A checklist for organizations
The International Dance Council CID receives often complaints regarding events proposed by organizations claiming national or international status.
The following checklist has been compiled to help distinguish between real and fictitious non-profit organizations.
1. Does the “organization” have a legal status, offices, salaried staff, a budget, a bank account, a long history?
2. Is it accredited by government agencies or independent authorities?
3. Who are its leaders, do they have sufficient credentials, have they been elected by a General Assembly, how many members voted?
4. Ask for printed material and signed documents to be mailed to you. Do not rely on email messages or websites, especially when they do not feature names, phone numbers and street addresses, not PO boxes.
5. Check their website for a legal office address, names and addresses of elected officers, past activities, list of active members. Check its visits counter.
6. Ask: Are they open to new voting members? What are their resources? How do they cover office expenses?
7. Remember:
– Anyone can found his own “organization” with an impressive name, a website and ambitious goals – there is no law against it.
– There are many so-called organizations that are actually a disguised business run by a single person operating from his home.
– Very few organizations claiming international status have a large number of members, official recognition, democratically elected officers and employees to operate a real secretariat.
– Many business companies deceive customers by calling them “members”; members vote for their leadership, customers don’t.
8. Titles (diplomas, certificates, prizes, degrees, championships etc.) issued by private organizations do not have legal value unless recognized by state agencies.
9. Before registering for an event (festival, workshop, competition etc.) check if it is organized by a competent organization with a legal address. Ask for a receipt of payment.
10. Read about fraudulent conference announcements in the website of the Union of International Associations: www.uia.be/node/46358
Ask embarrassing questions, real organizations are not afraid of them.
International organizations in dance
A partial list compiled by the
International Dance Council CID, UNESCO, Paris
Arthur Murray Dance Studios
Asian DanceSport Federation
Asian Professional DanceSport Council
Association of International Dance Teachers
Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing
Confederacion Interamericana de Danza
Dance Alliance
European Dance Sport Federation
Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios
Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
International Association of Blacks in Dance
International Association for Dance Medicine and Science
International Cheer Union
International Dance Association
International Dance Federation – South Africa
International Dance Federation
International Dance Federation of India
International Dance Organization
International Dance Sport Association
International Dance Teachers’ Association
International Dance Union
International DanceSport Federation
International Federation of Modern Dance Sports
International Hustle Dance Association
International Ministers of Dance Alliance
International Professional DanceSport Council
International Tap Association
National Dance Education Organization
Professional Dancers Federation
Professional World Council of Dance
Theatre Dance Council International
United Kingdom Alliance
United Country Western Dance Council
USA Dance
World Dance Alliance – Americas
World Artistic Dance Federation
World Dance Allicane – Asian Pacific
World Dance Alliance – Europe
World DanceSport Federation
World Country Dance Federation
World Dance Council
World Dance Movement
World Federation of Ballroom Dancers
World Salsa Federation
World Swing Dance Council
http://idsa.com.ua/edsf
http://cheerunion.org
http://idsa.com.ua
http://dance.different.hu
http://pdfusa.org
www.worlddancesportfederation.
http://worlddancemovement.com
http://swingdancecouncil.com