World Dance Championships (Standard)
World Championships of ballroom dancing has been around since 1909, held as Camille de Rhynal annual championships in Paris. The historical records from the years before the First World War are sketchy. Complete records have only been preserved since 1922, when dance sport was divided into professionals and amateurs. In 1922 a world champion of all standard dances was chosen for the first time, while the titles were previously awarded after individual dances.
These annual competitions became official in 1936. With the outbreak of World War II , the world championships were suspended for six years. After that, the standard dancer scene became increasingly fragmented when various competing organizations tried to claim official representation of standard dances for themselves. Finally, in September 1950, the International Council of Ballroom Dancing (ICBD) was founded. It became the first international professional dance organization and all competitions that claimed to be the "World Cup" were boycotted by their member states.
In 1959 the championships were brought back to life, this time under the control of the ICBD, and have been held regularly ever since. The ICBD was later renamed the World Dance Council .
Today both amateurs and professionals have world championships in standard dances.
Professionals
For a long time the world championships for professionals were only held by the World Dance Council (WDC). The World Dancesport Federation (WDSF) founded its own Professional Division (PD), which also organizes world championships for professionals every year.
WDC World Champion Professional Standard
| year | winner | origin | venue | Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Victor Sylvester & Phylis Clark |
 England
|
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| 1923 | Maxwell Stewart & Barbara Miles |
England
|
||
| 1924 | Maxwell Stewart & Barbara Miles |
England
|
||
| 1925 | Henri Catalan &? |
.svg){kind=small} Spain
|
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| 1926 | Maxwell Stewart & Pat Sykes |
England
|
||
| 1927 | Edward Blunt & Doris Germai |
England
|
||
| 1928 | Maxwell Stewart & Pat Sykes |
England
|
||
| 1929 | Herbert Jenull & Gerti Hepprich |
England
|
||
| 1930 | Maxwell Stewart & Pat Sykes |
England
|
||
| 1931 | Arthur Milner & Norma Cave |
England
|
||
| 1932 | Marcel & Mme Chapoul |
 France
|
||
| 1933 | Sydney Stern & Mae Walmsey |
England
|
||
| 1934 | Marcel & Mme Chapoul |
France
|
||
| 1935 | Marcel & Mme Chapoul |
France
|
||
| 1936 | Marcel & Mme Chapoul |
France
|
||
| 1937 | Arthur Norton & Pat Eaton |
England
|
||
| 1938 | Arthur Norton & Pat Eaton |
England
|
||
| 1939 | Arthur Norton & Pat Eaton |
England
|
||
| 1947 | Victor Barret & Doreen Freeman |
England
|
||
| 1948 | Bob Henderson & Eileen Henshall |
England
|
||
| 1949 | Bob Henderson & Eileen Henshall |
England
|
||
| 1950 | Bob Henderson & Eileen Henshall |
England
|
||
| 1959 | Desmond Ellison & Brenda Winslade |
England
|
London
|
Lyceum Ballroom |
| 1960 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
.svg){kind=small} South African Union
|
 Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1961 | Harry Smith-Hampshire & Doreen Casey |
England
|
London
|
Hammersmith Palais |
| 1962 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
 Melbourne
|
Festival Hall |
| 1963 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1964 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1965 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
Wembley
|
Empire pool |
| 1966 | Peter Eggleton & Brenda Winslade |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1967 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
Melbourne
|
Festival Hall |
| 1968 | Bill & Bobbie Irvine |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1969 | Peter Eggleton & Brenda Winslade |
England
|
 Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 1970 | Peter Eggleton & Brenda Winslade |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1971 | Anthony Hurley & Fay Saxton |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1972 | Anthony Hurley & Fay Saxton |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1973 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
 new York
|
Madison Square Garden |
