Blackpool’s Winter Gardens has received a new year boost after thousands of young dancers stepped out on its famous ballroom for the first big dance event of 2025. Champions of Tomorrow attracted more than 6,700 entries from 18 different countries including Mongolia for the first time.
The three day competition was held between January 3 and 5 and attracted so many competitors it was expanded to use space in the conference and exhibition centre as well as the Empress Ballroom at the council-owned complex. Michael Williams, managing director of the Winter Gardens, said the event showcased the aspiring stars of tomorrow and underlined the town’s reputation as the home of dance, with the venue having hosted competitions for almost 100 years.
He said: “It is a delight to welcome dancers back to Blackpool for Champions of Tomorrow. It is the first of many dance events that we host annually here at the Winter Gardens Blackpool which sees dancers from across the globe travel to Blackpool to compete in the magnificent Empress Ballroom.
“To our delight the numbers attending our first festival of 2025, meant an expansion across the venue, utilising the Empress Ballroom and the new Conference and Exhibition Centre which received wide praise from competitors and spectators. This year, for the first time, we had a dance school who travelled from Mongolia to compete at the Festival in addition to competitors from 18 other countries.”
Champions of Tomorrow provides opportunities for dancers of all abilities to compete in categories from under six years of age right through to seniors, featuring competitions for solos, couples, all girls and ProAm/teacher students. It was the first of five dance festivals scheduled to be held at the Winter Gardens this year, with the largest being the May Blackpool Dance Festival due to take place over 13 days.
The Festival covers Ballroom and Latin American dancing, incorporating the British Open Championships for Adult Amateur and Professional couples, plus Formation Teams.
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