About Us

Open Organization
ICBDA is an independent, open organization of teachers and dancers dedicated to Choreographed Ballroom Dancing. There are currently over a thousand members of ICBDA worldwide.

All Volunteers
All ICBDA Officers, Board of Directors and Committees are unpaid volunteers, as are all Convention staff members. No one receives remuneration for any service.

The Conventions
The first Convention was held in 1977 where 238 teacher/dancer couples joined and formed our organization. An immediate commitment was made to be responsible for a National (now International) Convention each year.

ICBDA has continually stressed and supported the improvement of all levels of dancing. Lower level dancing is more than adequately provided for at other events, therefore the annual ICBDA Convention was, and is, intended to satisfy the needs of the High Intermediate to Advanced dancers. Since 1992, the Convention guidelines have suggested/mandated that dance routines programmed be:
Phase Level VI, 48%
Phase Level V, 37%
Phase Level IV, 15%
(+/-3%).
Phase level refers to degree of difficulty. Phase IV is generally considered intermediate and phase VI routines have the highest level of difficulty.

When the Convention facility is large enough, the annual Convention provides three teaching halls (for Phase IV, V, VI) and two dancing halls (Phase III, IV, V and Phase IV, V, VI).

Education
The annual International ICBDA Convention offers dance clinics, figure clinics, and dance teaches. ICBDA also sponsors an Educational Seminar the day preceding the main event. Attendance at Educational Seminars, led by the most knowledgeable in the Choreographed Ballroom world, is open to both teacher and dancer at no added cost.

Technical Dance Manual
Available through the organization at no charge on the ICBDA Member site, an ICBDA Technical Dance Manual, with supplements, is constantly being updated by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). It is unique, useful and remarkably different with features not found in any other dance publication. Download Sample Manual Pages.

National Carousels
In 1998, by amendment to the Bylaws, ICBDA absorbed the National Carousel Clubs organization and established a National Carousel Committee with an appointed chaircouple. NCC leaders submit monthly reports of dances taught and favorite dances. These reports are available in the member section of this ICBDA web site.

Newsletter
Members of ICBDA receive newsletters throughout the year, at no extra cost. ICBDA, National Carousel, and other organizational news plus items from around the dancing world are included. The volunteer editors strive to maintain the publication as a useful and open forum.