International Dance Teachers Association

Overview

Operating internationally, the IDTA is one of the largest dance teaching organisations in the world and currently has over 7,000 members in 55 countries. The IDTA is a recognised awarding organisation, recognised by the national qualifications regulators in England and Wales, Ofqual and the Council for Dance Education and Training, and is also affiliated to the British Dance Council, the Central Council of Physical Recreation and the Theatre Dance Council International. The IDTA also works in partnership with the Royal Academy of Dance. It publishes their magazine for members Dance International six times a year.

History

The International Dance Teachers Association was formed in 1967 as the result of a merger between the Dance Teachers' Association (DTA), and the International Dancing Masters Association (IDMA). Both these organisations were themselves formed from the merging of older dance teaching associations, with the earliest being established in 1903. The IDTA subsequently celebrated its centenary in 2003.

The earliest predecessor of today's IDTA was the Manchester and Salford Association of Teachers of Dancing, founded in 1903. This later became known as the Empire Society, (ESTD), in 1938. In 1920, another group of teachers in Birmingham formed the Midland Association of Teachers of Dancing (MATD), which eventually merged with the Empire Society in 1961 to form the Dance Teachers' Association.

In the early post-World War I years, a number of other small dance organisations were formed: the English Dancing Masters Association (EDMA), the Premier Association of Teachers of Dancing (PATD), the Universal Association of Dane Teachers (UADT), and the Yorkshire Association of Dancing Masters (YADM). These four organisations merged in 1930 to form the International Dancing Masters' Association.

The final merger of these organisations in 1967, saw the creation of today's International Dance Teachers' Association.

Dance styles

The IDTA is divided into two distinct branches, the Theatre Branch branch and the Ballroom dance. Each of these two sectors covers a range of dance styles, each with an elected faculty committee that oversee the standards and development of the discipline. The IDTA offers the following dance subjects:

Ballroom faculties

• Ballroom - Foxtrot, Quickstep, Slow Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz
• Freestyle
• Latin - Argentine Tango, Bachata, Cha Cha Cha, Jive, Mambo, Merengue, Paso Doble, Rumba, Salsa, Samba
• Musical Theatre
• Sequence dance - Saunter, Two Step, Tango, East Coast Swing, Gavotte, old time waltz, blues

Associations

From 1 October 2006, the IDTA began a new association with the London-based Royal Academy of Dance. A press release issued to members of each organisation stated that "the two organisations would embark on a process of working together for the future of dance and to the mutual benefit of their members in both teacher education and training and examinations".

As a result of this association, registered teachers of the IDTA theatre dance branch are admitted as teacher members of the RAD and vice versa, teachers of the RAD are admitted to membership of the theatre branch of the IDTA. Whilst the new association is not a merger, it is intended that it will develop co-operation between the two organisations and mutual recognition of the training and qualifications that they both provide. It is also expected that in the future, both the IDTA and RAD will begin to work together, providing new training and development opportunities for members and students of both organisations.

Notable people

Ballroom branch

• Guy Howard – Former dancer and teacher of Ballroom Dance and author of "Technique of Ballroom Dancing"
• Walter Laird – Former dancer and teacher of Latin American Dance and author of "Technique of Latin American Dancing"
• Len Goodman – Former Ballroom Dance Champion, now a teacher, examiner and adjudicator. Goodman is head judge on the BBC1 series Strictly Come Dancing
• Bassam Hanafi – The only Canadian Professional Examiner appointed by IDTA board.