Wheelchair ¬Ýdance sport is first and foremost a social and recreational ¬Ýactivity.

Started in Europe approximately 20 years ago, immensely popular around the world

with more than 5,000 dancers (4,000 wheelchair users and 1,500 able-bodied partners)

in over 40 countries and 5 continents.

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¬Ý¬Ý Elegance, style and rhythm lead to a winning dance routine.

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, Rumba, ¬Ý

Paso Doble and Jive.

There are also Formation dances for four, six or eight couples dancing in ¬Ýformation.

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¬ÝAfter several regional and International competitions, the first World Championships

were organized in Japan in 1998. The same year, Wheelchair Dance Sport became

a International Paralympics Committee Championship Sport.

It is governed by the International Paralympics Wheelchair Dance Sport Committee ¬Ý( IPWDSC ).