# International Latin American Dance Champions

The International Latin American Dance Championships were created after the Second World War in England by Elsa Wells, and are now organised by Dance News special events. The current full title is the Elsa Wells International Dance Championships, and includes all categories in Standard and Latin American ballroom dance.
The series of Latin American International Championships were started once the initial choreography, teaching and adjudications standards for these dances were stabilised. This occurred in the 1950s, after a period of debate and discussion initiated by Monsieur Pierre and his associates. Although English in origin and organisation, the championships were open to the world, as is the case today for all the major ballroom championships held in England. There are two main series, one for professionals, and another for amateurs, plus various age-limited categories. The division between amateur and professional has persisted in ballroom dance long after it disappeared in most other sports and pastimes.
The final stages for both Amateur and Professional Standard and Latin American titles are always held at the Albert Hall in London. Qualification for these final stages, and the championships for other categories (Juvenile, Under 14, Junior, Under 21, Senior, Pro Rising Stars) are held at a preliminary two-day event before the main finals at Brentwood, Essex. Non-English adjudicators are always included in the adjudication panels. It is one of the largest regular, and genuinely international, events in the ballroom dance world.
This list (and competition) is not the same as the later WDC World Championships. The International Professional Latin and Standard Championships are now part of the World Dance Council's World Super Series.

## The dances

The Latin American competition comprises five dances: cha-cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive, conducted in line with British Dance Council (BDC) regulations; the basis of the dances is described in standard texts. Advanced choreography has, however, broken through the traditional limitations of social dancing, and more obviously in the Latin and American dances than in ballroom (Modern or Standard).

## Adjudication

The qualifying and lesser events days at Brentwood had, in 2009, three adjudication panels of eight former champions and other significant professionals. Early rounds had one panel of eight, alternating. Semi-finals and finals of lesser events had both panels. At the Albert Hall, there were four panels, each of 19 adjudicators. The semi-finals and finals of the amateur and professional titles were each adjudicated by a separate panel. This may be contrasted favourably with the number of judges used for those Olympic Games events which depend upon adjudication, such as ice dancing and diving. Results and adjudication details (marks for each finalist by each adjudicator) are posted after the event.

## 2009 entrants

In the Professional Championship there were 150 couples from 34 countries of affiliation (countries of origin not listed). In the Amateur Championship there were 289 couples from 31 countries of affiliation. Countries such as China, Japan, Russia and Italy sent multiple entries to all competitions. The countries listed in the table below are countries of origin, where known.

## International Professional Champions

Professional Champions :
| 1953 | Jack Orton-Smith & Norma Noble | England |
| 1954 | Leonard Patrick & Doreen Key | England |
| 1955 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1956 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1957 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1958 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1959 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1960 | Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds | England/Sweden |
| 1961 | Jimmy Hulbert & Carol Dourof | England |
| 1962 | Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds | England/Sweden |
| 1963 | Walter Laird & Lorraine Reynolds | England/Sweden |
| 1964 | Robert & Marguerite O'Hara | England |
| 1965 | James Arnell & Jillian La Valette | England |
| 1966 | Robert & Marguerite O'Hara | England |
| 1967 | Robert & Marguerite O'Hara | England |
| 1968 | Robert & Marguerite O'Hara | England |
| 1969 | Robert & Marguerite O'Hara | England |
| 1970 | Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee | England |
| 1971 | Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee | England |
| 1972 | Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee | England |
| 1973 | Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee | England |
| 1974 | Michael Stylianos & Lorna Lee | England |
| 1975 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1976 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1977 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1978 | Peter Maxwell & Lynn Harman | England |
| 1979 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1980 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1981 | Espen & Kirsten Salberg | Norway |
| 1982 | Espen & Kirsten Salberg | Norway |
| 1983 | Sammy & Shirley Stopford | England |
| 1984 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1985 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1986 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1987 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1988 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1989 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1990 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1991 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1992 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1993 | Sammy Stopford & Barbara McColl | England |
| 1994 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1995 | Corky & Shirley Ballas | U.S.A./England |
| 1996 | Donnie Burns & Gaynor Fairweather | Scotland/England |
| 1997 | Jukka Haapalainen & Sirpa Suutari | Finland |
| 1998 | Bryan Watson & Karen Hardy | South Africa/England |
| 1999 | Jukka Haapalainen & Sirpa Suutari | Finland |
| 2000 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2001 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2002 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2003 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2004 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2005 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2006 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2007 | Bryan Watson & Carmen Vincelj | South Africa/Germany |
| 2008 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | Poland/Belgium |
| 2009 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | Poland/Belgium |
| 2010 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | England |
| 2011 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | England |
| 2012 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2013 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | England |
| 2014 | Michael Malitowski & Joanna Leunis | England |
| 2015 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2016 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2017 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2018 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2019 | Riccardo Cocchi & Yulia Zagoruychenko | U.S.A. |
| 2020 | not held due to COVID-19 | |
| 2021 | Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova | U.S.A. |
| 2022 | Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova | U.S.A. |
| 2023 | Troels Bager & Ina Ivanova-Jeliazkova | U.S.A. |

