World DanceSport Federation

Founded on 12 May 1957 in Wiesbaden, Germany, as the International Council of Amateur Dancers (ICAD); renamed the International DanceSport Federation (IDSF) in 1990; the 2011 Annual General Meeting in Luxembourg agreed the change to World DanceSport Federation (WDSF).

IDSF and DanceSport were granted full recognition by the 106th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne in 1997.

Breaking was accepted into the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and was contested at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (9-10 August) with WDSF as its international federation.

IDSF created the Grand Slam Series for Latin and Standard in 2003; the International Professional DanceSport Council dissolved into the IDSF Professional Division in 2010.

The federation sanctions World Championships and the Grand Slam series; the World DanceSport Games were held in Kaohsiung in 2013.

WDSF is governed by a Presidium (executive board) elected by member body delegates.

Each country has one official member body (e.g., USA Dance for the United States).

Technical committees set rules for each discipline (Standard, Latin, 10-Dance, etc.).

Adjudicators must hold WDSF licensing to judge at sanctioned events.

Athletes register through their national member body and maintain WDSF athlete licenses.

World Championships: annual events per discipline (Standard, Latin, Ten Dance, Breaking and others).

Grand Slam Series: created 2003 for Latin and Standard; results feed the World Ranking List.

Continental Championships: European, Asian and Pan-American championships.

World Ranking List: points accumulated from sanctioned events worldwide.

Age divisions are set by WDSF competition rules; a separate Professional Division has existed since 2010.