UCWDC: A Brief History

Posted By Linedance NZ

6 July 2024

Who are the UCWDC ? : A Brief History of the World's largest line dance organisation...

The United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) is dedicated to promoting and organising competitive country/western dancesport events. These events, sanctioned by the UCWDC, take place in more than two dozen cities across the United States as well as internationally in Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Belgium, Malaysia, Ireland, Japan, China, South Africa, and Lithuania.

The UCWDC operates through a network of event directors, who own regional dance-competition events worldwide. These directors are overseen by a board of directors, responsible for maintaining standardized operations, competition formats, judging criteria, scoring, and comprehensive rules for all competitors. Dancers compete at regional events throughout the year to qualify for the prestigious UCWDC Country Dance World Championships held annually.

Origins

The UCWDC was founded in 1989 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, in 1990. The release of the movie Urban Cowboy in 1980, starring John Travolta, significantly influenced the popularity of country/western dance in the United States. The film's depiction of country/western culture and dance competitions led to a surge in the popularity of country/western dance and the establishment of numerous nightclubs dedicated to this style.

In response to the growing popularity of country/western dance competitions, 21 event owners gathered in Grantville, Pennsylvania, in 1989. Their goal was to create a national organization with standardized rules, teaching methods, judging criteria, and competition formats, resulting in the creation of the UCWDC.

UCWDC Country Dance World Championships

The UCWDC Country Dance World Championships, known as "Worlds," is the pinnacle of the competition season, awarding world championship titles to individuals, couples, and dance teams from around the globe. Since its inception in 1993, Worlds has been held annually, except for 2021, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though primarily held in the United States, the event has also been hosted in Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Worlds is the largest event on the UCWDC calendar, with over 7,000 entries in 2023.

Adjudication

The UCWDC has a rigorous judge training and certification program to ensure consistency and credibility in judging. Candidates must pay training fees, adhere to a code of conduct, and maintain their credentials as UCWDC adjudicators. The Vice President of Rules oversees the certified judges, maintains a pool of qualified judges, and sets judging standards.

Competition Divisions

UCWDC competitors must hold a current associate membership and can compete in various divisions, including couples, line dance, teams, ProAm, ProPro, cabaret, or showtime. These divisions are further divided by skill level and age, with competition occurring through a system of "heats."

Couples Competition

In couples competition, one partner leads (usually male) and the other follows (usually female). Leads wear a numbered pin on their back for identification by judges. Couples can compete in Classic or Showcase styles, with Classic requiring improvisation to a DJ's choice of song and Showcase involving choreographed routines to specific songs.

Couples compete at different skill levels:

• Syllabus: Beginner with strict movement and dress-code constraints.
• Division IV: Beginner with an expanded range of dance patterns.
• Division III: More advanced than Division IV.
• Division II: For couples with strong dance skills and experience.
• Division I: For dancers with exceptional skills and experience.
• Masters: Highest level for dancers 18 and above.
• Crown: Highest level for dancers 40 and above.
• Crown Plus: For dancers 55 and above.
  
  

Age Divisions

ProAm and ProPro Competition

ProAm couples consist of a professional dancer and a student, with the student generally paying the professional. ProPro couples are formed by two professional dancers, typically with one acting as the senior instructor. Students in these divisions wear a numbered pin on their back, and they compete at levels matching their skills and experience.

ProAm and ProPro skill levels include:

• Syllabus: Beginner with strict movement and dress-code constraints.
• Newcomer: Beginner with an expanded range of dance patterns.
• Novice: More advanced than Newcomer.
• Intermediate: For those with strong dance skills and experience.
• Advanced: For dancers with exceptional skills and experience.
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ProAm and ProPro Age Divisions

Find out more about the United Country and Western Dance Council (UCWDC) here: https://ucwdc.org