| Monthly e-Newsletter |
June 2020 |
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From the President
Not only are "these hard times" as stated in the previous eNewsletter, but now also seemingly revolutionary times, that hopefully will lead to change, addressing an age-old problem that even affected at times our dance community at large. NASSPDA has made it its mission from the beginning to be all-inclusive, welcoming and transparent. Please read below in this eNewsletter a statement authored by one of our newest directors on the Board of NASSPDA, Emma DiFrancesco, which expresses quite eloquently all of our thoughts on this subject.
And yes, NASSPDA held amidst all this madness its annual election of directors of the Board. Eddie Alba, Lee Fox, Debbie Esparza, Horace Luong and Kalin Mitov have been re-elected after having reached the end of their two-year term and a majority of votes has added Emily DiFrancesco, Susan Hoskins and Jo Popadynetz to the roster of directors
. With Erik Jaeger and myself, who are mid-term of their two-year tenure, the Board now has ten directors, of which all four serving officers have been reconfirmed as follows:
President: Benjamin Soencksen
Vice-President: Debbie Esparza
Secretary: Erik Jaeger
Treasurer: Lee Fox
All directors are also members of the Board's various committees, chaired by one of these members. According to NASSPDA's By-laws, the Board may have as many as eleven directors and had until most recently for several years nine. Due to the evenly split votes amongst all candidates, the Board decided,
based upon its Governance Policies, that an even number of directors is preferable to any alternative and that the newly elected directors will serve a one-year term, standing for reelection together with Erik Jaeger and myself next year, in order to get back to an even split between those up for election and those assured to keep serving.
Taking advantage of this strange time that binds us to our homes and affords us more time for other tasks, the founding members of IFSSDA (ESSDA, IAGLCWDC and NASSPDA) have created a final draft of Competition Rules that will be applicable at IFSSDA sanctioned events, as reported previously. This draft has now been presented to the respective Boards of Directors. Once approved, these rules will be first applicable at the 2021 World Dancesport Pride Cup to be held in Orlando and at 'Dancesport' of the 2022 Gay Games, IFSSDA's World Championships, held in Hong Kong.
Naturally, based on all the recent events that have, are and will affect life in Hong Kong and possibly such sport events as the Gay Games, a big discussion ensued again within the FGG (Federation of Gay Games) and its members about what we may expect and if there are any contingency plans. Notwithstanding these momentous questions, IFSSDA has been in touch with the organizers of the games in Hong Kong trying to figure out who will organize Dancesport. The city doesn't have an organized LGBTQ+ dance community but features one or two dance competitions annually within the mainstream dance world. It is currently explored whether the organizers of these past events can be engaged in collaboration with IFSSDA.
Pending further developments nationwide and in Massachusetts, NASSPDA's next sanctioned event, the
New England Championships are still scheduled for September 26, 2020, and will host the 2020 North American Championships, again at the lovely town hall in Needham, MA. Let's hope that we will be able to pick up our dance shoes and hit the floor again soon and meet at this annual event!
The Board and I wish you all the best, good health and sanity!
Here is to dancing in cyber space and soon on the floor!
Benjamin Soencksen
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Current events
Essay by Emma DiFrancesco
It's Pride Month once again!
Pride looks a little bit different this year, as most of the parades and dance events that we've grown to love have been cancelled this year due to COVID-19. But that doesn't mean we can't keep the spirit of Pride!
As the North American Same-Sex Partner Dance Association, we owe so much to Pride and to the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In the US, the movement would not be what it is without events such as the Compton's Cafeteria Riots of 1966, and the Stonewall Riots of 1969. These two events, started by people in the most marginalized LGBTQ+ communities, were acts of resistance against police brutality. Those catalysts gave way to both the Pride march and organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front, Gay Activists Alliance, and STAR, as well as a new era of visibility for LGBTQ+ communities. Major players from this era include Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, and Stormé DeLarverie, all Black women, as well as Sylvia Rivera, who was Latina.
Today, police and vigilante brutality against Black communities, including Black LGBTQ+ communities, is still one piece in the larger problem of American racism. These past two weeks, in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, and Tony McDade, and the threat of police brutality against Christian Cooper, protesters across the US and across the world have used a diversity of tactics to bring attention to this issue and to the larger issue of white supremacy in the United States and worldwide.
Unfortunately, the issues of white supremacy and anti-Blackness extend to our beloved ballroom dance industry. So many of the dances we compete originated in African, Afro-Caribbean, and African-American music and movement, before white dancers from the US, UK, and other Western countries codified them for a white market.
