DanceSport Australia's New President - Roybn Watts

Dear Members

Thank you! I'm genuinely excited and honoured that you've elected me to the National Council, and that the Council has now chosen me as your President.

I've been a passionate pro-am dancer for 27 years, and this has given me some of the most joyful and rewarding experiences of my life. I currently serve on the DSA NSW Board, and I've seen firsthand both the incredible dedication of our community and the potential that exists across Australian dancesport.

My professional background is in media and business leadership. I've spent 25 years as a CEO with organisations in the media like ABC Enterprises and Southern Star Group, and the past 17 years as Chair and Non-Executive Director across a range of companies and industry sectors. I'm a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. I share this to let you know what I can offer the DSA Council - strategic thinking, strong governance experience, and a track record of building organisations that thrive.

I believe our role as a governing body is to create the conditions where everyone in our dancesport community can flourish. Our dancers, coaches, adjudicators, competition organisers and studio owners deserve clear pathways, strong support, and real opportunities to build passions, careers and businesses they're proud of and which are sustainable.

So, what's ahead?

The Australian Sports Commission is asking all national sporting bodies to modernise their constitutions and governance structures. This is an excellent opportunity to revisit our foundations to ensure they are fit for our future development. Your Council is starting to work on this immediately to meet a tight July 2026 deadline.

We have the chance to develop a strong strategic plan for Australian dancesport: clear pathways for newcomers and elite performers, better accreditation and professional development, deeper relationships with international dancesport organisations, the broader sports sector and government and active industry development.

This is genuinely exciting work, but the DSA Council and Executive cannot do it alone. All of us need to work together: the Council, Executive, state branches, studios, and you, our members.

I'm looking forward to the conversations ahead, to hearing your ideas, and your help in building something we are all proud of.

Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank our outgoing President, Madeleine Zoanetti, for her dedication and service to DSA over the past two years. Leadership in volunteer organisations requires hard work and sacrifice, and we are grateful for everything she has contributed.