Rules of the Ballroom Dancers’ Federation Internatonal

5a. Applications for Affiliate Membership must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary to include a description of the activities of the association. The International Council of Directors reserves the right to accept or decline all applications for Affiliate Membership. 

5b. The members of Affiliated Associations/Organisations, Companies etc. will not be members of the Ballroom Dancers’ Federation International. One representative of an Affiliated Member is entitled to attend all General Meetings of the Federation and shall be entitled to one vote.

6. Every individual candidate for membership shall be proposed by a current member of the Federation and shall have an interest in the competitive dance world. Candidates nominated by a National Director of the BDFI shall automatically be accepted to individual membership. His/her full name, address and the name of the proposer shall be communicated in writing to the Membership Director who shall present these particulars to the International Council of Directors for ratification.

Thirty days must elapse from acceptance by the Membership Director before new members are entitled to vote.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

7. Every member shall pay on being admitted to the Federation the current annual subscription as indicated on the membership form, which will become due on the first day of March each year. Any members more than four months in arrears with their subscription will not be allowed to participate in any of the benefits arranged for members.

MANAGEMENT OF THE FEDERATION

8. The management of the Federation shall be entrusted to the International Council of Directors.

9. The International Council of Directors shall consist of the following Executive Directors: – Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Financial Director, Public Relations Director, Membership Director, Co-ordinating Director together with seven International Directors. The International Council of Directors shall be elected annually.

10. At all meetings of the International Council of Directors five shall form a quorum of which a minimum of three must be Executive Directors.

ELECTION OF NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORS

11. (a) Unopposed National Directors offering themselves for re-election shall be elected automatically. If the automatic re-election of any National Director is opposed, a vote shall be taken. That position shall be filled by the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast by members present and voting plus any postal votes received prior to the meeting in accordance with rule 11(b).

(b) National Directors of the Federation will be elected annually by those members of each respective nation attending the Annual General Meeting. Countries must have a minimum of 10 current members for a National Director to be elected. Nominations for the post of National Director must be received in writing by the Secretary 48 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nominees for the post of National Director must be resident in the country they may represent and have been members of the Federation for at least one year at the date of the election. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by current members of the Federation, who must reside in the same country as the candidate. Postal votes for nominated candidates will be accepted from current members unable to attend the AGM provided they are received in writing at the offices of the Federation no later than 28 days prior to the AGM. These postal votes will be added to those votes cast by members attending the AGM.

(c) Members will become eligible to vote in any election of the Federation following a period of 30 days after the acceptance of their membership application by the Membership Director.

12. (a) National Directors, whose country has a minimum of 25 members, are eligible for election to the International Council of Directors. Seven National Directors will be elected to the ICD at each AGM and the successful candidates will be known as International Directors.

(b) All nominees for the office of International Director must have been members of the Federation for at least one year at the date of the election. The International Directors shall be elected by those members of the Federation present and voting at the AGM.

(c) In the event of a tie, a further ballot will be held involving only those candidates concerned in the tie.

ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

13. (a) The Executive Directors shall be elected annually by the ICD.

(b) No member shall be eligible for the office of Chair, Vice-Chair, Financial Director or Membership Director, who has not previously served as a member of the ICD of the BDFI.

14. In the event of an International Director becoming an Executive Director, the vacant post will be filled by the candidate with the next highest number of votes in the election of International Directors.

15. Unfilled positions shall remain vacant until the next Annual General Meeting elections unless the International Directors consider it necessary to fill them in accordance with Rule 21.

16. (a) Upon the recommendation of the International Council of Directors, the Federation may elect at its Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary meeting an Honorary President or Honorary Vice-President either for life or such lesser period as may be determined by election.

(b) The International Council of Directors may recommend for election as Honorary President only those members who are considered to have rendered outstanding service to the Federation whilst serving on the International Council of Directors.

(c) The Honorary President shall by virtue of his or her office be a member of the International Council of Directors and shall be entitled to vote at International Council of Directors’ meetings.

POWERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF DIRECTORS

17. The International Council of Directors shall have the power to alter, delete or make additions to these rules as a temporary or emergency measure. Any alteration must be confirmed by a resolution carried by at least two-thirds of the members present and voting at the following Annual General Meeting, notice of which shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.

18. The International Council of Directors shall have the power to enter contracts with third parties on behalf of members of the BDFI.

19. The International Council of Directors shall have the power to elect Honorary International Directors or Honorary Executive Directors of the Federation.

20. The International Council of Directors may recommend for election as Honorary Life Member any person, who in their opinion has rendered services to the Federation. Any such recommendation to take effect shall be approved by a 75% majority of members present and voting at the Annual General Meeting.

21. The International Council of Directors is empowered to fill any vacancy within the Federation following the AGM or arising at a later date through resignation or retirement of a Director, such Directors to remain in office until the next AGM.

22. The International Council of Directors is empowered to co-opt members. All such co-opted members shall not have the power to vote at Council meetings.

23. The International Council of Directors shall have the power to suspend any member who shall offend against the Rules of the Federation or whose conduct shall, in the opinion of the Federation, render him/her unfit for membership of the Federation. Before any such member is suspended, the Secretary shall give him/her written notice to attend a meeting of the International Council of Directors, which notice shall contain particulars of the complaints made against him/her. No member shall be suspended without having the opportunity of appearing before the International Council of Directors and answering the complaints against him/her, but the member shall only have the right to appear before and be heard by the International Council if he/she gives notice of his/her desire to do so within 28 days form the date of being notified. Such suspension shall be confirmed at the next Annual General Meeting or General or Extraordinary Meeting following suspension.

24. If any circumstances affecting any member be brought under the notice of the International Council of Directors which, in their considered opinion, shall be likely to endanger the welfare, interests or good order of the Ballroom Dancers’ Federation International, the International Council of Directors shall have the power to remove the name of the alleged offender from the List of Members, subject to Rules 23, 30 and 31.

MEETINGS

25. An Annual General Meeting will be held, when the following business shall be conducted: –

(a) The presentation of the Chair’s Report.

(b) To receive and, if approved, adopt a Statement of the Federation’s Accounts for the Financial Year ending 28 February.

(c) The election of the National and International Directors.

(d) Any other business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary and included in the Notice of the Meeting.

26. Any proposition for consideration at the AGM must be submitted in writing to the Secretary no later than 48 days prior to the AGM 

27. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the International Council of Directors or shall be convened within 28 days on the requisition of 25% of the members in writing to the Secretary stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.

28. The Secretary shall at least 28 days before the Annual, General or Extraordinary General Meeting send to every National Director at his/her address in the Federation’s records a notice of the meeting stating the date when and the place where it will be held and the business to be conducted. It is the responsibility of the National Director to inform the members of the country he/she represents.

29. The business at a General Meeting shall be limited to that provided by these Rules and those further matters specified in the Notice convening the Meeting. The quorum at any General Meeting shall be five, of which a minimum of three must be Executive Directors.

EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

30. The Federation may expel any member at the Annual General Meeting, General or any Extraordinary General Meeting.

31. Any member, who in the opinion of the Federation, offends against the Rules of the Federation or who acts in such a manner as to bring the dance business into disrepute, will be required to resign from the Federation forthwith.

DCS/101221

Also see BDFI National Directors’ Responsibilities