Dazzling costumes, twirling Waltzes and sequins galore: Performers from around the world flock to Blackpool for the world's largest ballroom dancing competition
- Blackpool Dance Festival is the world's biggest ballroom dancing contest and has been running since 1920
- Last year's competition attracted more than 20,000 competitors from 60 different countries
- Ballroom dancing has become hugely popular in recent years thanks to BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing
Twinkling in an array of sequin-studded rainbow silks and pacing backstage like a flock of nervous peacocks, professional dancers from all over the globe descended on Blackpool this week to compete in its hotly anticipated Dance Festival.
The world's largest ballroom competition - celebrating its 90th anniversary - has received a boost in recent years thanks to the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, and as a result, the event attracted more than 20,000 competitors from 60 different countries last year.
Contestants taking to the floor this week will compete in both Latin and Standard dancing, and will have to perform a number of complex routines, including pulling off the perfect Viennese Waltz, Quickstep and Paso Doble.
Five-time Latin champion Yulia Zagoruychenko has a final dress fitting with designer Chris Stephenson in preparation of her big moment at this year's Blackpool Dance Festival
Categories are split into Youth, Amateur, Senior or Professional heats, and include the British Amateur Ballroom Championships and the British Professional Ballroom Championships.
Both of these are only open to UK competitors, but the British Open Dance Championships and Amateur Open Dance Championships are open to all.
Like the challengers on the BBC show, hopefuls will have to endure the scrutiny of a strict judging panel that includes some of the biggest names in dance, among them 14-time Professional World Latin Dance champion, Gaynor Fairweather.
This month, it was announced that the tournament will next year expand for a spin-off in China's Shanghai.
Michael Williams, the festival's managing director, said: 'This is a great opportunity for Ballroom Dancing and will further enhance Blackpool’s positon as the number one festival in the world.
'Over the past few years we have seen an influx of Chinese dancers competing in Blackpool and for us to take elements of our Festival to China can only increase the number of dancers that will want to come and experience the magic.'
The world's largest ballroom dancing competition - celebrating its 90th anniversary - has received a boost in recent years courtesy of enormously popular BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing. Pictured, dancers waltz in the under-21 section
Last year, the festival attracted more than 20,000 competitors from 60 different countries. Pictured, a dancer preparing backstage
Rows of glimmering silks in on sale at the festival's nine-day spectacle
Yulia Zagoruychenko, waiting nervously backstage as she has her extravagant costume altered
Mr Williams added: 'This is a historic occasion to take such a prestigious event to China which will further strengthen the Blackpool Dance Festival as the world’s most prestigious and foremost dance event.’
The festival, which has been a key part of the ballroom dancing calendar since 1920, is staged in the huge Empress Ballroom at the Victorian Winter Gardens entertainment complex and started life as a novelty dance competition.
Early incarnations included country and Morris dancing but both were dropped after two years. Instead 'stage dancing', the precursor of modern ballroom dancing, was allowed to dominate, with more dances added each year.
After a one-year break in 1928, the Blackpool Dance Festival was relaunched in June 1929, with events that included the North of England Professional and Amateur Championships, an Amateur Veleta Competition, a Veterans Waltz Competition plus an Original Sequence Dance Competition.
Rhinestones are painstakingly glued to a scarlet garment ahead of the competition
Contestants taking to the floor at this year's event will compete in both Latin and Standard dancing, and will have to perform a number of complex routines, including pulling off the perfect Waltz (pictured), Quickstep and Paso Doble
Like the challengers on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing show, hopefuls will have to endure the scrutiny of a strict judging panel that includes some of the biggest names in dance
The festival, which has been a key part of the ballroom dancing calendar since 1920, is staged in the huge Empress Ballroom at the Victorian Winter Gardens
In 1931, as 'English dancing' continued to develop, the Blackpool Dance Festival became home to the first British Professional and Amateur Ballroom Championships.
Although held just once during the long years of the Second World War, the competition was revived in 1946 and swiftly became a draw for visitors to Blackpool.
During the 1950s, its popularity began to go global, with competitors from Japan, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the US joining British couples as they went head-to-head for the trophy.
Now a truly global event attracting competitors from more than 60 different countries, Blackpool's Dance Festival remains a key part of the ballroom dancing calendar - and a glittering spectacle for the rest of us.
Teams of hair and make-up artists spend hours perfecting the looks of the dancers in the hope that all the glitz will help them stand out
The tournament will next year expand for a spin-off in China's Shanghai. Pictured, two dancers ready to hit the floor
Michael Williams, the festival's managing director, said: 'Over the past few years we have seen an influx of Chinese Dancers competing in Blackpool, so this is a great opportunity and will further enhance Blackpool’s position as the number one festival in the world'
Sequins are glued onto the eyelids of an Italian competitor, as another dancer touches up her lip stick nearby
As this dancer demonstrates, its never too late to practice your moves ahead of your big moment
A few more moments of solitude before competitors spill onto the dance floor to face the thronging crowds
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3098885/Dazzling-costumes-twirling-Waltzes-sequins-galore-Performers-world-flock-Blackpool-world-s-largest-ballroom-dancing-competition.html#ixzz3bNRtkDsX
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