| 1974 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
Nuremberg
|
Meistersingerhalle |
| 1975 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1976 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1977 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 1978 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
London
|
Royal Albert Hall |
| 1979 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
Munich
|
Olympia Hall |
| 1980 | Richard & Janet Gleave |
England
|
Perth
|
Entertainment center |
| 1981 | Michael & Vickey Barr |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1982 | Michael & Vickey Barr |
England
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 1983 | Michael & Vickey Barr |
England
|
London
|
Hammersmith Palais |
| 1984 | Michael & Vickey Barr |
England
|
new York
|
Madison Square Garden |
| 1985 | Michael & Vickey Barr |
England
|
Dortmund
|
Westfalenhalle |
| 1986 | Stephen & Lindsey Hillier |
England
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 1987 | Stephen & Lindsey Hillier |
England
|
Bournemouth
|
|
| 1988 | Stephen & Lindsey Hillier |
England
|
 Berne
|
|
| 1989 | John Wood & Anne Lewis |
England
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 1990 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 1991 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
Berlin
|
Germany Hall |
| 1992 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
Munich
|
|
| 1993 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
Netherlands
|
|
| 1994 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
 Norway
|
|
| 1995 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
||
| 1996 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
||
| 1997 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 1998 | Marcus & Karen Hilton |
England
|
||
| 1999 | Luca & Loraine Baricchi |
England
|
Bielefeld
|
Seidensticker hall |
| 2000 | Augusto Schiavo & Caterina Arzenton |
 Italy
|
 Graz
|
|
| 2001 | Luca & Loraine Baricchi |
England
|
Salsomaggiore Terme
|
|
| 2002 | Christopher Hawkins & Hazel Newberry |
England
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2003 | Christopher Hawkins & Hazel Newberry |
England
|
Miami (Florida)
|
Westin diplomat |
| 2004 | Christopher Hawkins & Hazel Newberry |
England
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 2005 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2006 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Chiba
|
|
| 2007 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2008 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Bonn
|
Hotel Maritime |
| 2009 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Tokyo
|
Nippon Budokan Hall |
| 2010 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
 Gatineau
|
|
| 2011 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
 Seoul
|
|
| 2012 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2013 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
 Moscow
|
|
| 2014 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2015 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Irvine (California)
|
Hotel Irvine |
| 2016 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Blackpool
|
Winter Gardens |
| 2017 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Moscow
|
Kremlin |
| 2018 | Arunas Bizokas & Katusha Demidova |
United States
|
Moscow
|
|
| 2019 | Andrea Ghigiarelli & Sara Andracchio |
England
|
 Penang
|
WDSF World Champion Professional Standard
| year | winner | origin | venue | Hall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Paolo Bosco & Silvia Pitton |
Italy
|
 Tallinn
|
|
| 2012 | Domenico Soale & Gioia Cerasoli |
Italy
|
Moscow
|
|
| 2013 | Mirko Gozzoli & Edita Daniute |
 Lithuania
|
Bassano del Grappa
|
Palabassano |
| 2014 | Mirko Gozzoli & Edita Daniute |
Lithuania
|
 Nanjing
|
|
| 2015 | Benedetto Ferruggia & Claudia Köhler |
Germany
|
Leipzig
|
|
| 2016 | Emanuel Valeri & Tania Kehlet |
 Denmark
|
Aarhus
|
|
| 2017 | Benedetto Ferruggia & Claudia Köhler |
Germany
|
 Prague
|
|
| 2018 | Björn Bitsch & Ashli Williamson |
Denmark
|
Moscow
|
|
| 2019 | Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova |
Russia
|
Leipzig
|
Amateurs
The world championships for amateurs are organized by the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF).
