The 99th Blackpool Dance Festival (2025)

Blackpool Dance Festival has always been a magnificent event, attractive to every person who is in love with dancing. The festival has its history, traditions and heritage which magnetize people from over the world to participate in either way, and it never leave people indifferent.

As years are passing, the festival never lost either it’s charm and admiration- a place where dreams can come true & new stars are born.

This year marked the 99th celebration of dance in the beautiful Empress Ballroom of Winter Gardens, and of course it was nothing but special in every moment.

Our sincere congratulations go to the organizer Mrs. Natalie Hayes, as well Blackpool Entertainment Company Ltd the entire team behind the scenes, that managed to organize the festival and all its traditions impeccably.

As the 100th anniversary draws closer, the festival again attracted more people to experience it’s magic !

For us, as professional competitors, when it comes to Blackpool - it means to be fully engaged and being ready to rise with festival along the way as it’s progressing. So we do, and we love it (!), always. We are sharing here how that experience has been from our side and a competitor point of view: There is a big deal to be prepared for this time of the year, so always those 2 weeks of festival feel electric and the closer we are coming to the date of the actual championship, the more vibrant energy we were experiencing.

Firstly we have started with 3 days of remarkable Legends Dance Camp at Blackpool, where the intensive vibe prior the festival was ever present in the room . All couples were ready and excited to show their best, to test their craft with the competition mood set . All is ready, off we go! The energy of those 3 days were through the roof.

Then the festival commenced with 4 days of Pro-Am competition, and it’s growing! It’s amazing to see how many different ages and groups the festival is attracting ! The pro-am competition is getting stronger and more interesting for its competitors . We enjoyed to see it and meanwhile to practice at the side of the floor together with their rounds  congratulations to all participants , to our fellow teachers-competitors of present and past and their students (some of them-our friends and students as well)

Our first public appearance within those 2 weeks, with performance of our rumba “Let me try again” was at the WDC President Dinner 2025 on the first Thursday of the Festival. The evening was filled with elegance, awards, and many beautiful showcases of top couples . We are honored and proud to receive the WDC President Award for being the Professional World Champions for the 4th time in a row.

Friday Rising Star Pro Latin

It was exciting to watch new-comers and see in general how the pro field is developing. Congratulations to all couples in this competition. We are moving to the weekend of 2 exciting events going in parallel and keeping us Pros active from morning till night!

Annual Blackpool Congress:

This year hosted by BDF and held in a beautiful atmospheric Spanish Hall . A wide spectrum of top-tier professionals giving their expertise and sharing their views and knowledge during 2 days is a big insight to witness for all dance lovers. It’s a must go-to event!

We are grateful and thrilled to be amongst those pros to open the Congress with our first lecture on Saturday morning with title : “One Point Wonder” in Paso Doble, discovering this dance as internal body dance by feeling the pulse & moving with pulse, as a heart-beat.

And more exciting was to conclude the Congress on Sunday with one & only - a legend, a champion of the Golden Era, Mr.Alan Fletcher. The lecture was about the essential fundamentals in dance. We were glad to assist and support Alan’s lecture , demonstrating those vital points in the dance -Jive. And of course, the girls ( Marina & Sasha Kondrashova) taking a dance with Alan himself, with a famous section from Latin Fantasy! The audience thoroughly enjoyed it, so did we.

And the day did not stop there and we are moving to the exciting Saturday -Sunday Team Match .

As always there are 4 teams competing and fighting for the Title : Great Britain, USA, Europe, Rest of the World.

Being in the team of Great Britain together with Dusan &Valeria, Kyle & Alisa and Adelmo & Leah leaded by our charismatic team captain, Mr. John Byrnes together his beautiful wife -Jane Byrnes, gave us another great experience!

The team have chosen an epoch of 50s style ( whether from dancing era or from a life) in colours combination Red with Black accessories and looked in the most stylish way! The GB team was very close to take the team match trophy this year, but Europe had their night! We congratulate team Europe for being the strong opponent.

It was a very excited team match as all teams becoming very innovative and artistic in their approach – we feel it makes it look more interesting for the audience to watch.

We also have said goodbye and congratulate our team member with their beautiful retirement Walz – Kyle & Alisa. We had the most lovely memories and time shared together with them for the past few years of Team Matches. We wish to Kyle & Alisa all good in the new chapter of their lives.

