Management Board confirmed for a further two years
The 71st ordinary delegates' meeting of the Swiss Dancesport Association (STSV) took place on Saturday at the Bullingerhaus in Aarau. Delegates from 12 of the 17 affiliated dance sport clubs were informed about the association's activities in 2024 and the planned programmes for 2025. The Board of Directors, led by President Wal-ter Vogt, was unanimously granted discharge. The Board was then confirmed in office for a further two years.
Sporting highlights and popular sport promotion
Particular highlights in 2024 were three excellently organised Swiss championships in Conthey (VS), Baden (AG) and Wallisellen (ZH), which were each accompanied by festive ball evenings and attracted a dance-loving audience.
In addition to competitive and elite sport, the association places a strong focus on junior and popular sport. A central concern is the continuous further training of trainers - in cooperation with swissdance, among others. This is supported by the Jugend+Sport dance sport manual and digital modules that will be used both in training and directly in the clubs.
Solid finances, difficult search for sponsors
The 2024 annual accounts closed with a small profit, resulting in a slight increase in the association's assets. However, despite many efforts, no sponsor has yet been found at association level. The limited reach of dance sport is evidently a hurdle for potential partnerships with larger companies.
In view of this, the new Swiss Olympic funding concept planned for 2027 is a challenge: it provides for some disadvantageous changes for smaller associations. President Walter Vogt is actively committed to representing the interests of Swiss dance sport vis-à-vis Swiss Olympic and averting any impending cuts.
Tripartite structure in the Executive Board
The STSV Executive Board now works in three independent clusters with clear responsibilities:
- Governance & Organisation: Responsible, among other things, for the ongoing revision of the statutes, which is to be completed by 2025 (President & Officials/International Reporting)
- SportThe committee deals with topics such as the squad regulations, further training for coaches, the integration of children's dance teacher training with swissdance, the organisation of popular sports tournaments (also for solo dancers) in cooperation with the SDSC and the stronger establishment of Y+S in the clubs. (Sports organisation, competitive and popular sports)
- Marketing & Partnerships: Organises PR and marketing workshops for clubs, plans a dance camp, develops new merchandising products, creates image materials and a brochure on dance sport (marketing/communication & sponsoring, championships)
All measures are based on the Balanced Score Card, which serves as a strategic management tool for the association. The priorities for 2025 are a consistent continuation of the objectives from the previous year:
- Sport: promoting breadth, streamlining support concepts
- Market: Generate attention
- Finances: Winning new partners
- Developing potential: strengthening competences
- Processes: Clarify structures and requirements
Re-election of the Executive Board
The Executive Board will remain in office for a further two years with the same members:
- Walter Vogt (President)
- Brigitte Stäldi (Vice President, Sports Organisation)
- Oliver Baumann (competitive sport)
- Nadja Wullschleger (Y+S, popular sport)
- Gunar Haas (Officials, International Reporting)
- Henrik Kattrup (Sponsoring, Championships)
- Martin Zinser (Marketing, Communication)
Open positions
Three positions in the association are currently vacant. STSV clubs are requested to submit potential candidates in a timely manner:
- Two successors for the retiring auditors Dieter Stohler and Sandro Hürzeler
- A second delegate/second delegate for the umbrella organisation Swiss Dancesport Federation SDSF (alongside Joulia Egli, Geneva), which is directly affiliated to Swiss Olympic
The STSV Board would like to thank all those who have worked for Swiss dance sport over the past year and will continue to do so in the future. As already discussed at the dialogue day in Olten: the association lives from its clubs and their active members.
