In every part of the globe, there are people who are thrilled about the sport of dancing. The movement is not only fun and unites a variety of people, it is also a form of self-expression for our soul. Movement in general frees our minds from the negative thoughts and ballast that accompany us in our daily lives. That is one of the reasons why there are so many dancers who want to transform their beloved hobby into an actual occupation. But the dance business is not easy and very competitive. To get acknowledged and recognized, you have to prove yourself first and run through tough examinations. A way to earn recognition and climb up the ladder to success is to take part in prestigious international dance competitions. But what kind of competition is this, and what gets required?

One of these highly recognized competitions is the “Dance World Cup”. In this competition, children, teenagers, and young adults compete against each other and present their abilities to the public.
The DWC was founded by German dancer Korinna Soehn. She went to London, England, in 1972 and heard about a dance competition for “All England”. Since she had never heard about an event like this, she decided to participate herself. She was really successful, and she returned to Germany with a lot of glory on her side.

Inspired by this event, she organized the first German dance competition in Munich. Participants were students from dance schools all over the country. This new event was held biennially. When other countries like Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark heard about the foundation of this competition, they also wanted to join and sent their dancers to compete. In 2000, there was a Greek dance teacher under the judges. The teacher was so thrilled about the whole concept of the competition that she asked Soehn to organize a similar competition in her home country. Therefore, the Hellas Dance Festival was held in Greece’s capital, Athens, in 2001. Just like the German Dance Competition, it was also an international competition for children all around the world.

Moreover, the German Dance Competition started to spread throughout the years, with participants from many countries, including China and Russia. Then, in 2004, it was refined into the International Dance World Cup. The dancers came from ten different countries all over the world, including Mexico, Nigeria, and Israel. This first DWC was followed by many more and has become an annual event. It takes place in a different hosting country each year. This year (2024), it will be hosted in Prague, Czech Republic.

In general, more than 120,000 dancers perform annually in a variety of dance genres and compete for their home country. With esteemed judges and almost twenty years of experience, it is definitely one of the biggest competitions in the world of dance. The youngest dancer that competes is 4 years old, and the oldest is 25. They cover a lot of dance genres, including ballet, modern dance, contemporary dance, lyrical dance, jazz dance, street and hip-hop styles, as well as national dance.
Many doors are open to the winners of the competition, and their careers are most likely to flourish.

Another well-known dance competition that allows participants to compete against each other is the World Championships of Performing Arts. This established event takes place annually in Anaheim, California, United States of America. As the name already tells, this competition features not only dancers but all kinds of performers (singers, jugglers, circus acrobats, actors, and musicians). “Talent Olympics” is what the WCOPA also refers to. The final participants are chosen from countries all over the world on many different continents. With over 70 participating countries, these championships are one of the biggest in the world.
The judging in the subcompetition “Dance” is quite demanding, which is why only the best dancers are able to impress the recognized jury members. While the performance of the solo dancer or the dance group has to be technically correct, it has to be entertaining as well. This judging category, as well as the potential marketability of the performer, is what is really highly valued by the judges. There are four big factors in judging the performance: the originality of the material that you used, the presence that you showed on stage, your dance style along with your technique, and, of course, the entertainment value. Furthermore, for every dance genre, there are specific rules about the length of the music, the costumes, and also what to consider for the individual dances.

Sources:
https://wcopa.com/international-dance-competition/
https://dwcworld.com/home