The best dance studio at Open World Championship 2015?

Those lucky fellows who could get tickets to the grand dancing event of the yearend – the Open World Championship 2015, the second most prestigious festival in the dance world, with their own eyes could see and enjoy the gorgeous ballroom dance shows and feel the tense struggle between the participants from different dance schools all over the world. The event took place on 4th - 6th of December 2015 in the most charming city – Paris, and exceptional location where “magic happens” – Disneyland.

What is the Open World Championship?

First appeared in 2008, it is the 8th annual championship organized by the WDC Amateur league. The brilliant idea to have this event in Disneyland belongs to legends of ballroom dancing: Donnie Burns M.B.E., Scottish undefeated 14-time Word Professional Latin champion, currently the President of the World Dance Council, and Sammy Stopford, winner of the Professional International Latin American Dance Championship, currently dance teacher and coach. Both are the honored members and organizers of the Disneyland Paris Championship. Today together with over 70 professional judges from the USA, England, Canada, Italy, Scotland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Norway, Poland, China , Slovenia, South Africa, Holland, Austria and, of course, France, they ensured honest and expert officiating. For sure, it guaranteed thrilling dancing battles without easy wins, but those who did, can really be proud of their victory!

The Program of Dance Shows and Competitions

Started on Friday, it turned out into an amazing dancing weekend! Each day was very intensive and rich: with opening at 8 a.m. and closing at late evening and sometimes even around midnight. Such schedule was definitely stressful especially for foreign participants who experienced the jet lag.

As usual, the program consisted of several categories or sections. The major divisions called the Fred Astaire Cup and the Open World Championship. Each of them had dance and level related subsections, such as Latin, Ballroom, Professional and Amateur, and age division: Juvenile, Junior, Youth and Senior. In addition, the Fred Astaire Cup contained:

• Rising Star
• Pro-am Open Latin Single Dances
• Pro-am Ballroom Multiple Dances
• Pro-am Closed Rhythm Single Dance
• Pro-am Open Rhythm Single Dances
• Pro-am Rhythm Multiple Dances
• Pro-am Closed Smooth Single Dances
• Pro-am Open Smooth Single Dances
• Pro-am Smooth Multiple Dances
• Pro-am Open Speciality Dances

Apart from adult couples, kids dancing was also an essential part of the championship: each day had the “under 10” category that was a pleasure to watch and caused tears of emotion among sensitive audience.