Blackpool Dance Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackpool Dance Festival |
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| Dates | Annually, last week of May |
| Location(s) | Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England |
| Years active | 1920–present |
| Founded by | Harry Wood, Nelson Sharples |
| Website | www.blackpooldancefestival.com |
The Blackpool Dance Festival is one of the world's most famous and oldest dance competitions. It's held every year in Blackpool, England. This amazing event has been happening since 1920!
It takes place in the beautiful Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens. Dancers from all over the world come to compete. In 2013, nearly 3,000 dance couples from 60 different countries joined in!
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What is the Blackpool Dance Festival?
The Blackpool Dance Festival is a huge event that lasts for eight days. It's known as the biggest ballroom dance competition in the world. Dancers show off their skills in many different styles.
Dance Styles You'll See
The festival features two main types of dancing:
- Ballroom Dancing: This includes classic dances like the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and Quickstep.
- Latin American Dancing: This is more energetic and includes dances like the Cha-Cha-Cha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble, and Jive.
You can also see "American Smooth" dances. These are a mix of ballroom and other styles, often with lifts and tricks.
Who Competes?
The festival has different categories for dancers. There are competitions for:
- Adult Amateur Couples: These are dancers who love to compete but don't do it as their full-time job.
- Professional Couples: These are dancers who make a living from dancing and teaching.
- Formation Teams: These are groups of dancers who perform together, creating amazing shapes and patterns.
New Competitions for Rising Stars
In 2005, two exciting new competitions were added. These are called the British Rising Star Amateur Ballroom and Latin Competitions. They are for talented amateur dancers who are starting to make a name for themselves.
Special Invitation Events
There are also two special events that everyone loves to watch. These are by invitation only:
- Professional Team Match: Different teams of professional dancers compete against each other.
- Exhibition Competition: Dancers perform special routines just for fun and to entertain the audience.
Other Dance Events in Blackpool
Blackpool is a very popular place for dance. Besides the main Dance Festival, other big dance events happen there every year:
- Junior Dance Festival: This is just for younger dancers.
- Blackpool Sequence Dance Festival: This includes the British Sequence Championships, where dancers follow specific patterns.
- British National Dance Festival: Another big competition for dancers from all over the UK.
It's important to know that the annual World Professional Dancesport Championship is sometimes held in Blackpool too. However, this is a separate event and not part of the Blackpool Dance Festival.
