FATD Ballroom Dancing

The Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing is the longest established dance teacher association in the Southern Hemisphere, having been established in Sydney in 1931 under the name of "The New South Wales Dancers Society" this name was changed to the more widely embracing Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing Australia in 1936, and further amended in 1937 with the addition of the words "and New Zealand."

The Association became incorporated in 1981, has a current membership in excess of 600, maintains a close relationship with the Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing in New Zealand (the former N.Z. branch granted independence in 1974) and is a foundation member body of the Australian Dancing Board.

The Federal Association exists principally to provide assistance with the education of those interested in dance. To this end the Association endeavours to :

Promote interest in and knowledge of dance in its various forms.
Adhere to, and foster through its syllabi, a comparatively uniform system of instruction built upon universally recognised technicalities of dance, with which to develop the dancer in both leisure time and competitive spheres, and prepare those in pursuit of a dance teaching career.
Promote the retention and upgrading of standards for dance educators.
Award to teachers of dance, certificates of qualification based upon assessment by examination.
Provide examination services for other organisations, and to utilise the examination facilities of other organisations, which are pertinent to the accreditation of specific subjects associated with dance education.

To this day, full membership of the Federal Association is available by examination only, to persons over the age of 18 years, in any one of seven dance disciplines covered by the Ballroom Faculty and the Theatre Dance Faculty.

Affiliate membership, which carries neither qualifications nor voting rights, is a prerequisite to applying to undertake an entrance (initial) examination or participation in the F.A.T.D. Public Liability Group Insurance Scheme.