Something that came up (indirectly) in a conversation with one of the most generous dancers I know - the value of local dance associations. Within the geographic region that this site focuses on - generally the mid-Atlantic - we have WAMEDA, Baltimore Bellydance, Bellydance New York, Philly Raqs and NC Bellydance.
I’m interested in exploring is what these groups do (or don’t do) for you as dancers.
Anonymous | 15-Oct-04 at 7:56 am | Permalink
Local Dance Associations I am a member of WAMEDA and the Secretary. I have seen you at several events locally. WAMEDA promotes through dance, videos and live-in instruction the art of bellydance at it’s best and at the grassroots level. Through several of our members are professional dancers, WAMEDA welcomes all who want to learn or improve their knowledge of oriental dance. We host a vast library on professional performers and world class instruction via video tape on any and every aspect of the dance as well as sponsor several events throughout the year for the dancers and the dance community. We are online http://www.wameda.org and have just received our non-profit status. Our memberships encompasses Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia though we have members as far away as Alaska and Guam. Check us out, we don’t bite. Faydora
Anonymous | 20-Apr-05 at 8:43 am | Permalink
ex-member’s thoughts on Wameda… hi Faydora,
After being a Wameda member for mmm let’s see, almost 20 years(!), they lost me this spring.
Wameda did really serve a need when the dance community was “thin” but times have changed & I think Wameda needs a new direction. The ‘newsletter issue’ was also a BIG factor in my decision. I was tired of paying $50 a year to read stuff that just ticked me off…& the Skanktana article was the last straw. There are soooo many *great* people involved in Wameda, too many to name, but their efforts are almost obscured when you look through this “window to Wameda”.
Many members have been complaining for years that the annual Hafla is too expensive…especially when you see the same local dancers performing who you also see everywhere else; the one good suggestion I heard (years ago) & agree with was “why not make it an all-professional show”? There would stil be the Wameda Recital for anyone who wanted to dance -
But anyway there are soooo many dance opportunities now that Wameda could focus on something else. When I was deciding on whether to drop my membership this year, I emailed all the new Board members whose addresses I could find, asking what were their plans for Wameda this year so I could see if I wanted to support it. No response! Another big factor in my decision.
To their credit, Jaka, Verna & Jerry are trying to keep things going by reaching out to the membership & I’m sure many other officers are in their own areas, but otherwise Wameda’s starting to seem like a local club, great for the “in crowd” but not much to offer outlying members.
I’m not sure what “professional organizations” usually DO for their members, but Wameda needs to research that to make membership more relevant to everyone.