VISION 2012

Restructure of WDSF

50 years had passed since the founding of the International DanceSport Federation (under its previous name International Council of Amateur Dancers). When IDSF held its 2007 Congress in Barcelona, Spain, it was the International Olympic Committee Honorary President, the late Juan Antonio Samaranch (1920 - 2010), who delivered the anniversary address.

“IDSF is an organisation that has reached its maturity. This requires sometimes changes. Criteria need to be updated, and the challenges imposed by the media society must be accepted.”

J.A Samaranch
IDSF Ambassador at Large

J.A. Samaranch's advice to the delegates was acted upon immediately. VISION 2012, the ambitious development plan that called DanceSport’s world governing body redefine its mission to serve an even broader constituent base was presented at the same Congress. The Annual General Meeting, held on the following day, mandated the Presidium to prepare for such a restructure over the coming years, with the aims of making DanceSport a more encompassing brand and of IDSF assuming a new identity.

On 19 June 2011, the IDSF General Meeting in Mamer, Luxembourg, unanimously carried the motion presented by the Presidium to change to name of the organisation to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF). Consistent with the aims of the VISION 2012 development programme, the federation chooses to carry "world" in its name to further emphasise the global character of DanceSport.

The same General Meeting also admitted three Associate Members under the terms of a new Associate Membership Agreement. The bonds between the

• World Rock 'n' Roll Confederation 
• United Country and Western Dance Council
• World Baton Twirling Federation

and WDSF have been strengthened considerably, with each Associate Member now represented on the WDSF Presidium.

Much has been accomplished already ... More will need to be done. In 2012 and beyond!