Main group
| year | winner | origin | venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | John Wells & Renée Sissons |
 United Kingdom
|
Bad Nauheim, Germany
|
| 1937 | John Wells & Renée Sissons |
United Kingdom
|
Sopot, Poland
|
| 1938 | John Wells & Renée Sissons |
United Kingdom
|
Sopot, Poland
|
| 1939 | John Wells & Renée Sissons |
United Kingdom
|
Munich, Germany
|
| 1946 | George & Jean Holloway |
United Kingdom
|
Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1947 | Bob Burgess & Margret Baker Jakob Gerschwiler & Maisie Walker |
United Kingdom of Switzerland / United Kingdom
|
Paris, France
|
| 1948 | Bob Burgess & Margret Baker Syd Perkin & Doris Prater |
United Kingdom United Kingdom
|
Paris, France Helsinki, Finland 
|
| 1949 | René & Jacqueline Foucard Arne & Agnes Rasmussen |
France Denmark
|
Paris, France Brussels, Belgium
|
| 1950 | Arne & Agnes Rasmussen Albert Delisle & Monique Desmerger Eric Lashbrooke & Sheila Wilikinson |
Denmark France United Kingdom
|
Copenhagen, Denmark Paris, France Lausanne, Switzerland
|
| 1959 | Peter Eggleton & Diana Gradwell |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1960 | Michael Houseman & Valerie Waite |
United Kingdom
|
Munich, Germany
|
| 1961 | Anthony Hurley & Fay Saxton |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1962 | Len Armstrong & Elain Welch |
United Kingdom
|
Berlin, Germany
|
| 1963 | John & Betty Westley |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1964 | John & Betty Westley |
United Kingdom
|
Sydney, Australia
|
| 1965 | John & Betty Westley |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1966 | George Coad & Patricia Thompson |
United Kingdom
|
Bremen, Germany
|
| 1967 | George Coad & Patricia Thompson |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1968 | Mervin Higgins & June Hunt |
United Kingdom
|
Bremen, Germany
|
| 1969 | Richard Gleave & Janet Wade |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1970 | Richard Gleave & Janet Wade |
United Kingdom
|
Munster, Germany
|
| 1971 | Byron Charlton & Maureen Alexander |
United Kingdom
|
London, UK
|
| 1972 | Michael Barr & Vicky Green |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1973 | Michael Barr & Vicky Green |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1974 | Frank Venables & Lynn Horwood |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1975 | Glenn & Lynette Boyce |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1976 | Robert & Barbara Grover |
United Kingdom
|
|
| 1977 | Greg Smith & Marion Alleyne |
Australia
|
|
| 1978 | Stephen & Lindsey Hillier |
England
|
|
| 1979 | Hans-Henrik & Anne-Margrethe Laxholm |
Denmark
|
|
| 1980 | Hans-Henrik & Anne-Margrethe Laxholm |
Denmark
|
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
| 1981 | Kenny Welsh & Kathy Gilmartin |
England
|
Duisburg, Germany
|
| 1982 | Max-Ulrich Busch & Renate Hilgert | Ahorn Club Berlin, Germany
|
Frankfurt, Germany
|
