What it is
USA Dance was founded in 1965 as the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (USABDA), with Olympic recognition for ballroom among its early aims. It became an affiliate of the US Olympic Committee in 1999 and took the name USA Dance in 2005. It is the US member of WDSF and is recognised by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee as the organisation for dancesport.
It serves amateur and social dancers. Professionals and most Pro-Am competition in the US are under the NDCA, a separate body; a dancer may be registered with both.
Members
Dancers join as individual members, and competing in USA Dance events requires membership. Local chapters, over a hundred by its own count, run social dances and local events. College teams form a large part of the competitive scene.
Competition system
| Level | Letter | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Bronze | N | Closed |
| Bronze | E | Closed |
| Silver | D | Closed |
| Gold | C | Closed |
| Novice | B | Open |
| Pre-Championship | A | Open |
| Championship | S | Open |
Age groups follow the WDSF pattern, from Pre-Teen and Junior through Youth, Under 21 and Adult, with senior groups from 35 up to 75 and over. Its national championships also hold Pro-Am events with their own age groups.
Main events
The National DanceSport Championships are held each spring and include a collegiate team match. Couples who represent the US at WDSF international championships are chosen through USA Dance.
How it is governed
A Board of Directors and an Executive Committee run USA Dance, with athlete representatives as US Olympic law requires. National officers and delegates serve four-year terms and are elected by the members. Bylaws revised in 2022 created athlete councils for each division.
Official links
We do not print the names of current presidents or board members, because they change. The links above go to the federation's own list.
This page is an independent summary written from the body's own published sources. DanceFlow is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sanctioned by it.
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Sources
Checked on November 3, 2026. Each document is linked in the language it was published in. Where sources disagree, the text says so.