Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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This year, Baku once again became a center of attraction for dancers and dance enthusiasts from all over the world, Azernews reports.

In the heart of Azerbaijan, the JW Marriott Absheron hosted the Azerbaijan Dance Festival and the grand event "Night of Dancing Diamonds" for the second time.

For three days, the dance celebration featured the WDC World Championship among professionals in the European show program, the European Championship in the Latin American show program, and an International Dance Congress.

The event was organized by the Azerbaijan Dance Union (AzDC) under the leadership of its president, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Tarana Muradova, and SRDS company led by Olga Krasyanskaya and Eldar Jafarov.

Notably, the Secretary and founder of the Azerbaijan Dance Union Eldar Jafarov, along with his spouse, head of the Committee for the Development of Competitive Ballroom Dance Anna Sazhina, are seven-time world champions, representing Azerbaijan on the global stage for many years.

Baku, with its unique atmosphere, ancient heritage, and hospitality, transformed into a meeting place for true dance connoisseurs. Festival guests highly appreciated the majestic architecture and the warm, welcoming people of Azerbaijan. Dancers and spectators noted that hosting championships in Baku adds a special charm to the event, making it unique among other dance competitions.

Participants from more than 20 countries, including Japan, China, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkiye, Germany, the UK, Italy, the USA, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, France, and others attended the festival in the capital of Azerbaijan.

Over two days, open world tournaments were held in European, Latin, and American Smooth categories.

Over 500 dance couples and solo performers took to the dance floor in the Open World Championships for amateurs, youth, juniors, and children, as well as Pro-Am couples. The Pro-Am tournament featured six categories: Latin, Ballroom, American Rhythm, American Smooth, Argentine Tango, and Caribbean Mix in categories A, B, and C.

A highlight of the Azerbaijan Dance Festival this year was the WDC World Championship among professionals in the European show program, won by Vladlen Kravchenko and Marianna Butuzova, as well as the European Championship in the Latin American show program, which saw Andrei Larin and Nina Trautz take gold.

For the third time, SRDS gifted the Azerbaijani audience a unique gala show, the "Night of Dancing Diamonds," featuring the best dance couples from around the world. The final performances of the WDC World Championship among professionals in the European show program and the WDC European Championship in the Latin American show program became the highlight of the Night of Dancing Diamonds. This level of competition has been hosted here for the third time and is a significant global dance event for Azerbaijan. The gala show was hosted by Stanislav Popov, a distinguished figure in the arts, People's Artist of Russia, President of the Russian Dance Union, Honorary Vice-President of the World Dance Council, and President of the Euro-Asian Dance Council.

As part of the Azerbaijan Dance Festival, an International Dance Congress was also held, serving as a true academy of mastery for all participants. The congress featured renowned global experts in ballroom dancing, including Gaynor Fairweather, Donnie and Heidi Burns, Mirko Saccani, Robin and Rita Short, John Kimmins, Caterina Arzenton, Barbara McColl, Hannes Emrich, Olga Foraponova, Talyat Tarsinov, Eldar Jafarov, Anna Sazhina, Warren Boyce, Alessio Potenziani, Alex Ivanets, Viktor Nikovskiy, Ruslan Aidaev, Evgeny Smagin, and Polina Kazachenko. The congress became an integral part of the festival, offering participants the opportunity to engage personally with global leaders in dance and learn from their professional experience.

The atmosphere of the festival was enhanced by the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra under the direction of Boris Myagkov, who for the second year created stunning musical arrangements of famous Azerbaijani musical works.

Another significant event during the Azerbaijan Dance Festival was the signing of an international cooperation agreement between the Baku Choreographic Academy and the Chelyabinsk State Institute of Culture. The signing included a founding conference where reports were presented by leading specialists in the field of choreography, including Stanislav Popov, Valentin Reshetnikov, Talyat Tarsinov, and Eldar Jafarov, as well as the first practical seminar on the discipline Solo Smooth®, organized with the support of SRDS and AzDC.

Traditionally, festival guests were immersed in Azerbaijani culture: this day was made special by excursions to Baku’s landmarks with well-known historian and TV host Fuad Akhundov. These three days were a true celebration of art, featuring captivating performances and vibrant emotions and impressions that will linger in memories for a long time. Dancers captivated audiences with their beauty, skill, and incredible charisma, while the festival atmosphere made everyone feel part of this spectacular show.

The Azerbaijan Dance Festival once again proved that Baku is the perfect place for growth and inspiration in the world of dance, a place one longs to return to time and again.

“We sincerely thank all participants, winners, guests, colleagues, partners, and everyone who was a part of the first Azerbaijan Dance Festival and contributed to making this three-day celebration of dance and beauty possible! We eagerly anticipate welcoming you back next year for the Azerbaijan Dance Festival 2025,” said in the statement.

Festival results: https://azdf.world/results

Special thanks to the festival's partners and sponsors:

To the general partner and sponsor of the festival, co-founder of the Azerbaijan Dance Festival & Night of Dancing Diamonds, SRDS led by its president Olga Krasyanskaya.

To the official partners of the festival: JW Marriott Premium Park Hotel, The Port Club Baku.

To the official sponsors: AZAL - Azerbaijan Airlines, VilaVermont, The Heritage, Vertango Design, Merci Baku Restaurant.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az.