Competitions – International Dance Council

Advice for dance competitors

The International Dance Council CID is committed to ensuring that competitions are conducted in a fair, ethical and lawful manner.

The rights of all competitors must be upheld, and a level playing field must be guaranteed.

Before participating in a competition:

Verify the Organizer

– Legal Status: Confirm the organizer’s legal identity (e.g., business or association), including the name of their representative, street address, and contact details.

-Insurance: Ensure they hold valid insurance covering fire, accidents, and other risks.

– Endorsement: If uncertain, contact the endorsing organization directly for confirmation.

Understand the competition’s nature

– Selection criteria: Is participation open to all, or are there specific requirements?

– Categories: How are competitors grouped (e.g., by skill level, age or other factors)?

– Recognition: Which bodies (government, municipality, international organizations) officially recognize this competition?

– Fairness guarantees: Are transparent and fair procedures in place?

Evaluate the jury

– Qualifications: Are jurors highly qualified professionals in the competition’s dance genre? Their studies?

– Neutrality: Do they have any conflicts of interest or vested stakes in the outcome?

– Appointment: Were they selected by an independent body or by the competition organizer?

Review past competitions

– Award frequency: Were excessive awards, prizes, titles, or championships granted?

– Winner-to-participant ratio: Did nearly all participants receive an award?

– Transparency: Were receipts for payments issued, and was a detailed report published afterward?

Key reminders

– Legal value: Titles awarded by private organizers hold no official legal weight.

– Reputation matters: Winning a small or discredited competition does not enhance your professional profile.

– Terminology:

Jurors are often referred to wrongly as “judges” or “adjudicators”.

You are not a “champion” unless there is only one championship in your country.

Dance is not a sport. Dance is artistry in movement, and it is very difficult to quantify.

Essential training takes place in schools, that is where you should seek to reach a high level. Your training will always be the central part of your professional profile.

Advice for competition organizers

Independent jury appointment

Request another institution or neutral body to select jurors to ensure impartiality.

Classify competitors by skill level

Group participants by proficiency rather than age, for example:

Level 9 & 10

Level 7 & 8

Level 5 & 6

Level 3 & 4

Level 1 & 2

Transparency on your website

Publish comprehensive details, including:

Organizer information

Jury members (names and credentials)

List of winners (name and school)

List of competitors (name and school)

Secure insurance coverage

Contract valid insurance to protect against liabilities such as accidents or damages.

Promote the International Certification

Encourage dance schools to offer the International Certification to their students, ensuring standardized recognition all over the world.

The official message for

Dance Day

29 April 2026

www.DanceDay.CID-world.org

Competition is the heartbeat of sports, but in the arts it is very marginal—which is normal. While athletic excellence is easily measured, artistic merit is notoriously difficult to quantify.

As young dancers increasingly seek titles to distinguish themselves, competitions have proliferated—but unlike strictly regulated sports championships, dance competitions remain unchecked.

Our priority is protecting dancers and the teachers who prepare them. To ensure a “winner” title carries genuine weight, organizers must adhere to universal standards. The International Dance Council has issued these essential guidelines

– Liability: Full insurance coverage and a legally responsible person must be identified.

– Transparency: Jury members, competitors, and winners must be listed publicly.

– Integrity: Rules must guarantee neutrality and fair play; the organizer should not appoint the jury.

– Fairness: Categories should be based on length of training, not age.

– Validation: No winner should be declared in categories with fewer than 10 competitors.

When competitions are oversaturated and titles are handed out too freely, winning loses its value and competing becomes a trap.

As much as performing, teaching, or creating dance should remain totally free, competing should be effectively regulated. This year, Dance Day is dedicated to the urgent regulation of competitions.

Prof. Dr. Alkis Raftis

President of the International Dance Council

CID, UNESCO, Paris

The official message for Dance Day is sent to dance professionals in 200 countries. Translate the message to your language, post it online, send it to the media. Find guidelines for your own celebration as well as previous DD messages at www.DanceDay.CID-world.org
Dance Day, every year on 29 April, established in 1982 and monitored by CID, aims at attracting attention to the art of dance. It is celebrated by millions of dancers around the globe. On that day dance professionals organize an event addressing an audience different from their usual one.

– The International Dance Council CID is the official global organization for Dance

– Its members are the most prominent federations, schools, companies and individuals in more than 180 countries

– CID was founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where it is based

– CID is official partner of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

International Dance Council CID

The official global organization for all genres of dance

CID, UNESCO, FR-75732 Paris 15, France

Tel. +33 1 4568 4953 WhatsApp +33 6 1155 3111