Monthly e-Newsletter January 2020



From the President 

 
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!
 
NASSPDA's Board of Directors hopes that you all had a good dancing start into 2020!
 
Our community can this year participate in four NASSPDA sanctioned events as well as many non-sanctioned events, since now USA Dance and the NDCA have expanded their definition of a couple, allowing for all gender configurations. Please check frequently our calendar of events on our website (  https://nasspda.org/events/ , which includes listings of events that feature specifically non-traditional categories.
Floorplay LA  (formerly 'Floorplay in the Desert') is hosting this year's USA Championships, April Follies the California State Championships, New England Open the New England Championships as well as the North American Championship and Pride Cup, an annual sporting event sponsored by Disney World in Orlando, is hosting a new event sanctioned by IFSSDA (NASSPDA being the liaison), the World Dancesport Pride Cup (registration for this event is expected to open online at the beginning of February).
 
As announced at the end of October 2019, NASSPDA will award five scholarships (see  https://nasspda.org/scholarships/ ) in 2020, financially supporting competitors in their planned participation to all of its sanctioned events. The Board has since received four application for the planned participation at 'Floorplay LA,' of which two were approved, in the amount of $300 each. And, NASSPDA members will be able to continue enjoying a discount on registration fees at each of NASSPDA's sanctioned events, which is carried financially in part by NASSPDA. Also, NASSPDA has already approved one Activity Grant in the amount of $250 for this year (see  https://nasspda.org/grants/ ) and is looking forward to more deserving applications.
 
As reported previously, NASSPDA's Board decided at the end of last year, after soliciting from our community opinions on some valid concern about our organization's mission and name, to add a tagline to our name and expand our mission statement reflecting greater inclusion. As already implemented on NASSPDA's website and Facebook page, our name, North American Same-Sex Partner Dance Association, is now followed by the tagline "Embracing and Welcoming ALL Dance Couples and Dancers," This is now also reflected in the mission statement ( https://nasspda.org/mission-statement/ ), stating as well the historical context and subsequent expansion, which now includes sexual orientation in addition to  gender identity and/or expression.
 
The founding members of IFSSDA (ESSDA, IAGLCWDC and NASSPDA) are continuing to work on a set of rules for international competitions sanctioned by IFSSDA, which will be applicable for the upcoming 'World Dancesport Pride Cup' in June of this year and the 'World Championships' hosted at the 11th Gay Games in 2022. NASSPDA will ensure that our expanded mission as well as our values are reflected in those rules.
 
The Promotion Committee of NASSPDA, chaired by Board member Kalin Mitov, is in the process of creating a program of annual ambassador(s), which will be seeking individuals and/or couples that will spread the word about and impart the values of NASSPDA at events other than sanctioned by NASSPDA. This ambassadorship will come with a stipend to cover some expenses and the provision of promotional material. Additionally, this committee is working on an idea of creating a circuit of NASSPDA sanctioned events that will allow competitors to collect points or such towards ranking and/or a special award, in an effort to encourage more participation and more events joining the circuit and the organization.

HAPPY DANCING!

Benjamin Soencksen



Announcements 


Scholarships

NASSPDA Board has approved to award FIVE scholarships toward all 2020 sanctioned competitions.
Each one is in the amount of $300 plus a one-year NASSPDA Individual Membership. 
We have awarded two scholarships already which means that three are remaining.  

Competitors interested in competing at April Follies, World DanceSport Cup and/or New England Open (hosting the North American Championship) who are also interested in applying for a scholarship, should apply as soon as possible because the 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!


Competition Recap
Competition Committee
 
Results from FloorplayLA, 01/19/20 hosting the 2020 USA Championships:

A - GRADE

American Smooth 
Student/Teacher category:
Jasmine Knoll & Chelsea Blandford -- 1st

American Rhythm 
Student/Teacher category:
Anjel Ortega & Antonio Nunez -- 1st 
Jasmine Knoll & Chelsea Blandford -- 2nd

International Standard
Male and Female Couple together category:
Serge Aliev & Vatali Tozik -- 1st (US Champions)
Olga Tsikalyuk & Eva Dobesch -- 2nd



B - GRADE

American Smooth

Student/Teacher category:
Linda Strine & Tina Mayer -- 1st

Female Couple category:
Renee De Palma & Jane Hammond -- 1st

Senior Student/Teacher category:
Linda Strine & Tina Mayer -- 1st

International Standard

Female Couple category:
Caryl Ann Hathaway & Evelyn Valez -- 1st
Renee De Palma & Jane Hammond -- 2nd

Student/Teacher category:
Debbie Esparza & Julianne Daniels -- 1st
Linda Strine & Tina Mayer -- 2nd

American Rhythm

Female Couple category:
Liz Davidson & Kara Crossgrove -- 1st

Student/Teacher category:
Linda Strine & Tina Mayer -- 1st


International Latin

Student/Teacher category:
Tim Leslie & Sergio Brilhante -- 1st
Tracey Payne & Alexis Massey -- 2nd

Senior Couple category:
Tracey Payne & Alexis Massey -- 1st



C - GRADE

American Rhythm

Female Couple category:
Renee De Palma & Jane Hammond -- 1st

International Latin

Student/Teacher category:
Linda Strine & Tina Mayer -- 1st
Debbie Esparza & Julianne Daniels -- 2nd




Competition Calendar
Competition Committee
 
March 2020
March 20 -  March 22, 2020 
Albuquerque Marriott,  2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE 
Albuquerque, NM 87110 United States

April 2020
April 4, 2020
Alhambra Ballroom  Manhattan, NY United States 


April Follies - 2020  California State Championship (NASSPDA sanctioned competition)
April 25, 2020
Just Dance Ballroom,  O akland, CA United States 


June 2020
World DanceSport Pride Cup  (IFSSDA  sanctioned competition)
June 5- June 7, 2020
Marriott World Center Hotel, Walt Disney World Resorts, Orlando FL  United States  


September 2020
New England Open - 2020 North American and New England Championships (NASSPDA sanctioned competition)
September 26, 2020
Needham Town Hall,
1471 Highland Ave, Needham MA  United States  




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] .


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 may have a creative idea 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 NASSPDA's following 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 with actively inviting and encouraging 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.