What it is
The British Dance Council grew from an informal conference of teachers in 1920 and was formed as the Official Board of Ballroom Dancing in 1929, later taking its present name. It oversees all recognised dance competitions and championships in Great Britain: ballroom, Latin, sequence and freestyle, in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.
The Official Board helped found the international professional council in Edinburgh in 1950, today the WDC, and the BDC is Britain's WDC member.
Members
Its members are corporate members, not individual dancers: 15 as of November 2026, including the major teaching societies (such as the ISTD and the IDTA), national dance organisations and the English Amateur Dancesport Association.
Competition system
| Grade | To move up |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Two wins with six or more couples |
| Novice | Four wins |
| Intermediate | Four wins |
| Pre-Championship | Win a championship with six or more couples |
| Championship | Represent your country |
| International | Top grade |
A grade in one division does not change a dancer's grade in another, and juveniles have their own three grades.
Age groups. Juvenile under 10 and under 12, Junior under 14 and under 16, Youth under 19 and under 21, Amateur over 16, and Seniors over 35, 50 and 60.
Licences. Every competitor above Beginner grade needs a BDC competitor's licence, renewed on 1 January. The BDC also licenses competition promoters.
Main events
The BDC recognises British, UK and international championships held in Great Britain. The best known, the British Open Championships at the Blackpool Dance Festival, have been held since 1931 and are run by the festival itself.
How it is governed
Delegates of the corporate members form the council, which is run by a board with committees for specific work. The BDC lists its current board and committees on its own site.
Official links
We do not print the names of current presidents or board members, because they change. The links above go to the federation's own list.
This page is an independent summary written from the body's own published sources. DanceFlow is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sanctioned by it.
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Sources
Checked on November 3, 2026. Each document is linked in the language it was published in. Where sources disagree, the text says so.