Dancesport

People dance to win prizes.

They move to a beat. Most dancers work in pairs. Some dance all alone. Some dance in groups.

This is called dancesport. It is a real sport. It takes a lot of work. Dancers must train hard. Their hearts beat very fast.

Some styles are called Latin. Others are called Standard. One style is breaking. Breaking is a solo dance.

Groups help dancers compete. They can dance in teams. This is called formation dance. Some dancers use wheelchairs.

Breaking was in the Olympics. It was in Paris. It was a big deal. Dancing is a great sport!

Dancesport is a way to compete through dance. It is different from dancing for fun at a party. People can dance in pairs or as a group. Some styles, like breaking, are done alone. There is even Para dancesport for people in wheelchairs.

There are many styles to learn. Some are called International Standard. Others are called Latin American. In Latin styles, dancers move with a lot of energy. Some competitions group people by age. You might see a juvenile group for kids under 12. Older dancers compete in senior groups.

Dancesport is very hard work. It is a real test of the body. A study showed that dancers' hearts beat very fast. This is because the movement is so heavy. It takes a lot of power to dance well.

Some dances have reached the Olympics. Breaking made its debut in Paris in 2024. This was the first dancesport style in the Summer Olympics. Groups like the World DanceSport Federation help run these big events.

Dancesport is a way for people to compete through dance. It is not just dancing for fun at a party or a show. This activity includes many styles like Ballroom, Hip Hop, and Breaking. Most people dance in couples, but some styles are done alone. There are also group dances where many people move together. Even Para dancesport exists, where at least one dancer uses a wheelchair.

Dancing at a high level is a very hard job for the body. It requires a lot of energy and strength. In 1988, researchers in Australia studied how much energy dancers use. They found that dancers' hearts beat very fast during a competition. For example, male dancers had heart rates around 170 beats per minute. Female dancers had even higher heart rates, often near 179 beats per minute. This kind of movement is considered extremely heavy exercise.

There are many rules that dancers must follow during a match. In Ballroom dancesport, there are four main styles to learn. These include International Standard and International Latin American. There are also American Smooth and American Rhythm styles. Music is kept secret until the event begins. The music must have a steady beat and last between 90 seconds and two minutes. Most dances allow many moves, but the Viennese waltz has only seven specific figures.

Rules and groups help organize these big competitions. Groups like the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) help run the events. The WDSF was founded in 1957 as the ICAD. Another group, the World Dance Council (WDC), grew from a group formed in 1950. Competitions often group people by their age or their skill level. You might see a juvenile group for children under 12 years old. Other groups include youth for ages 16 to 19 or seniors over 65.

Some parts of dancesport have even reached the Olympic Games. The WDSF was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1997. For a long time, people wondered if ballroom dancing would ever be included. In 2018, breaking was added to the Youth Olympics. Finally, breaking made its official debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. It took place at the Place de la Concorde. This was the first dancesport style to ever appear in the Summer Olympics.

Dancesport is the term used for competitive dancing. It is distinct from social dancing or exhibition performances. The term covers many different dance disciplines. These include Ballroom, Hip Hop, Breaking, Boogie Woogie, and Acrobatic Rock'n'Roll. While most disciplines involve couples, some are performed solo. For example, Breaking is a solo style. Other styles, like Formation dance, involve groups. Para dancesport is also a category where at least one dancer uses a wheelchair.

In Ballroom dancesport, competitions follow specific styles. There are four main categories. Two belong to the International Style: International Standard and International Latin American. The other two belong to the American Style: American Smooth and American Rhythm. These categories apply to both individual couples and formation dance groups. Some organizations, like USA Dance, also offer solo events. In these, individuals compete without a partner. They are judged on their form and the execution of their technique.

Competitive dancing follows strict rules to ensure fairness. In many competitions, the music remains confidential until the event begins. The music must follow a strict tempo. For couples, the music duration is between 90 seconds and two minutes. Most dances allow for creative choreography. However, the Viennese waltz is an exception. It has defined choreography limited to seven specific figures. Lifts are generally not permitted, except in Show Dance titles. In finals, judges use a skating system. They mark dancers on timing, footwork, rise and fall, alignment, direction, and floor craft.

International organizations regulate these competitions. The World Dance Council (WDC) is the legal successor to the International Council of Ballroom Dancing, formed in 1950 in Edinburgh. The WDC has a World Dance Sport Committee for professionals and a World Social Dance Committee for teachers. The World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) is the governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The WDSF was founded in 1957 as the International Council of Amateur Dancers (ICAD). It changed its name to the International DanceSport Federation in 1990. In 2011, it became the World DanceSport Federation to show its global reach.

Competitions organize dancers by age and experience. Age groups include juvenile (under 12), junior (12–16), and youth (16–19). Older categories include adult, senior I (over 35), senior II (over 45), senior III (over 55), and senior IV (over 65). Dancers are also grouped by skill. These levels include Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Pre-Amateur, and Amateur. These levels often correspond to the number of dances performed. Beginners perform one dance, while Amateurs perform five. Some competitions use grades from A to E, where A is Amateur and E is Beginner.

Dancing at a high level is physically demanding. An Australian study in 1988 measured the energy used by competitive dancers. Researchers recorded heart rates and oxygen consumption. For male dancers in the Standard division, the average heart rate was 170 beats per minute. In Latin American, it was 168 beats per minute. Female dancers had higher heart rates, averaging 179 beats per minute in Standard and 177 in Latin American. Exercise is classified as extremely heavy if the heart rate exceeds 150 beats per minute. This shows that dancesport requires elite athleticism.

Dancesport has a complex relationship with the Olympic Games. The WDSF was recognized by the IOC on September 5, 1997. Since then, many organizations changed their names to include the word "sport." While ballroom dancing was not in the 2008 or 2012 Olympics, breaking was included in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics. Breaking finally made its official debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The competition took place at the Place de la Concorde. This marked the first dancesport discipline to appear in Summer Olympic history.