It comes to a Sunday Cocktail Party where all teams preparing their fun performances-presentation.

This year team GB haven’t chosen a fun performance, but performance in a memory of an iconic dancer, mentor, friend, a teacher who has recently unexpectedly passed away . And of course some our team members were very attached to this person and had their personal connections. We felt like we wanted to dedicated this number to one and only Mr. Andrew Sinkinson who we all miss greatly.. The Empress Ballroom has always been his place ..where the dancer shines.

Andrew had a great impact on many people from our industry in many different ways, so we recreated Andrew’s favorite circle of friendship, where we stood together holding each others hands and dancing in a circle with all people in the room. This was “Sweet Caroline” … Andrew loved this song and created a tradition to gather people after work , groups, parties for this dance in circle to remind us all: we are friends … It was very touching moment and energy in the Empress Ballroom was devine.. In loving memory of Andrew.

Last Week of the Festival

Monday, with an new event the Under 19 Championship run the first time ever showcasing the future of our dance world and what a great night and well done to all finalists.

Tuesday Amateur Latin Night

As schedule allows for pros, we are always coming to watch and support amateur division, to see the direction the couples are developing to. The comp was full of energy and commitment. We congratulate everyone who made the break through, improved their results from last year and of course the new crowned champions! The night was exciting!

Wednesday Amateur BallroomNight

We congratulate all couples and new crowned champion! Please forgive us: we never can come on this night to give our support, as Wednesday for us is always a day of final preparation: practice , checking all points , making sure the costumes are prepared and all is ready before the big day.

Thursday Professional Latin Night!

And here we are! The most awaited day of the festival for us, the competition you are preparing the longest and hardest for .. AND the adrenaline starts to kick in ! Morning rituals are setting up the day: warm up , breakfast, prepare make-up and hair, packing all necessary things for the competition and off we go to the ballroom!

What a thrill ! The comp is full, the field is strong, everyone is at top-form, the audience are at awe seeing how many couples and new-comers are competing! As competition is progressing you feel the vibrant energy in the room:

The moment the Empress Ochestra led by one and only Ashley Frolick, starts to play, the couples got an extra juice to dance their best, the audience were jumping off their seats, the atmosphere was terrific !

To say we feel honored and proud to win the British Open Championship amongst the strongest, talented & skillful field of fellow competitors is a massive understatement!

We could only achieve it with best team we could have wished for:

-To our amazing sponsor Chris Stephenson from Jordy we are sending our most sincere gratitude and love  It’s Jordy or Nothing ! Forever grateful

-Our team of teachers we are thankful dearly

- Big thank you goes to our fans and supporters: you are sharing this journey with us and we feel you with us

Aidadance shoes best for the best! Thank you

Tan: DanceCosTanning , thank you!

-Special appreciation and love to the ones most close - you are our family ….

As always it takes some time to cool down after the comp on the night : long sitting , chatting, feeling it by looking back how the day went… late-early sleep… In emotions of appreciation... .simply grateful...

To complete the overview of this year’s Blackpool festival, we have arrived on the last day Friday Professional Ballroom night and Amateur Invitational Team Match:

We enjoyed spending the last day of festival by watching and supporting our fellow colleagues and friends in a ballroom field . (Not so often we have an opportunity to see the event from the other side). The evening was elegant & beautiful. Congratulations to all couples and champions, the dancing was mesmerising to watch!

The team match was another joy to witness; teams were very artistic in their presentations and entertaining in the competition.

Coming to the End

The tradition of this festival is to recall the final line up of professional adjudicators of day and evening panels, organisers and staff of the event, who served the festival at their best capabilities. As well the festival wouldn’t be as successful without the important person on the stage - the chairman, Mr. Robert Bellinger, who led the festival professionally and charismatically.

Congratulations once again to Mrs. Natalie Hayes and Blackpool Entertainment Company Ltd.

The 99th Blackpool Dance Festival has been nothing short of an enormous success !

It’s definitely such an iconic event in terms of its heritage . Being able to step onto this magnificent floor, being able to dance there, to be a part of this history, gives an overwhelming feeling. The place where hard works pays off, where dancers shine. And it’s even more special, when we could experience it’s’ magnificence by becoming the 99th Blackpool Professional Latin Champions.

Feeling Grateful...

We are looking forward to seeing you all next year at the 100th year anniversary of the Blackpool Dance Festival!

We cannot wait!

Till next time,

D&M