UK Dance Championships Waltz into Bournemouth

Sequined outfits are at the ready as the annual UK Dance Championships (19th-21st January) waltzes into Bournemouth later this month; the three day event is taking place in the Bournemouth International Centre’s (BIC) Windsor Hall. A free Exhibition in the Solent Hall (called the Shopping Mall) runs alongside the championships, opening on Monday 18th January at 1pm. It allows aspiring dancers to professionals, access to the latest clothes and accessories.

The prestigious UK Dance Championships attracts over 1,000 Ballroom and Latin dancers from all over the world to Bournemouth and the BIC every year, including Italy, Japan and Germany. It means an estimated £850,000 is injected into the town through town through international visitor expenditure, including accommodation, transport and living expenses. It is in fact the 25th time that the show has been to the BIC, having appeared in January every year since the BIC opened!

Louise Burridge, Exhibitions Project Manager at the BIC says: “Dance is now more popular than ever, for fitness and enjoyment. It’s riding the wave of success following shows like Strictly Come Dancing, of which we are hosting The Professionals Show later this year featuring favourites like 2009 Winner Ola and her partner, husband James Jordan. The UK Dance Championships are a must for any dance fan.”

Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to the competition; whether it’s the rhumba or the salsa that gets your feet tapping there’s plenty of action over the three days, starting with the amateur UK Rising Stars Championships which takes place on Tuesday 19th January. This is followed by the fiercely competitive Dance Championships, enjoyed by dedicated spectators, on 20th and 21st January. There are day and evening sessions for both Championships and you can quickstep over to the Shopping Mall which is open on Monday 1pm-7pm and Tuesday until Thursday from 9.30am-8pm.

The Shopping Mall is organised by BIC exhibitions and the UK Rising Stars and Dance Championships are presented by Dance News Special Projects Ltd. Entry is free to the Shopping Mall. There is still some availability for tickets to view the dance competitions, bookable through the BIC box office. Prices to watch the daytime sessions start from £12.50 per person. The evening dance competitions on 20 and 21 January start at 7.30pm, with ticket prices from £18.

To book contact the ticket office on 0844 576 3000, go online at www.bic.co.uk or visit the ticket office in person.