ISA Presents Professional Dance Intensive from GSDTA

FOR RELEASE 9 A.M. PST, 1 APRIL, 2010

PRESS RELEASE

ISA invites all Heavy Hitters, Master Instructors, Teachers, Competitive Dancers and Steppin practitioners to the Golden State Dance Teachers Association professional intensive


Washington DC, April 18, 2010: The International Steppers Association has formed a professional organization to advocate on behalf of over 14,000 urban dancers who desire to take Steppin to the mainstream ballroom. There are over 6.6 billion consumers internationally and 29 existing US cities who currently make up the Steppin market. Steppin is prepared to embrace a new direction.
Steppin’s grassroots have been popularized by Chicago’s urban dance community for the past 20 years. Today the mature adult and new age trend is taking its rightful place in the international Swing community. ISA has responded to student request to seek a codified standard curriculum and syllabus for all Steppers. ISA is working toward developing a single training standard. This process begins with inviting instructors who continue to impact students through teaching, promoting and instructing to participate in a collaborative process of classroom instruction on dance methodology, genre awareness and parallel exploration. With the assistance of the GSDTA, professional certification of teachers is one step away. The benefits of certifying teachers include bringing fees and services in parity with certified teaching professionals, enhancing music and dance theory in the classroom, improves professional resume of instructors and leverages a standard that the World Swing Dance Council currently promotes. Students will now have teaching tools, books, CDs, DVDs and written documentation that match music theory and timing. “The end result will ensure access to over 100,000 dancers in the broader market will be exposed to traditional Steppin patterns and retention of students will increase,” says Darryl Wilder, Education and Training committee chairman. “Without a credited foundation it is difficult to ensure students are learning dance and music terminology consistently from one instructor to the next. This is pivotal time in Steppin history and we are leading the effort on behalf of all Steppers.”


The benefits of participating in this dance based intensive are to transition Steppin to a professional career choice. The positive direction standardizes instruction and promotes a clear choice between amateur and professional status. This effort encourages participation in certified professional and amateur competitions. With the proper training and recurring educational studies our Steppers can provide a equitable living and universal association through cross migration from sister dances. From this effort more students will be available above the beginning levels and therefore remain longer with the community.


ISA will be collaborating with the GSDTA and Ms. Skippy Blair (Co-founder of World Swing Dance Council) who utilizes the Universal Unit System ® of instruction. Her system has been in existence for over 50 years. A former Arthur Murray instructor, Skippy is world known for her critical annotation of all dances. The GSDTA will be offering two intensive courses (August 6-12 or August 26-30). All Steppers are invited to attend either course however a minimum of 10 Steppers much register through the ISA for either course to be conducted. All registrants will receive a one year membership to the ISA. After completion of the course work students will earn credits to take an exam for certification from the GSDTA.

The GSDTA has incorporated Steppin in their curriculum and is teaching Steppin rhythm patterns to world ranked instructors. This is your chance to be a part of the development of what is sure to be a dynamic curriculum for the future of Steppers internationally.


Interested participants should call in to the ISA conference call # 218-862-1000 on 18 April 2010. The access code: 307375#. The call will be recorded for those who are not able to phone in. The conference call will begin promptly at 7pm Eastern Standard Time and is open to all Steppers. Make sure you are a part of moving Steppin international and taking the first steps toward professionalizing your resume!