Blackpool Dance Festival
Blackpool Dance Festival is the world’s oldest and most famous annual ballroom dance competition. It has been held since 1920 in Blackpool, England, in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens. The festival runs for eight days and draws dancers from around the world. In 2013, about 2,953 couples from 60 countries took part.
The festival features ballroom and Latin dancing, American Smooth, and formation teams. It also includes the British Open Championships for adult amateur and professional couples. In 2005, two new categories were added: the British Rising Star Amateur Ballroom and Latin Competitions. There are also invitation events, such as the Professional Team Match and the Exhibition Competition.
Other events in Blackpool include the Junior Dance Festival, the Blackpool Sequence Dance Festival (which includes the British Sequence Championships), and the British National Dance Festival. The World Professional Dancesport Championship is often held in Blackpool, but it is not part of the Dance Festival.
In recent years, the festival has embraced technology, offering live streaming and online access so people worldwide can watch.
Cultural references: the festival was depicted in the 1996 Japanese film Shall We Dance? and its 2004 U.S. remake.
Founders: Harry Wood and Nelson Sharples. Website: www.blackpooldancefestival.com.
This page was last edited on 29 January 2026, at 01:43 (CET).