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IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport is the form of wheelchair dance where wheelchair dancers as Combi Style (i.e. a wheelchair user is dancing with a non-disabled partner) participate in Standard Dances (Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slowfox, Quickstep) and Latin American Dances such as Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha-, Rumba, Paso Double and Jive.

Wheelchair Dance Sport was the latest sport to become an "IPC Sport" in 1998. In 1977, the first international competition in Wheelchair Dance took place in Sweden. The first World Championships were organized in Japan in 1998. Today, more than 5.000 dancers (4.000 wheelchair users and 1.500 non-disabled partners) practise Wheelchair Dance on both a recreational or competitive level in more than 40 countries.

On a recreational level, wheelchair dance can be enjoyed in different styles, e.g. ballroom dance, Folk Dance, Ballet or Modern Dance. There are also different forms such as COMBI DANCE (a wheelchair user is dancing with a non-disabled partner), DUO DANCE (two wheelchair users are dancing together), GROUP DANCE (wheelchair users only or together with non-disabled partners are dancing in formations or free performances) and SINGLE DANCE (a wheelchair user moves alone).

In the future, the main work of the IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport Committee is to

  • motivate national sport organisations for athletes with a disability to include Wheelchair Dance sport in their program,
  • improve the performance of dancers by means of suitable training and information exchange,
  • promote Wheelchair Dance Sport through demonstration events, publications and exhibitions and
  • train and advance instructors, teachers, coaches and adjudicators on an international level.

UNIT 20 DISABILITY
江苏省靖江高级中学
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