Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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This year, the Azerbaijan Dance Festival, which lasted three eventful days, turned into a true whirlwind of culture, sport, and national spirit. It was hard to believe that all of this was happening in one space: the hall would erupt in applause, then fall silent in anticipation of the next brilliant performance on the parquet.

The organizers of the Azerbaijan Dance Festival — the Azerbaijan Dance Council (AzDC) led by People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Tarana Muradova, and the company Smooth & Rhythm Dance Style (SRDS) headed by its founder Olga Krasnyanskaya — once again proved that Baku has firmly secured its place on the world dance map. For the third year in a row, the festival has brought together legends of ballroom dance and hundreds of choreography enthusiasts from around the globe under one roof, becoming a traditional international “crossroads” for masters and admirers of dance.

This year was no exception. The program included 16 title World and European Championships, and the geography of participants expanded noticeably — for the first time, dancers from Hong Kong and the USA came to Baku. Many of them emphasized that they came not only for the competitions — they wanted to see Azerbaijan, experience its hospitality, and get closer to its culture and history.

The organizers define the festival’s mission simply and inspiringly: to support the development of competitive ballroom dancing in Azerbaijan, to show how the artistic and athletic aspects of dance merge and strengthen one another. The festival helps engage young people, prepare new couples who can proudly represent the country on world stages.

Prestigious international competitions unfolded on the parquet: WDC AL World Championships, WDC European Championships, Pro-Am World Cups — in Ballroom, Latin, and Smooth categories. Everyone took to the floor — from children and juniors to seasoned professionals and Pro-Am participants — turning each round into a small spectacle.

The culmination of the festival was the dazzling Night of the Dancing Diamonds — a gala show where the best couples on the planet gathered under the hall’s arches. This evening was dedicated to the jubilee of the legendary dancer, choreographer, People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, and Vice-Rector of the Baku Academy of Choreography, Tarana Muradova — a figure who devoted her life to preserving and developing national dance and today inspires a new direction: ballroom choreography.

One of the most touching and vivid moments was Tarana Muradova’s original composition, in which modern ballroom choreography delicately intertwined with motifs of folk dance. On stage were six-time world champion Eldar Jafarov and world and European champion, choreographer Denis Tagintsev. Their black-and-white costumes — simple yet expressive — highlighted the fluidity of movement, while the music of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan Emin Agalarov created an atmosphere of harmony.

The festival came to a close, but the feeling of celebration, the brilliance of dance stars, and the atmosphere of passion for dance lingered in the air. The organizers are already looking to the future: thanking the country, state institutions, and everyone who supports this powerful cultural project, and inviting new partners to become part of a story that glorifies Azerbaijan on the world stage.

And we, in turn, eagerly await next year. The dance goes on…

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.