Wheelchair Dance Sport Association (UK)

Wheelchair dancing was first performed in Sweden in 1968, and the first competitive events took place seven years later. This sport is a dance competition that allows couples of wheelchair users to perform several kinds of dances, including tango, foxtrot, waltz, samba, paso doble, and rumba, as well as many other regional variations. The popularity of this sport grew to the point that in 1998 it became a featured event in the Paralympic Games.

In the United Kingdom, the standards for wheelchair dancing are laid out by the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association.

About the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association

The Wheelchair Dance Sport Association was founded in 2006 with the objective of promoting this sport across the United Kingdom, and of offering wheelchair users an opportunity to take part in a sport that would otherwise be unavailable to them. The events organised by this association are designed to build the confidence and improve the physical performance of wheelchair users, while providing them with a great opportunity to have fun and enjoy their leisure time to the fullest.

The Association is responsible for organising and developing wheelchair dancing as a sport in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The organisation is known for implementing a fully-inclusive equality policy that helps promote wheelchair dancing as a healthy and beneficial sport available to all wheelchair users, regardless of their gender, nationality, or social status.

Who is who at the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association

As a not for profit organisation, the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association has the support of notable patrons who have been involved in the field of dancing for many years. Some examples include former professional dances Philip Wylie, Dr Richard Weiler (who also works for the Disability Football Association and has ample expertise developing mobility aids), Royal Ballet dancer Gary Avis, and TV presenter, dancer, and motivational speaker Camilla Sacre Dallerup.

The Association is led by Sue Cummings, who acts as Chair of this organisation in numerous events at national and international level. Ms Cummings has been a keen enthusiast of wheelchair dancing for more than two decades, and during this time she has represented the United Kingdom at Paralympic Committees in several occasions.

Ruth Boyne is the elected Vice Chair of the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association. She is also a certified national coach and instructor and has taken part in world class international competitions while representing the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association is supported by a number of members, donors, and volunteers.

Main events organised by the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association

The Wheelchair Dance Sport Association is involved in the organisation of several national, international, and regional wheelchair dancing competitions. Some of the most renowned include the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport World Games, the Wheelchair Dance Continents Cup, the Limb Power Primary and Junior Games, the Inclusion, Independence, and Choice Show, as well as various taster events that take place at schools, conferences, and exhibitions around the country. For a full calendar of events, visit http://wdsauk.co.uk/wheelchair-dance-sport-competitions-2/other-events/.

In addition to dance competitions, the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association has put together a varied educational program aimed to familiarise wheelchair users and their relatives with this sport. The Association runs several courses and training events throughout the year, which include dance lessons, certified instructor courses, health, fitness, and wellbeing programs for care home residents, and wheelchair dance training sessions for schools. To find out more about their educational programs, visit http://wdsauk.co.uk/membership-and-wdsa-uk-services/course-and-training/.

If you wish to keep up to date with the latest events and news relevant to the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association, you can subscribe to their mailing list by filling in the short subscription form on the site. Alternatively, you can follow the Tedwood Travels blog for the latest information on wheelchair dancing in the United Kingdom.

WDSA Contact Information

To find out more about the events organised by the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association, you can visit the organisation's official website on http://www.wdsauk.co.uk/.

Written enquiries can be addressed to the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association head office, located in 524 St Albans Road, Watford, WD24 7RX, Hertfordshire.