Expanding Horizons: New Disciplines and Successful Title Events Presented at WDSF Forum 2025
Bucharest, Romania – 14 June 2025 – In one of the most energizing sessions of the WDSF Forum 2025, delegates and federation leaders gathered to explore the development of new DanceSport disciplines, a strategic initiative led by the WDSF DanceSport Discipline Development Commission and General Secretary Sergey Nifontov. These disciplines—ranging from Hip Hop to Stage Dance and Caribbean—are already generating outstanding results, both in terms of participation and impact on National Member Bodies.
The presentation was supported by video highlights from recent official title events and testimonials from federations that have successfully hosted them. The message was clear: these disciplines are not only thriving, but they are attracting a new generation of athletes and creating sustainable growth for federations across Europe and beyond.
A Worldwide Showcase of Growth
The session highlighted a series of recent and upcoming WDSF title events across Salsa and Bachata, Hip Hop, Stage Dance, and Disco Dance. Each discipline was introduced with a dedicated video presentation, offering a vivid glimpse into the atmosphere, scale, and success of these championships. These visual showcases captured the diversity and dynamism of the new disciplines, underlining their growing significance within the WDSF framework.
World Championship Salsa & Bachata – Spain 2024
Luis Vañó, President of the Spanish DanceSport Federation, highlighted the symbolic value of this first time European based edition:
“Caribbean disciplines like Salsa and Bachata connect deeply with local cultures and social dance communities. Hosting these championships in new countries doesn’t just boost visibility — it nurtures talent, builds new academies, and attracts both athletes and institutions to DanceSport.”
The enthusiasm and energy seen in Guadalajara were further reflected in the positive feedback from both athletes and the local community. Building on this momentum, the next edition will be hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, on 6–7 December 2025, reflecting the WDSF’s vision of expanding these disciplines into new territories.
Hip Hop Championships 2025 – Romania and Spain
Held in Bucharest, Romania, on 12–13 April 2025, this edition of the 2025 WDSF World Championship Hip Hop Battlesbrought together 77 athletes from 12 countries. The event marked a key step forward for the Romanian DanceSport Federation, who embraced the challenge of delivering a battle-style format under the WDSF structure. Paul Cursaru, from the Romanian federation, reflected on the unique experience:
“As organisers, we had to face many questions without clear precedents. But that’s part of what makes this journey so valuable. We are building something new — for our federation and for the athletes.”
Just a month later, on 10–11 May 2025, the city of Narón, Spain, hosted the 2025 WDSF World Championship Hip Hop Choreography, an event that saw a spectacular turnout of over 800 athletes.
President of the Spanish DanceSport Federation, Luis Vañó, emphasized the event’s transformative impact:
“Hip Hop and Choreographic formats bring a dynamic, visually powerful energy that resonates with younger generations and broader audiences. These disciplines are opening new doors — from sponsorship to public engagement — and are key to DanceSport’s evolution in today’s cultural landscape.”
The event stood out not only for its numbers, but for its professional staging, enthusiastic public attendance, and integration of local institutions and sponsors — turning the event into a true celebration of Hip Hop culture.
Both events demonstrated how WDSF's structure can adapt to new disciplines without compromising their essence, ensuring fairness, inclusivity and high standards while embracing creativity and street culture.
Stage Dance – Poland
“We began by organizing national events to learn and grow. That foundation allowed us to deliver an international championship of the highest quality — and the impact has been enormous.”
She emphasized that Stage Dance has not only boosted the federation’s athlete base, but also strengthened its financial stability thanks to large-scale participation and increased visibility. The professionalism of the Polish team and the enthusiasm of the participants turned Elbląg into a beacon for future hosts. The next major event in this discipline will be the World Championship Stage Dance, scheduled for 12–14 December 2025 in Hungary.
Disco Dance – Sweden
The 2025 WDSF European Championship Disco Dance, hosted in Skövde, Sweden, on 12–13 April 2025, brought together 350 athletes from 5 countries, setting the stage for the rapid development of this high-energy discipline within the WDSF calendar.
With its vibrant music, dazzling costumes, and physically demanding routines, Disco Dance adds a fresh and accessible format for young athletes and federations looking to diversify their DanceSport offerings. Looking ahead, the 2025 WDSF World Championship Disco Dance will take place in Belgium, on 22–23 November 2025, and is expected to draw even more participants as the community continues to grow.
Disciplines on the Rise
Duarte Vieira, representing the Portuguese DanceSport Federation, also shared his reflections on the successful delivery of the 2025 WDSF World Championship Choreographic Latin, only two weeks ago. He highlighted the strong participation, the enthusiasm from athletes and coaches, and the value such events bring in terms of visibility, national growth, and community engagement.
As a closing remark for this section, Judith Martinez Åkesson, Chair of the WDSF DanceSport Discipline Development Commission, underlined the strategic importance of these emerging disciplines:
“These disciplines attract many new kids and young dancers to the national federations. The number of dancers and licenses are increasing. We also motivate the elite to compete with us because they want to participate in high-quality WDSF championships.”
Strategic Growth Backed by Data
“New disciplines now represent 35% of WDSF athlete licenses.”
While Standard and Latin disciplines continue to represent the core of WDSF activity—accounting for over 60% of all athlete licenses, including Solo and Choreographic formats—the rapid growth of new disciplines is a clear indicator that diversification is not only viable, but strategically impactful. These emerging categories are bringing fresh energy to DanceSport, attracting new demographics, and enabling National Member Bodies to engage broader communities, generate new revenue streams, and strengthen their domestic structures.
More articles will be shared shortly, covering the final sessions of the Forum, including the new technological solutions by ATOS and SportsXpert, the WDSF Sports Updates, the introduction of the WDSF Proficiency Test, and the closing remarks by the WDSF President.
- Instagram: WDSF DanceSport
- YouTube: DanceSportTotal
- Facebook: WDSF DanceSport
- TikTok: WDSF DanceSport
Published on
