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DanceSport Defined |
Dancing Map
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DanceSport's
popularity has exploded over the last decade. What was once a social pastime, has
now evolved into a sporting culture that is flourishing around the world.
Competitors now range from 5 to 85 years old and from newcomers, who have never competed
before, to the most experienced professional. There are specific age categories for
children as well as specific categories for dance abilities so that the competitions are
most fair and enjoyable for everyone. Most people have seen one form or another of ballroom dancing, either through television or the movies, but one cannot grasp the true excitement of DanceSport without attending a competition. In Asia and Europe where DanceSport is very popular, top competitions are held in sold-out stadiums full of cheering fans and spectators. Even in Vancouver, hundreds of spectators annually attend the world famous and televised, Snowball Classic! The following is an excerpt from Dancescape: DanceSport world championships are held in
four specific disciplines: The top one or two couples from the IDSF member countries are invited to
take part in competitions. In Standard and Latin, up to 80 teams are reduced to six
through a series of elimination rounds, and each of the five disciplines in each round
lasts between one and a half to two minutes. There are never more than ten couples on the
floor in any round, and for the final, all six teams dance at the same time. Teams are judged on their performance in a number of areas including:
footwork technique, musical interpretation, floor craft, body lines, and basic rhythm and
timing. Music for all competitions except Formation is selected by the organisers
or the orchestra, and the competitors do not know what they will dance to, although rhythm
and tempo are governed by the rules. Tests conducted by sports physiologists at the
University of Freiborg show that the level of physical exertion and breathing rates during
one competition dance is equal to that of cyclists, swimmers, and 800 metre runners over a
similar period of time. There is no pyramid of events, and each championship stands alone,
without any progression to any overall championship. On September 8, 1997, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it had granted outright recognition to the International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF) as a "Recognized Federation" and full member of the IOC. Full membership in the IOC means a clear, final acceptance of DanceSport as a legitimate sport, but it is just the beginning of our Olympic hopes, because acceptance as a Recognized Sport does not mean that DanceSport competitors may now automatically compete in the Olympic Games. To gain that right, IDSF must satisfy the IOC that Dancesport can fulfill the many rigorous practical requirements for Olympic Medal Program Sports. In order to make DanceSport part of the 2008 Olympic Games (which is IDSF's present goal), IDSF must persuade the IOC to award Medal Program Sport status by September, 2001.
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