USA Dance of Southern Nevada, formerly known as United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association of Southern Nevada (USABDA) began on March 17, 1991 by founder Susan Sheridan. Susan Sheridan, an amateur ballroom dancer since junior high school, was impressed by a special PBS Ballroom Dance show telecasted one evening. The show was provided by the National organization of USABDA to help promote amateur ballroom dancing and provide information on how to start a local chapter. Susan contacted the National association and gathered together the necessary information and fellow ballroom dancers to start a club. After the first two dances were held, Susan met with Donna Medrano, a professional ballroom dance instructor at UNLV, to discuss how they could help each other in ballroom dancing. Together they encouraged the UNLV dance students to attend the club dances. This provided the students a place to practice what they learned and the opportunity for the club membership to expand. Since that time dance students are asked to attend USA Dances as part of their ballroom dance class curriculum.

USA Dance club holds dances September to April at different local ballroom dance studios. USA Dance of So NV also holds a special Celebration Ball each September to promote National Ballroom Dance Week, Dance for the Cure against Breast Cancer in October, Holiday Ball in December and an Anniversary Dance in March. At these special events the club provides special spotlight performances, dance workshops, and on occasion live music by a band. The club holds special Mall Dances about twice a year to help promote ballroom dancing and showcase the club members to the general public. Free dance lessons are offered to anyone watching during these Mall events. During May to August months, club dances maybe held once or twice during the summer.

USA Dance club has been able to help promote and support the Desert Challenge Dancesport Collegiate Competition held each year in April. This event was started by Donna Medrano in 1991 with UNLV ballroom dance students and one or two colleges. Desert Challenge has continued under the direction of Gail Michel & Dennis Parsons, who have committed themselves to carry on the yearly tradition, in loving memory of Donna a fabulous teacher, dancer and friend, who died in 1998 of cancer. It has continued as her legacy for the local ballroom dance students. The competition has grown to provide the opportunity for more than 15 colleges and 350 competitors to compete in 2006.

USA Dance is a non-profit organization promoting ballroom dancing for all ages in our community.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 702-656-8690 or sonvusabda@aol.com

Website http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/ballroomdance