Final Preparations for IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Champs Complete

The final steps in readying the capital of Belarus for the 2008 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Championships were officially completed last week from 24 to 25 September.

The championships, taking place from 24 to 27 October in Minsk, will see approximately 135 athletes from 17 countries participating in the event.

The last site visit was conducted by IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport in Minsk, together with the local Organizing Committee, the Belarusian Federation of Wheelchair Dance Sport and the Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics. Several meetings were held with all parties, along with other authorities which are also involved in the organization of the championships. Additionally, a variety of operational topics were discussed, and decisions were made related to the final preparations of the event.

Held at the Football Hall in the Belarusian capital, the competition will be over the course of two days, 25 to 26 October. Scheduled events include the Combi Standard (class 1 and 2), Combi Latin (class 1 and 2), Duo Standard (class 1 and 2) and Duo Latin (class 1 and 2). Couples dance in two different classes, class 1 (14 points or less) and class 2 (more than 14 points). The classification will be held on Friday, 24 October at the Hotel Minsk by the IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport Classification Team.

Wheelchair Dance Sport involves athletes with a physical disability that affects the lower limbs. Wheelchair dancers may participate in "combi"-style dancing with an able-bodied (standing) partner or duo-dance for two wheelchair users together. Standard dances include the waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow foxtrot and quickstep. Latin-American dances include the samba, cha-cha-cha, rumba, paso doble and jive. There are also Formation dances for four, six or eight couples dancing in formation.

In 1998, Wheelchair Dance Sport became an IPC Championship Sport, but is not part of the Paralympic programme today. It is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and co-ordinated by the Wheelchair Dance Sport Technical Committee, which incorporates the rules of the International Dance Sport Federation (IDSF). In 2008, Wheelchair Dance Sport is widely practiced by athletes in more than 30 countries.