USA Dance (LA Gumbo) Chapter #5031

About Us

The USA Dance LA Gumbo Chapter 5031 covers the Baton Rouge, Covington, Houma, Metairie, New Orleans, Slidell and communities in between. Our LA Gumbo Chapter's mission is to promote ballroom dancing in our communities and educate the public regarding the physical, mental and social benefits of ballroom dancing.

We promote and sponsor amateur ballroom dancing for competitors, social dancers and the general public. We seek to bring the joy and benefits of ballroom dancing to as many people as possible, including students in colleges and high schools.

USA Dance Inc is the National Governing Body for DanceSport in the United States and with more than 160 chapters throughout the country is also the representative organization for all social and recreational ballroom and Latin dancers in America, ranging from pre-schoolers to seniors. - See more at: http://usadance.org/about/our-national-mission/##sthash.kS8Cp6f1.dpuf.

The LA Gumbo Chapter 5031's Website is at URL usadancegumbo.org

OUR HISTORY" Suzanne Burke Jaubert felt she needed something as an oasis from the stressful life as a trial attorney, so she turned to ballroom. As her interest and proficiency increased, she chose to promote dancing in the New Orleans Area. So, in late 1998 and early 1999 she could be seen around dance events handing out flyers, encouraging dancers to join with her to start a USABDA chapter, now USA Dance. Her initiative paid off and on March 8, 1999, USABDA Chapter 5031, which is now the LA Gumbo chapter was officially certified and came to life. But, her vision for ballroom in South Louisiana did not stop with just having a chapter with monthly dances; she envisioned competitive ballroom and the chapter holding a Regional Championship and she led the way in that direction. Along with Saturday Night Ballroom's volunteer base and the pooled resources of both amateur and professional dancers, the first of what now has become the USA Dance Gumbo DanceSport Championships was held at the American Legion Hall in Baton Rouge on July 8, 2000.

LA Gumbo chapter is based out of the New Orleans area, but due to Hurricane Katrina's having relocated several of its members, it has become a regional chapter; serving the New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Mandeville and Houma areas. The chapter works with youth dance programs, providing assistance with instruction, dances and scholarships. Once a year the chapter holds a formal fundraising dance called "Gumbo Goes to the Ritz," complete with beautiful dance exhibitions. During National Ballroom Week, members from the chapter perform exhibitions at a mall in the New Orleans area. This is an active chapter that is always looking for interested volunteers.

Past presidents in the order in which they served:
Suzanne Burke Jaubert
Stanley Andrews
Ann Durocher
Lydia Cascio
Ed Fleischmann
Kerry Lovell
Jennifer Vaughn
Jenifer Ouffenberg
Jim Stevens
Ruby Shrieves