Monthly Newsletter December 2016
Dear Nico Papihuahua,
Thank you for your support of NASSPDA – the North American Same Sex Partner Dance Association.
One of the benefits of being an ACTIVE member is our monthly newsletter. Intended to be a resource for YOU – the members of NASSPDA, it links directly to our website, and showcases the many ways in which your membership can help increase your involvement in and help shape NASSPDA events and activities as well as your own personal dance growth!
If you are not a member yet – consider joining TODAY! You can do so by going HERE.
If you have any comments or concerns you can always email us at: info@nasspda.org.
NASSPDA
From the President
Benjamin Soencksen
Hard to believe, but it is that time again when one looks back at this year and forward making plans for the next year.
The elections to NASSPDA’s Board of Directors brought forward two new members to replace the parting Directors, Kathy Wildman and Michael Winward. The Board thanked those departing for their services and welcomed Kalin Mitov as well as Daphna Locker, who volunteered and was elected to be the Board’s Secretary. Just recently though, Daphna saw herself forced to resign, due to unforeseen personal issues. We wish her all the best!
The annual elections for 2017 will be held in May after the biggest competition in NASSPDA’s season of sanctioned events, “April Follies.” Following NASSPDA’s By-Laws, the Board might appoint someone in the meantime to fill the vacancy, but also encourages anyone interested to step forward and follow the process of nomination outlined in a document titled “Election Process,” which can be found along with two other forms on NASSPDA’s website at http://nasspda.org/board-members/.
A new website has been in the works since 2014, and has obviously taken much longer than anyone expected. But, as I’m writing these lines, we are literally in the process to make the switch from the old to the new. The entire process has been hard and trying, with many decisions to be made and hours to commit. NASSPDA’s former Board member, Kathy Wildman, had overseen this process from the start and has graciously consented to see it though until our new site is fully functional and updated. The new site is up, but by no means fully updated. Please excuse the lack of completion! It will take some time to fill in all the blanks and correct any mistakes currently displayed.
In order to clean-up our database and ease the transition to a new platform, we are asking all members of NASSPDA to newly join, rather than renew one’s membership. The new platform now allows for all annual memberships to be independent from the calendar year, but rather tied to the year based on the date of joining. It is our hope that this enhances your elected membership experience with NASSPDA. To join, please go to our website at www.nasspda.org and select the blue button “join now” or use this direct link: http://nasspda.org/membership-account/membership-levels/
This season of NASSPDA sanctioned competitions started with a newly introduced event, called “Floorplay in the Desert” and held in Palm Springs, CA, which will host this coming year NASSPDA’s 2017 North American Championships (http://www.floorplaypalmsprings.com/). This was then followed by “April Follies,” held in Oakland, CA. continuously hosting NASSPDA’s California State Championships as well as this time the 2016 USA Championships. “April Follies” will celebrate its 15th year anniversary in 2017. In June, NASSPDA’s 2016 North American Championships were hosted for the first time by the “Glitz & Glitter Ball,” held in Columbus, OH in its second year and after The North America Outgames had been cancelled, and the “Montreal Rainbow Dance Challenge” hosted NASSPDA’s 2016 Canadian Championships. NASSPDA’s season of sanctioned competitions was rounded off by two proficiency events, the “Delaware Valley Equality Ball,” held in Woodbury, NJ, and the “Provincetown Dance Trophy,” held on Cape Cod, MA. Participants of all of these events not only garnered some success stories, but more importantly memories of having experienced a fun loving, welcoming and nurturing community.
For more details, please visit NASSPDA’s website and read the minutes of the Board’s monthly meetings, find scoresheets for all sanctioned competitions or a listing of all title winners, which will be accessible at http://nasspda.org/documents/ , currently still under construction.
NASSPDA’s Board had looked at the beginning of the year into creating new membership levels, but decided that the number of members didn’t warrant this envisioned change and the delay of the new website would have just complicated unduly our landscape. Another change announced at the end of last year was though implemented. NASSPDA’s Competitions Rules now allow for more inclusion regarding gender definition and Student/Teacher couples, defined in mainstream as Pro/Am, including for titled events. A link to the most current version may be found on NASSPDA’s website under the heading Dancesport and “For Organizers” or “Competitor Policies.”
NASSPDA continues working with ESSDA, our European counterpart, and IAGLCWDC, our “Country Western” counterpart, founding members of IFSSDA (International Federation of Same-Sex Dance Associations), on formalizing this entity as well as overseeing international events, such as the upcoming 2017 World Outgames in Miami, FL, ( http://www.outgames.org/) and the 2018 Gay Games in Paris, France, (http://www.paris2018.com/) both designated as IFSSDA’s World Championships.
The Board of Directors extends its Season Greetings and best wishes for the New Year to all!”
Happy Dancing!
Benjamin
Competition Calendar
Competition Committee
Please note that ALL of NASSPDA’s Competition Rules can be found by going to the NASSPDA website or clicking HERE. Any questions or input are welcomed and can be sent directly to rules@nasspda.org.
January 13-14, 2017
Floor Play in the Desert
Website: http://www.floorplaypalmsprings.com
Title: North American Championships
April 29, 2017
April Follies
Website: http://www.aprilfollies.com
Title: California California state championships
July 22, 2017
Glitz and Glitter Ball
Website: http://www.glitzandglitterball.com
Membership Information
Membership Committee
We proudly introduce our new website! This is timed, in part, to coincide with our membership renewal period. Please go to the website and click the “Join Now” button in the left sidebar. (Don’t try to log in.)
We’re asking you to join anew and, sorry, to enter some information again. Among other difficulties, we couldn’t move our member data with passwords. Having you “join” affords us the chance to clean up our database and gives you a look at the new site. Clicking the “Join Now” button will take you to the new member sign-up page, where most of you will choose the “individual” level. The path from there should be clear.
Payments will now be taken by credit card instead of through PayPal. The new system has special encryption to keep your data safer than before. The new site URL is the same as before: nasspda.org.
If you have problems, or want to help us improve the website-parts are still under construction-please write to Kathy Wildman, our website administrator, at wildmankathy@gmail.com or to web@nasspda.org.
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.
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 ‘About Us’ and scroll to the bottom for Activity Grant application and information. Or email us at promotions@NASSPDA.org with any questions.
