President’s Letters

Hi!  Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!  Isn’t it hard to believe that winter is approaching? 

First, thanks so much for coming to our dances.  On September 16, Matias Jonsson and Irina Yarovoi, Apasionado Dance, taught Quick Step and Brian Lee provided the music at Wightman School; on October 21, Dmitry Demidov taught Samba, Brittany Demidov was DJ and their son, Alexander, and his partner performed international dances they were going to present at the Ohio Star Ball competition in November; and on November 18 at Wightman School, Chris Drum taught Tango and played the music, and Christine Zona brought nine couples to showcase a mini-competition. We’re also grateful for such talented and committed instructors, DJs and performers! 

This summer, out of 70+ chapters of USA Dance, Inc., the Pittsburgh Chapter was recognized as the 2022 Chapter of the Year. Thanks to everyone who helped make the 2022 National Ballroom DanceSport Championships a success and to the funders, volunteers and dancers who make the Special Needs Outreach Program inspirational. 

National liked us!  So let’s welcome them back in a grand way by participating in the competitions, volunteering to help the National USA Dance staff/volunteers make everything run smoothly, and attending the social dance and the evening championships on March 22-24, 2024. Sponsors are also welcome. You can register now to compete, sign up to be a volunteer or purchase spectator tickets on the USA Dance National Ballroom DanceSport Championships website. However, we’d prefer you wait for a couple of weeks to sign up via our new website. Think about volunteering for at least four hours so you can watch the competitions for free during that session. And if you sign up for 8 hours, you have access to the ballroom all day and will receive $75.00 to offset meal costs.

Please hold December 16th for our next dance at the McKeesport Palisades. Tunisia El, the new Manager at the Pittsburgh East Arthur Murray Studio will teach East Coast Swing. Mark Boucher will DJ.   

Although we’ve delayed raising our admission prices, starting in January 2024, member admissions will be $15.00 and non-members, $20.00. Students with IDs will remain at $5.00. Social dance membership in the national organization is $35.00 a year. Membership benefits include a $5.00 member rebate to local chapters, access to American Dancer Magazine and exclusive discounts to companies such as Verizon, Marriott, Disney from PerkSpot. See additional benefits, https://usadance.org.

Happy holidays!

Jane Downing, President, USA Dance Pittsburgh Chapter 3007

Hi!

Happy End of Summer !

Thanks to all of you who continue to attend our dances!  We were delighted that so many came to the beach party at the Palisades in McKeesport on July 15.  It’s been almost three years since we’ve held a dance there.  Many thanks to John Siefken for his music; Christine Zona for teaching ChaCha and organizing the Jack and Jill contest, the couples who demonstrated proficiency in three different dances and Aaron May and Anne Wildenhain for helping to select the six winning couples; Megan, Janine, Mary Ann and Andy for making the dance hall festive.  

On August 19, Bobby D. was both host at the Wightman Community Center and DJ, and we welcomed Christian Brown, Arthur Murray Downtown Studio, who taught an advanced Foxtrot pattern. 

Plans for the Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP) include three six-week sessions at the Higher Voice Studio, 144 East Main Street in Carnegie starting in mid-September, late January and mid-March.  We hope to start a beginner’s class in September and begin to prepare the more advanced students for performances in early summer. If the recruitment for the two classes is successful, we’ll need more mentors, particularly with teaching experience of special needs students.  Each class is an hour on Sunday afternoons.  Barb Johnson, the coordinator, will train mentors before the session starts.  Please contact Barb at (412) 720-0610 or obxjohnson@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming a mentor. 

Hold September 16th for our next dance at the Wightman Community Center – Matías Jonsson and Irene Yarovoi will teach Quickstep and Brian Lee will DJ.

Please put March 22-24, 2024 on your calendar for the 2024 USA Dance National DanceSport Ballroom Dance Championships at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Pittsburgh. It’s not too soon to think about competing, particularly if you are eligible to compete as a collegiate dancer, a Professional/Amateur couple or a Professional couple because there are no requirements to compete in a National Qualifying Event (NQE) before the Championships.  Current USA Dance rules participation by amateur couples, or mixed collegiate/non-collegiate couple to complete in a NQE and qualify in the top 75% of the selected events prior to the March Championships.  The nearest NQEs are Kansas City, September 16-17; Chicago, October 12-14, and Newark, January 13-14 2024. Check the USA Dance Rules Books for further information. More to come to how you can help as a volunteer.  

Jane Downing, President USA Dance Pittsburgh Chapter #3007

Hi!

Hope you had a great Fourth of July break!

My apologies for not keeping you updated on our activities. Our April 15 Springtime in Paris dinner dance at the Edgewood Club was successful as a fundraiser for our outreach programs, and as entertainment thanks to Amanda Wolf our DJ, presentation by the Special Needs Adaptive Program participants, Chuck Watson and Lynne Preisser, and Matías Johnson and Irene Yarovoi. I appreciate our board members who made the décor special and all who attended. Chris Drum, Waltz instructor and DJ, enlivened our May 20 dance at Wightman School Community Center. June 17 found us at the VFW in Coraopolis where Brian Lee was the DJ, and Aaron May and Anne Wildenhain taught basic and syncopated Hustle.

We’ve finished the third and final session of this year’s Special Needs Adaptive Program with a majority of students who were prior participants in the Yes, You Can Dance! performance team. If we can recruit more adult mentors, and certify more teachers, we will hold six-week beginner’s class as well as a performance team class when we start up again in September. Dance experience is preferred, but not critical. Barb Johnson, the coordinator, is planning a pre-session workshop in working with special needs students and reviewing the upcoming dances that will be taught. Please contact Barb at (412) 720-0610 if you’re interested in becoming a mentor.

We’re looking forward to our July 15th Beach Party dance at one of the best dance floors in the region at the Palisades in McKeesport. We’re planning some fun dances, including a Jack and Jill mixer competition (with prizes) and a Limbo dance (for those of you who are supple), and some summer-type games in addition to dancing to John Siefken’s music. Christine Zone is going to teach Cha Cha. We haven’t been to the Palisades since before COVID, so we are hoping for a great turnout! Beach attire (not bathing suits) is desired.

The 2024 USA Dance National DanceSport Ballroom Dance Championships will be held at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Pittsburgh on March 21-24. Our role is to support the national volunteers who run the competition. We’ll be looking for local competitors, volunteers to help during the competition (including set-up and break-down) and spectators to watch outstanding national dancers. So, let me know if you’re interested in participating.

Happy dancing!

Jane Downing, President, USA Dance Pittsburgh Chapter #3007