The UDO World Street Dance Championships 2026 are underway in Blackpool, GB, where thousands of dancers from around the globe are coming together to compete for world champion titles in front of the world’s best street dance and hip hop dance celebrity judges.
The five-day event, happening through 16 August, features competitors of all different ages and levels in categories ranging from solos and teams, to parent and child teams and the ultimate advanced teams.
“As a dancer and teacher myself,” says Joel Tolhurst, Relationships Manager for UDO World Championships, “I absolutely love being inspired by all the incredible dancers and teams who compete at the UDO World Championships. Seeing dancers return from previous years, overcome adversity, push themselves further, and go on to achieve amazing things is truly inspiring.”
He adds, “The UDO World Championships is so much more than a competition. It’s an event filled with passion, determination, talent and unforgettable moments, and a wonderful reminder of just how powerful the dance community can be.”
This year, the UDO World Championships will have an extremely international mix of headliners – from the USA, Australia, France and the UK. “Street dance is such a diverse and exciting world, bringing so many different styles together under one umbrella,” Tolhurst says. “That’s why it’s so important to us that as many of those styles as possible are represented and showcased. Every style has its own identity, culture, creativity and challenges, and every one requires incredible dedication, hard work and passion to master. We want to celebrate that diversity and give dancers the opportunity to showcase what makes their style special. From the individuality of each dancer to the energy of every team, we want people to see just how incredible every corner of the street dance community truly is.”
For Tolhurst and other involved in the UDO World Street Dance Championships, the event is a place for, above all else, inspiration and just the memories and moments that last long after the competition is over.
“Of course, Worlds is an incredible competition with exceptionally high standards, amazing dancers, inspiring leaders and some of the very best judges,” Tolhurst says. “It’s a place where dancers come to challenge themselves, showcase everything they’ve worked so hard for and be inspired by the talent around them. But it’s also about so much more than what happens on the competition floor. It’s the moments in between. The excitement, the nerves, cheering each other on, celebrating together and sharing an experience with the people who have been alongside you throughout the journey. It’s a place where you can create memories with your dance family that you’ll carry with you for years to come. That’s what makes UDO Worlds so special to me: incredible competition, incredible people, and memories that last a lifetime.”
For more information on the UDO World Street Dance Championships, visit www.udostreetdance.com/nz/events/view/udo-world-street-dance-championships-2026-08-2026. And catch the livestream on Friday 14th, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August at www.udostreetdance.com/gb_en/livestream.
And Tolhurst reveals that, although all eyes are on Worlds right now, “we’ve also got some really exciting things coming for the new season that we can’t wait to share.”
Stay tuned at www.udostreetdance.com.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.
