & Smooth; Adult, Latin Showcase, Rhythm & Standard; Senior 1-6, Latin, Standard, Rhythm, Smooth, 9-Dance; Senior 3-6, Rising Star Standard,

Further information at https://usadancenationals.org/schedule

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SUMMIT

• Workshops for teachers, organizers, judges, studio owners and Chapter leadership. Examination preparation and examinations for scrutineers and individual dances.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are critical to helping an expected 800 dancers move quickly and safely to chosen activities. We need volunteers at 16 different places for each of three 16-hour days. Please consider volunteering at least 4 hours for specific jobs, but preferably 8 hours where we can place you where needed. There will be water and snacks in the Volunteer Room for all volunteers. In addition, four-hour volunteers will receive $10 for parking and access to the competition ballroom during your session. USA Dance Inc. will pay for parking for eight-or more-hour volunteers who use valet parking at the hotel, one meal (lunch or dinner) in the President’s suite, and access to the competition ballroom throughout the day.

               For more detail, please sign up at https://usadancenationals.org/volunteers/

USA DANCE PITTSBURGH ACTIVITIES

February 21 Monthly Dance at Winchester Thurston School, 555 Morewood Street at the corner of Ellsworth Ave, Shadyside. Building & parking lot entrance off Ellsworth, adjacent to the sports field. Dmitry Demidov teaching International Foxtrot and Brittany Demidov, DJ.  

We thank Matias Jonsson, Irina Yarovoi and their musician friends for the International Rumba lesson on January 17 at Wightman School.

Consignment Shop donations possible at Nationals If costumes don’t sell. Our chapter will donate them to support the collegiate ballroom dance clubs. Jane Downing.

Hope to see you dancing,
Jane Downing, President, USA Dance Pittsburgh (3007)
dancer008-@outlook.com