Professional Division taking DanceSports to new heights 10/07/2020

Over the past decade, the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF)’s Professional Division has grown beyond expectations to where it is now a solid part of the global governing body’s glittering array of offerings.

The WDSF Professional Division was established in 2010 when the International Professional DanceSport Council (IPDSC) was incorporated into the WDSF, then known as the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF). It was a big step, but one that gave DanceSport a new lease on life.

Before then, couples looking to become professional dancers had to migrate over to the IPDSF to take part in competitions. The merger allowed both professional and non-professional arms of DanceSport to grow with common aims and development programmes, taking the sport to new heights.

“There is now a bridge between the two divisions, so they don’t have to make a choice between one or the other,” explained Peter Maxwell, the inaugural IPDSC president and Honorary WDSF Professional Division Life President. 

“With the IPDSC incorporated into the WDSF, it has the benefits of being part of a big, well-run federation,” he continued, adding that the collaboration has resulted in some exciting new developments, including Street Latin, the brainchild of WDSF President Shawn Tay.

“The WDSF has run some experimental styles that have been very, very, successful. For example, Street Latin, which is couples doing what they do in their regular clothing. The issue is whether it maintains the same structure or whether it develops into something different.”

Much of the growth and development of the Professional Division can be put down to the work of Verena Sulek, who was appointed as the first WDSF PD Director in 2013.

Under her guidance the Professional Division has grown to 52 registered member bodies, with over 770 registered Professional Division dancers. In addition, 411 WDSF adjudicators have gained their Professional Division adjudicators licence.

“The last 10 years have been marked by the building up of the professional base and widening of the previous understanding of DanceSport by introducing new dancing disciplines, such as Breaking, Salsa, Disco, Hip Hop,” Sulek said.

“During the first few years the growth was significant, and it has now been stabilised at the level of over 50 WDSF National Member Bodies registered with the Professional Division, and with around 700 active athletes in Standard and Latin disciplines.”

Helping the Professional Division establish itself in the hearts of DanceSport fans was the development of the World Championships that began in 2007 with three classes – Latin, Standard and Ten Dance.

Since then it has grown to the extent that all five classes – Latin, Standard, Ten Dance, ShowDance Latin and ShowDance Standard – now have their own individual World Championships, along with World Championships in Standard and Latin at the Masters’ level.

This has allowed the sport to develop to the extent that the traditional powerhouses of Italy and Russia, who claimed all but one of the first 18 gold medals on offer over the first six editions, are now being challenged by couples from across the world.

This was demonstrated at the 2016 World Championships, where for the first time five different countries – Austria, Canada, Denmark, Lithuania, and Russia – provided the five gold medallists.

“We cannot say that dancing in PD is technically different, but it is, at least at the highest level, more mature,” Sulek said.

“The top professional athletes have already been – some of them many times – WDSF World Champions in Standard and Latin. They are very experienced, aged 30 and above, and being more mature dancers means that the emphasis is on the harmony of movement, balance, and music, rather than speed and power.”

For the moment the Professional Division, like all DanceSport disciplines, is working out how to move forward in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A decision on when competition will resume has yet to be made, and the advice – as well as the restrictions – differs from country to country.

Even so, Maxwell, a man who developed a love of dancing after being introduced to it by his parents’ lodgers, is confident the WDSF will ensure that when DanceSport does return it will continue its impressive work with the Professional Division. 

“The WDSF acted very quickly and that is in both divisions,” he said, referring to the measures the organisation has taken during the pandemic, which include reducing expenditures and securing an interest-free loan from the WDSF’s bank, UBS. The loan is partially guaranteed by the Swiss government and has the strong support of the International Olympic Committee. 

“As an organisation they are very together and will be able to flick a switch and be back to operating,” Maxwell continued.

“It was incumbent on the WDSF to create a Professional Division. That was the intention and it is getting there. It is not the easiest or quickest process, so it is still very much in development. It is not a quick fix and know it will be a long-term thing, but it is growing.”