## International Amateur Champions

Amateur Champions :
| 1953 | James Arnell & Estrella Pescador | England/Spain |
| 1954 | tie: Derek & Rose Bassi and Teddie Atkinson & Audrey Tessier | England |
| 1955 | Derek & Rose Bassi | England |
| 1956 | James Hayes & Eileen Pollard | England |
| 1957 | James Hayes & Eileen Pollard | England |
| 1958 | James Hayes & Eileen Pollard | England |
| 1959 | Robert O'Hara & Margaret Nuthall | England |
| 1960 | Ronald Smith & Jill Stevens | England |
| 1961 | Ronald Smith & Jill Stevens | England |
| 1962 | Alan Shaw & Ann Tinkley | England |
| 1963 | John Brogan & Valerie Ritter | England |
| 1964 | Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop | Scotland |
| 1965 | Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop | Scotland |
| 1966 | Barnie Conway & Evelyn Hislop | Scotland |
| 1967 | David Douglass and Janice Barb | |
| 1968 | David Douglass and Janice Barb | |
| 1969 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1970 | Keith Brewer & Shirley Wardman | England |
| 1971 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1972 | Alan & Hazel Fletcher | England |
| 1973 | Peter Maxwell & Lynn Harman | England |
| 1974 | Ian & Ruth Walker | England |
| 1975 | Espen & Kirsten Salberg | Norway |
| 1976 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1977 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1978 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1979 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1980 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1981 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1982 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1983 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1984 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1985 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1986 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1987 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1988 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1989 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1990 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1991 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1992 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1993 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1994 | see http://www.dancesportinfo.net | - |
| 1995 | Louis Van Amstel & Julie Fryer | Netherlands |
| 1996 | Ralf Müller & Olga Müller-Omeltchenko | Germany |
| 1997 | Michael Wentink & Beata Onefater | South Africa |
| 1998 | Michael Wentink & Beata Onefater | South Africa |
| 1999 | Matthew Cutler & Nicole Cutler | England |
| 2000 | Slavik Kryklyvyy & Joanna Leunis | Belgium |
| 2001 | Andrej Škufca & Katarina Venturini | Slovenia |
| 2002 | Franco Formica & Oksana Nikiforova | Germany |
| 2003 | Franco Formica & Oksana Nikiforova | Germany |
| 2004 | Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson | USA |
| 2005 | Riccardo Cocchi & Joanne Wilkinson | Italy |
| 2006 | Peter Stokkebroe & Kristina Stokkebroe | Denmark |
| 2007 | Maurizio Vescovo & Melinda Törökgyörgy | Hungary |
| 2008 | Stefano Di Filippo & Anna Melnikova | Italy |
| 2009 | Alexei Silde & Anna Firstova | Russia |
| 2010 | Zoran Plohl & Tatsiana Lahvinovich | Croatia |
| 2011 | Neil Jones & Ekaterina Sokolova | England |
| 2012 | Neil Jones & Ekaterina Sokolova | England |
| 2013 | Troels Bager & Ina Jeliazkova | Denmark |
| 2014 | Troels Bager & Ina Jeliazkova | Denmark |
| 2015 | Nikita Brovko & Olga Urumova | Russia |
| 2016 | Morten Lowe & Roselina Doneva | Denmark |
| 2017 | Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne | Italy |
| 2018 | Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne | Italy |
| 2019 | Ferdinando Iannaconne & Yulia Musikhina-Iannaconne | Italy |
| 2020 | not held due COVID-19 | |
| 2021 | Klemen Presnikar & Alexandra Averkieva | Slovenia |
| 2022 | Petar Daskalov & Zia James | England |
| 2023 | Petar Daskalov & Zia James | England |