Ballroom dance is a set of European partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
Dancesport is competitive ballroom dancing, as contrasted to social or exhibition dancing. In the case of Para dancesport, at least one of the dancers is in a wheelchair.
The World Dance Council Ltd (WDC), is a registered limited company, the legal successor to the International Council of Ballroom Dancing, and was established at a meeting organized by Phillip J. S. Richardson on 22 September 1950 in Edinburgh, Scotland. From 1996 to 2006 the WDC was known as the World Dance & Dance Sport Council Ltd (WD&DSC). The stated mission of the World Dance Council is to inspire, stimulate and promote excellence in education for the World Dance Council and Amateur League community.
Paul Killick is a British professional ballroom dancer and an International Latin American Dance Champion. He appeared in the first two series of the television show Strictly Come Dancing. Killick specialize in Latin dance and has won The World Cup, World Trophy, World Masters, World Series, Universal and British Professional Latin American DanceSport Championships.
Lilia Andreyevna Kopylova is a Russian professional dancer.
Matthew David Cutler is an English dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. He was a professional dancer on the BBC dancing show Strictly Come Dancing.
Carmen Vincelj is a German professional dancer.
Gaynor Fairweather MBE is a British professional ballroom dancer. She and her partner, Donnie Burns, were 14-time Professional World Latin Dance Champions and 11 times Professional International Latin American Dance Champions. This is by some way the record number of wins in both these top competitions. On their retirement from competition dancing they were both appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the performing arts in the 1991 Birthday Honours.
BillIrvine MBE and Bobbie Irvine MBE were British professional ballroom dancers. Bobbie Irvine was born Bobbie Barwell in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, while Bill Irvine, born William, was from Low Craigends in Kilsyth. His father was a miner, as was his grandfather, and Bill served in the Royal Navy before starting his dance career. As a young dance teacher he spent a period in South Africa, which led to his meeting Bobbie. They were married in 1957. The pair became South African champions, and later settled in London.
Margaret Ann Spencer MBE was a British professional ballroom dancer, choreographer, competition adjudicator, and organiser.
Hazel Catherine Newberry MBE is one of the United Kingdom's leading ballroom dancers and dance teachers. She was three times undefeated World Professional Ballroom champion, dancing with Christopher Hawkins (2002–2004).
Nicole Cutler is a professional ballroom dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. She was born Nicole Westdyk in Durban, South Africa and after taking up ballet at the age of four, first tried out ballroom and Latin-American dancing at the age of twelve.
Nina Hunt (1932–1995) was a Manx Latin American dance coach and choreographer. She had a high reputation for coaching competitive Latin dancers.
Warren James Bullock is an English professional ballroom dancer and dance teacher, most widely known for the TV series Baby Ballroom and as the founder of Zig Zag Dance Factory in Lower Penn, Wolverhampton.
The International Latin American Dance Championships were created after the Second World War in England by Elsa Wells, and are now organised by Dance News special events. The current full title is the Elsa Wells International Dance Championships, and includes all categories in Standard and Latin American ballroom dance.
Lyndon Bentley Wainwright was a British metrologist, ballroom dancer and author. He worked at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) during World War II, and was a chairman of the British Engineering Metrology Association.
Sammy Stopford MBE is a British professional ballroom dancer and teacher, and previous winner of the Professional International Latin American Dance Championship.
Izabela Hannah is a Polish-born British ballroom and Latin American dancer. Born in Szczecin, Poland, Hannah began dancing jazz and ballet at the age of 9, and started ballroom and Latin American dancing as a teenager. During her competitive career she won international titles in Europe and the United States, winning the Polish Amateur Ballroom Championships in 2001 and again in 2002.
Stephen Vincent is an English dancer and choreographer. He is a former UK Latin Champion.
Barbara Joanne McColl Stopford is a Scottish professional ballroom dancer, teacher, and adjudicator. She specializes in International Latin. With Sammy Stopford, she won in the professional Latin category four times at the Blackpool Dance Festival and three times at the UK Open. She is the Organizer of The World Championship WDC AL.
