Dancesport

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.