Global DanceSport Community Unites in Vision and Growth at the 2026 WDSF Global Forum
The 2026 WDSF Global Forum convened this week, bringing together delegates, officials, and partners from across the globe to chart the future of DanceSport. Opened by WDSF President Shawn Tay, alongside 1st Vice-President and Vice-President for Sport Nenad Jeftic and General Secretary Sergey Nifontov, the Forum celebrated landmark achievements in governance, digital transformation, and competitive growth.
Strategic Governance and Digital Milestone
The Forum opened with a momentous announcement: Seychelles DanceSport Association has been officially introduced as the newest National Member Body (NMB) and will proudly mark WDSF 100th member body once all procedures are formally completed.
This expanding footprint aligns with unprecedented global engagement. The WDSF achieved a historic peak of 22,878 athlete licences this year. Furthermore, the federation’s commitment to transparency and excellence was validated by the ARISF Governance Review, which placed the WDSF in the prestigious A1 Performance Category, ranked third among all international federations.
On the digital front, the WDSF website has experienced exponential growth since its revamp for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Key digital developments highlighted include:
- Enhanced Ticketing & Accommodation: Successful integrations on the website via partnerships with Atos and SportsXpert.
- Live Competition Schedule: Launched successfully for the first time at the 2026 WDSF DanceSport Festival in Blackpool, allowing fans worldwide to follow real-time event updates.
- Media Exposure: An emphasis on high-quality livestreaming and social media content as a critical pillar for global media exposure.
Safeguarding and Judging Excellence
Isabelle Tay, WDSF Safeguarding Officer, delivered a vital address on fostering secure environments, stating:
"Federations with strong safeguarding cultures retain more athletes, potentially attract more investment, and earn more trust."
To structuralise this vision, a new four-step national activation proposal was announced:
- Nominate a Safeguarding Focal Point (plus a backup contact) from each of WDSF National Member Bodies interested.
- Ensure the Focal Point attends dedicated WDSF safeguarding education.
- Review national reporting pathways.
- Apply basic safeguarding readiness at the national level.
The afternoon session also addressed technical integrity, with Nenad Jeftic and the Adjudicators Commission leading an insightful discussion on Judging Excellence, Integrity, and AI-Based Assessment.
Discipline Development and New Horizons
The WDSF continues to diversify its competitive landscape. DanceSport Development Disciplines Commission Chair Judith Martinez Akesson noted an influx of requests to incorporate new disciplines. Regarding Hip Hop Freestyle, she emphasized that as the discipline grows, so must its adjudicators; comprehensive educational programmes are currently underway to train qualified officials for future Hip Hop Freestyle events. General Secretary Sergey Nifontov highlighted the incredible opportunity presented by the upcoming WDSF World Championships (1vs1, 2vs2, and Team) taking place at the Adidas Arena in Paris this December.
Other key discipline updates included:
- Disco and Stage Dance: Presented by Antoni Czyzyk and PZST Vice-President Magdalena Czarnocka-Kaptur.
- Caribbean Dances: FEBD President Luis Vañó highlighted the significant growth of the discipline ahead of the World Championships in Alicante this October.
- American Smooth: Patricia Jofré presented an exciting new project in collaboration with the USDSF, Colombia, and Argentina, targeting a first official Pan-American Championship by late 2027.
- FitKid: Luis Vañó introduced this high-energy discipline combining dance, acrobatics, jumps, and musicality, which has gained strong traction within the Spanish Federation.
- Rock and Roll: The Forum congratulated Marina Eskolin on her election as the new President of the WRRC and WDSF Presidium Member. After her appointment WDSF team had the opportunity to speak with her in an exclusive interview that you can read here.
Addressing athlete welfare within scheduling, President Shawn Tay urged for more manageable competition timelines, advocating that "less is more" to ensure athletes can genuinely enjoy and perform at each event, a sentiment echoed by the Medical Commission speakers, Brigita Domarkaite and Jana Hradilova, who emphasized the necessity of nutritional and rest education for officials and athletes alike.
The Magic of Blackpool and Global Partnerships
A core highlight of the Forum focused on the resounding success of the 2026 WDSF DanceSport Festival in Blackpool, a massive successful event that is set to return to the city from 6–9 May 2027.
"Blackpool brings back great and familiar memories to everyone of us here," remarked President Shawn Tay. "Everything transforms once you step on the Empress Ballroom of the Winter Gardens."
The 2026 edition featured an impressive 36 events (including 22 new events) drawing 1,400 athletes from 52 countries.
A distinguished panel, including Blackpool Council’s Lynn Williams and Joe Farrell, alongside Cristian Caballero from Vivaro Media, discussed the event's deep cultural integration. Lynn Williams noted Blackpool's bid for the 2029 City of Culture, emphasizing DanceSport as part of the city’s identity. Sergey Nifontov shared a historic parallel, noting that the Empress Ballroom opened in 1896, the exact same year as the first modern Olympic Games, a fact that serves as a reflection of where WDSF comes from and where it has its sights set.
Digital Frontiers: Olympic Esports and Social Media
The afternoon session turned toward global visibility, celebrating the exponential growth of WDSF social media channels and the power of athlete-driven storytelling, highlighting the inspiring journeys of athletes like Sahra Inamlik and Andrea Pulikkottil, whose exclusive stories are available to discover at WDSF website.
In a landmark moment, President Shawn Tay and Kibong Kook, President of Sidewalk’s STEPIN, signed an official contract establishing a strategic partnership. This innovative E-sports platform aligns with the IOC's creation of the Olympic Esports Games. STEPIN will provide the WDSF with a new digital dance platform to engage younger audiences, particularly in booming Asian markets.
"WDSF and STEPIN have a bright future together, following the footsteps of the Olympic movement and the new generations who are the future of DanceSport," stated Shawn Tay.
The Road to Chengdu, Dakar, and Beyond
The Forum celebrated the major impact of Latin, Standard, and Breaking at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, looking ahead to the 2029 edition in Karlsruhe, Germany. President Shawn Tay extended warm congratulations to Anna Arzhanova on her election as President of the International World Games Association (IWGA).
Finally, the WDSF Breaking Core Group, Max Oliveira, Bojin Chen, and Martin Gilian, reviewed a packed global calendar, from the successful World Breaking DanceSport Festival in January in Brisbane to the upcoming World Championships in Chengdu and Paris, the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The division celebrated key milestones, including the IOC’s appointment of Hiro10 as an Athlete Role Model, and the historic introduction of Mark Kaweesi and Elvina Vee Da Silva to the Breaking Core Group as its first African representatives.
Summarizing the unstoppable momentum of the discipline, Max Oliveira concluded:
"From the Bronx to Buenos Aires, from Buenos Aires to Paris, from Paris to Dakar, from Dakar, hopefully, to Brisbane 2032, and from there, to a non-stop generation after generation."
A United Path Forward
The 2026 Global Forum concluded with an engaging open-floor session, allowing delegates from all corners of the world to exchange ideas, address shared challenges, and align their local strategies with the WDSF’s global vision. The insights and collaborations forged during this Forum underscore a resilient, modern, and unified community. As the WDSF steps into the future, it does so with a clear roadmap that beautifully balances the rich heritage of traditional disciplines with pioneering digital innovations, ensuring that DanceSport continues to inspire and captivate generations to come.
DanceSport community is encouraged to closely follow tomorrow the highly anticipated 2026 WDSF Annual General Meeting, which will be broadcast live from the official WDSF YouTube channel.
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