Racism has continued to permeate our industry and community, and many Black dancers-and non-Black dancers of color-are coming forward to tell their stories of discrimination in the industry. It is the rest of the community's responsibility to listen to them when they choose to speak out, credit them and compensate when necessary, and adjust practices accordingly, as it has been for far before these past two weeks.
We cannot be silent on issues like these. Many dancers in the industry, as well as major organizations believe ballroom dance is exempt from social issues, and so do not speak about them, or post a hashtag but do not explore the issues in depth.
However, we are NASSPDA. We have known since our inception that ballroom dance, and partner dance in general, is political. It is a reflection of which kinds of bodies and which forms of love are socially acceptable and beautiful.
We cannot divorce the LGBTQ+ movement, or NASSPDA's mission, from any other movement in the dance industry or in the larger world. All struggles for justice-race, gender, sexuality, class, age, ability, nationality, size, and more-are connected. As many historical figures have repeated throughout history, from Emma Lazarus to Maya Angelou to Janelle Monáe, none of us are free until all of us are free. It is not and should never be up for debate that
#BlackLivesMatter.
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Announcements
Hot of the press
Ambassador Program!
We are looking for highly motivated individuals willing to spread NASSPDA with the rest of the dance world!
This Program will be implemented shortly with more information along with the application form. The announcement will be published in here, on our Social media and on the web site.
Scholarships
NASSPDA's Board has approved granting FIVE scholarships that are applicable toward all 2020 sanctioned competitions.
Each one is in the amount of $300 plus a one-year NASSPDA Individual Membership.
Two scholarships were
originally awarded for attending 'Floorplay LA' in January this year, but one applicant ended up not participating, which means that we still have four of these scholarships to award to
deserving applicants.
If you are interested in competing at New England Open in the fall (hosting the North American Same-Sex Championship) and are in need of some financial support to make it happen, please apply as soon as possible. Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
NASSPDA Membership Directory
Have you checked out the NASSPDA
Membership Directory
? This is a resource to allow NASSPDA members to connect with others in the community. Please contact Horace Luong (
[email protected]
) if you'd like to be added to
the directory
(this is available to NASSPDA members only).
Donation
Consider donating to NASSPDA!
Donations made to NASSPDA will be used to help the organization advance its mission of promoting same-sex partner dancing. Donations to NASSPDA may be tax deductible however, the extent is dependent on your country's tax laws.
Now NASSPDA's website has a button to donate right there:
Thank you for your generosity!
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Competition Calendar
Competition Committee
New England Open - 2020 North American Same-Sex and New England Regional Championships (a NASSPDA sanctioned championships)
September 26, 2020
Needham Town Hall,
1471 Highland Ave, Needham MA
United States
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Membership Information
Membership Committee
Join NASSPDA TODAY! Please complete the membership form and make your membership payment directly through our website (
nasspda.org).
If you have problems, or want to help us improve the website (parts are still under construction), please write to Horace Luong, our website administrator, at
[email protected]
.
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Outreach and Media
Promotions Committee
ACTIVITY GRANT FUNDING PROGRAM
NASSPDA would like to encourage its members and our community at large to engage in various fun activities that promote same-sex dancing. We recognize that many of our members have creative idea to get people dancing, and NASSPDA would like to contribute in a small financial way.
Up to 4 grants of $250 each will be awarded per calendar year on a first-come, first-served basis to applicants who can demonstrate that the proposed activity will advance NASSPDA's mission of promoting and expanding social and competitive same-sex partner dancing.
The proposed event should also be in alignment with at least one of the following NASSPDA goals:
* Support functions and venues for social same-sex partner dancing.
* Provide a resource for same-sex partner dancers.
* Aim to raise the level of same-sex partner dancing
* Encourage the inclusion of dancers from diverse backgrounds with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age, [dis]ability, gender identity and/or expression.
Some ideas for events and organizers to receive grant support:
- Same-sex dance classes
- A social dance mixer that actively invites and encourages same-sex dancing or "alternative lead and follow"
- An excursion to a local competition, introducing dancers to the concept
- A welcome party before one of NASSPDA's sanctioned competition
- Setting up a booth at a local street fair promoting same-sex dancing
- A neighborhood or community event promoting partner dancing and the inclusion of same-sex dancing
- Involving studios to promote same-sex dancing
- An event in conjunction with a city's Pride activities
These are just a few suggestions. To apply for financial support from NASSPDA's $250 Grant Program, please visit our website at
NASSPDA.org
, click on
the
'
Scholarships and Grants
' bar and then 'Grants" to read more for more information. You can also email us at
promotions@NASSPDA.org
with any questions.
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Sincerely,
NASSPDA Newsletter Committee
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