USA Dance

USA Dance (formerly United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association — USABDA) was founded in 1965 to promote amateur DanceSport.

The organization became the official US member body of the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF).

USA Dance provides a competition pathway for amateur dancers who do not wish to compete in the professional (NDCA) circuit.

The organization also runs social dance chapters across the country, hosting weekly dances and community events.

USA Dance selects and sends the US team to WDSF World Championships.

USA Dance is a nonprofit governed by a national board of directors.

Local chapters organize social dances and regional competitions.

The national organization maintains rules, rankings, and team selection for international representation.

As the WDSF member body for the US, USA Dance follows WDSF rules for international competition eligibility.

Amateur age divisions are finer than four brackets: Pre-Teen I and II, Junior I and II, Youth, Under 21, Adult, and Senior I through VI, assigned by birth year rather than age on the day (USA Dance DanceSport Rulebook, as set out in the USA Dance chapter age-category grid at macnyusadance.org/age-categories, read 2026-10-24).

Styles: International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth, American Rhythm.

National DanceSport Championships held annually as the qualifying event for WDSF World Championships.

Regional qualifying events across the country.

Amateur couples compete amateur-with-amateur, but USA Dance also runs Pro-Am at its National Championships: its Pro-Am Event Rules define a Pro-Am couple as "a judged USA Dance Athlete and a Professional partner", with Dance Events from Pre-Bronze through Gold, Junior and Youth Championships, and Adult Scholarships (usadancenationals.org/pro-am-event-rules, read 2026-10-24).

Pro-Am entries use their own age brackets: Pre-Teen A, Pre-Teen 1 and 2, Junior 1 and 2, Youth, and Adult A1 through A4 (same chapter grid, read 2026-10-24).