You don’t need a front-row seat to recognise what the Blackpool Empress Ballroom represents for competitive dancers. The 2026 WDSF DanceSport Festival continues what Blackpool has always stood for: couples arriving physically prepared, mentally steady, and ready to perform in one of the most demanding environments in dance sport. We try to make it to Blackpool whenever possible. Each visit is a reminder of what competitive ballroom requires — and also why so many of us fall i

Having attended dozens and dozens of competitions, watching hours of dancing tutorials and performances, and competing myself, I have noticed one thing: what separates finalists from the rest is not just technical skill or talent, but preparation and consistency across months, even years, of training and long competition days. During the championships, dancers are required to: Perform multiple rounds with limited recovery time Maintain explosive power and precision under fat

Attending the WDC World Championships in Assen was a powerful reminder of why competitive dance deserves to be treated as a true high-performance sport. Having attended many competitions nationally and internationally, it was clear that from the moment you entered the venue, this was not just another competition — it was a gathering of some of the world’s best dancers, all prepared to perform under intense physical and mental pressure. Dancers from all over the world shared