| 1983 | John Wood & Heather Stuart |
England
|
Aarhus, Denmark
|
| 1984 | Glen Weis & Gillian Thickett |
Denmark
|
Mannheim, Germany
|
| 1985 | Glen Weis & Gillian Thickett |
Denmark
|
Southampton, England
|
| 1986 | Oliver & Martina Wessel-Therhorn | Münster Residence, Germany
|
Aarhus, Denmark
|
| 1987 | Oliver & Martina Wessel-Therhorn | Münster Residence, Germany
|
Mannheim, Germany
|
| 1988 | Andrew Sinkinson & Loraine Barry |
England
|
Frankfurt, Germany
|
| 1989 | Andrew Sinkinson & Loraine Barry |
England
|
Haugesund, Norway
|
| 1990 | Let Ødegaard & Laila Kragebøl |
Norway
|
Udine, Italy
|
| 1991 | Kim Rygel & Cecilie Brinck |
Norway
|
Bremen, Germany
|
| 1992 | Kim Rygel & Cecilie Brinck |
Norway
|
Singapore, Singapore
|
| 1993 | Augusto Schiavo & Caterina Arzenton |
Italy
|
Provo, United States
|
| 1994 | Jens Werner & Charlotte Jörgensen |
Denmark
|
Copenhagen, Denmark
|
| 1995 | Massimo Giorgianni & Alessia Manfredini |
Italy
|
Slagharen, Netherlands
|
| 1996 | Massimo Giorgianni & Alessia Manfredini |
Italy
|
Vienna Austria
|
| 1997 | Christopher Hawkins & Hazel Newberry |
England
|
Karlsruhe, Germany
|
| 1998 | William Pino & Alessandra Bucciarelli |
Italy
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
| 1999 | William Pino & Alessandra Bucciarelli |
Italy
|
London, UK
|
| 2000 | Jonathan Crossley & Kylie Jones |
England
|
Bratislava, Slovakia
|
| 2001 | Jonathan Crossley & Kylie Jones |
England
|
Miami (Florida), United States
|
| 2002 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Espoo, Finland
|
| 2003 | Mirko Gozzoli & Alessia Betti |
Italy
|
Vienna, Austria
|
| 2004 | Domenico Soale & Gioia Cerasoli |
Italy
|
Vilnius, Lithuania.svg){kind=small}
|
| 2005 | Domenico Soale & Gioia Cerasoli |
Italy
|
Krefeld, Germany
|
| 2006 | (Arunas Bizokas & Edita Daniute) (Bizokas / Daniute was stripped of the title for doping offense) Paolo Bosco & Silvia Pitton |
( Lithuania ) Italy
|
Aarhus, Denmark
|
| 2007 | Paolo Bosco & Silvia Pitton |
Italy
|
Moscow, Russia
|
| 2008 | Paolo Bosco & Silvia Pitton |
Italy
|
Vienna, Austria
|
| 2009 | Benedetto Ferruggia & Claudia Köhler |
Germany
|
Aarhus, Denmark
|
| 2010 | Benedetto Ferruggia & Claudia Köhler |
Germany
|
Wetzlar, Germany
|
| 2011 | Emanuel Valeri & Tania Kehlet |
Denmark
|
Moscow, Russia
|
| 2012 | Benedetto Ferruggia & Claudia Köhler |
Germany
|
Melbourne, Australia
|
| 2013 | Emanuel Valeri & Tania Kehlet |
Denmark
|
Kiev, Ukraine
|
| 2014 | Simone Segatori & Annette Sudol |
Germany
|
Vienna, Austria
|
| 2015 | Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova |
Russia
|
Vilnius, Lithuania
|
| 2016 | Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova |
Russia
|
Aarhus, Denmark
|
| 2017 | Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova |
Russia
|
Chengdu, China
|
| 2018 | Dmitry Zharkov & Olga Kulikova |
Russia
|
Vienna, Austria
|
| 2019 | Evaldas Sodeika & Ieva Zukauskaite |
Lithuania
|
Vilnius, Lithuania
|
Seniors I.
