08/24/2026
God bless you Mr. Dennis! One of a kind 🙏🏼
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dennis Rogers — an icon in American ballroom dance and longtime Treasurer of the National Dance Council of America — on August 22, 2026.
A former professional ballroom dancer, coach, choreographer, National and World Class Adjudicator, and Chairman of Judges, Dennis began performing as a child, tap dancing alongside his twin brother from the age of four. His path took an unexpected detour through the sciences: a mathematics scholarship, a stint working at a nuclear reactor, and a college course load so heavy in physics and chemistry that he graduated with his pick of scientific majors. That same rigor and precision would come to define his decades of service to the dance world.
Over more than fifty years, Dennis served the NDCA in nearly every capacity: as a delegate beginning in1963, President from 1971 to 1972, Second Vice-President from 1989 to 1992, and Treasurer from 1992 until his passing — alongside many years as Chairman of Judges at all Major US Championships. His contributions to the sport were recognized with the DBDC's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, Honorary Life Membership in the National Dance Council of America in 2019, and induction into the United States Dance Sport Hall of Fame in 2000.
Brilliant, exacting, and deeply beloved across the ballroom community, Dennis leaves behind an immeasurable void in the lives of everyone he touched. He is survived by his wife, Jackie; and his Nephews, Don, Dave, Danny & Keith; and his Niece, Danielle. Information regarding his memorial will be shared as soon as it is available.