| year | winner | origin | venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Bourges, France
|
| 1995 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Nice, France
|
| 1996 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Mainz, Germany
|
| 1997 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Wolfsburg, Germany
|
| 1998 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Vienna, Austria
|
| 1999 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Auckland, New Zealand
|
| 2000 | Hans-Jürgen & Ulrike Burger |
Germany
|
Amsterdam, Netherlands
|
| 2001 | Domizio Giovannini & Annisa Baldo |
Italy
|
Turin, Italy
|
| 2002 | Domizio Giovannini & Annisa Baldo |
Italy
|
Liege, Belgium
|
| 2003 | Volker Schmidt & Ellen Jonas |
Germany
|
Usti Nad Labem, Czech Republic
|
| 2004 | Volker Schmidt & Ellen Jonas |
Germany
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2005 | Volker Schmidt & Ellen Jonas |
Germany
|
Wetzlar, Germany
|
| 2006 | Slawek Lukawczyk & Edna Klein |
Belgium
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2007 | Stefano Bernardini & Stefania Martellini |
Italy
|
Mislata, Spain
|
| 2008 | Stefano Bernardini & Stefania Martellini |
Italy
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2009 | Slawek Lukawczyk & Edna Klein |
Belgium
|
Kingston, Canada
|
| 2010 | Stefano Bernardini & Stefania Martellini |
Italy
|
Dresden, Germany
|
| 2011 | Tassilo & Sabine Lax |
Germany
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2012 | Tassilo & Sabine Lax |
Germany
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2013 | Stefano Bernardini & Stefania Martellini |
Italy
|
Dresden, Germany
|
| 2014 | Christian & Elena Bono |
Italy
|
Rimini, Italy
|
| 2015 | Christian & Elena Bono |
Italy
|
Prague, Czech Republic
|
| 2016 | Christian & Elena Bono |
Italy
|
Boston, United States
|
| 2017 | Balogh Csongor & Szabo Anita |
 Hungary
|
Kistelek, Hungary
|
| 2018 | Fabian Wendt & Anne Steinmann |
Germany
|
Miami, United States
|
| 2019 | Dmitry Vorobiev & Oxana Skripnik |
Russia
|
Berlin, Germany
|
| 2020 | Dmitry Vorobiev & Oxana Skripnik |
Russia
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
Seniors II
| year | winner | origin | venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Bernd & Monika Kiefer |
Germany
|
Monza, Italy
|
| 2007 | Fabio Pilon & Maddalena Merelli |
Italy
|
Liege, Belgium
|
| 2008 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Liege, Belgium
|
| 2009 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Platja d'Aro, Spain
|
| 2010 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Sitges, Spain
|
| 2011 | Heinz-Josef & Aurelia Bickers |
Germany
|
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
|
| 2012 | Heinz-Josef & Aurelia Bickers |
Germany
|
Cambrils, Spain
|
| 2013 | Heinz-Josef & Aurelia Bickers |
Germany
|
Calvià, Spain
|
| 2014 | Carlo Righero & Manuela Traversi |
Italy
|
Vancouver, Canada
|
| 2015 | Stefano Bernardini & Stefania Martellini |
Italy
|
Rimini, Italy
|
| 2016 | Alberto Belometti & Barbara Pini |
Italy
|
Antalya, Turkey
|
| 2017 | Pierre Payen & Isabelle Reyjal |
France
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2018 | Alberto Belometti & Barbara Pini |
Italy
|
Olomouc, Czech Republic
|
| 2019 | Thorsten Zirm & Sonja Schwarz |
Germany
|
Toronto, Canada
|
Seniors III
| year | winner | origin | venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Jouko & Helja Leppala |
Finland
|
Mons, Belgium
|
| 2012 | Jouko & Helja Leppala |
Finland
|
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
|
| 2013 | Vitam & Barbara Kodelja |
 Slovenia
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2014 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Madrid, Spain
|
| 2015 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2016 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Rimini, Italy
|
| 2017 | Michael & Beate Lindner |
Germany
|
Miami, United States
|
| 2018 | Moreno Carnelli & Michaela Saggiorato |
Italy
|
Olomouc, Czech Republic
|
| 2019 | Moreno Carnelli & Michaela Saggiorato |
Italy
|
Bilbao, Spain
|
Seniors IV
| year | winner | origin | venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Luca D'Andrea & Regina Scerrato |
Italy
|
Calvià, Spain
|
| 2015 | Luciano Ceruti & Rosa Nuccia Cappello |
Italy
|
Tilburg, Netherlands
|
| 2016 | Luciano Ceruti & Rosa Nuccia Cappello |
Italy
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|
| 2017 | Luciano Ceruti & Rosa Nuccia Cappello |
Italy
|
Pieve di Cento, Italy
|
| 2018 | Renato Sibillo & Anna Cartini |
Italy
|
Nagano, Japan
|
| 2019 | Luciano Ceruti & Rosa Nuccia Cappello |
Italy
|
Antwerp, Belgium
|