World of Dance London 2027 — competition regulations

1. The event and the organiser

World of Dance London 2027 is a dance competition in London on 16 May 2027 that qualifies teams for the World of Dance Summit, the World of Dance world finals in Las Vegas (USA).

The event is organised by World of Dance Tour Inc. (USA), the “Organiser”.

By registering a team or a dancer, the representative confirms they have read these regulations and accept them on behalf of every dancer in the application.

2. Who can take part

Teams and dancers from any country can take part, with no restriction on citizenship or residence. Everyone arranges their own visa, travel and accommodation. On request, once participation is confirmed, we issue a confirmation letter for visa purposes.

The application is submitted by the team’s representative (leader) or by the dancer, who must be an adult (18 or over). The representative confirms that all dancers accept the regulations and that, for dancers under 18, their parents or guardians have given consent.

A dancer may compete in several categories, but in each category with only one application.

3. Categories

Team Division and Jr. Team Division are for line-ups of 5 or more dancers. In Solo Division every application is received, and 20 dancers are selected from them after the video review.

If a category receives too few applications, the Organiser may merge it with the closest category by age and level, or cancel it. The representatives concerned are told in advance and may choose another category.

4. Age

A dancer’s age is counted once for the whole season: it is their age on 1 January 2027. “17 and under” is inclusive: a dancer who was 17 on 1 January 2027 may dance in the junior categories for the whole season.

School students who were already 18 on 1 January 2027 may dance in junior categories if they show a valid school ID.

Younger dancers may always compete in an older category. Older dancers may not compete in a younger category, except for the school students described above.

At on-site check-in, the Organiser may ask any dancer for a document showing their date of birth. False information about age disqualifies the whole application.

5. Pre-registration, video pre-selection and line-up

Pre-registration. It is open now on this website, free and without commitment. It does not guarantee a spot: places are limited. In the application you give the number of dancers.

Video pre-selection. Where the category requires it, the application includes a public link to a video (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook…) — no password or restricted access. Any video of the team or dancer less than a year old will do. The routine in the video does not have to be the one performed on stage: we use the video to assess the level.

Invitation. After the official announcement, selected applicants receive an email invitation with the final registration details: date, venue, entry fees and deadlines. The Organiser may decline an application without giving reasons, in particular if there are no places left in the category.

Line-up. Before payment, the representative lists in their account everyone who will go on stage, including a coach who dances. The dancers are saved in the account and can be reused for other entries. Anyone not listed in the application does not go on stage.

Withdrawal. If your team cannot come, let us know as early as possible at london@worldofdance.com.

6. Music and timing

Routine length: Solo — up to 2:00; team divisions — from 2:00 to 5:00. 1 vs 1 and Crew vs Crew battles follow the battle format announced with the schedule. The time is measured by the length of the music file.

File: mp3, m4a or wav, one file per application, no silence at the start. It is uploaded in the account before the announced deadline. At the venue only the file from the application is played; the representative keeps a backup copy of the same file on a phone or USB stick.

Points are deducted for swear words in the music, in any language (section 8). The team is responsible for the rights to use the music in its routine.

If the music cuts out because of the Organiser or the venue, the team performs again with no penalty. If the problem is in the team’s file, the team repeats from the backup copy at the end of the category, if the schedule allows.

7. Event day

The final schedule is published no later than 7 days before the competition and sent to representatives. The Organiser sets the running order. If the team is at the venue but does not go on stage at its time, the performance counts as missed.

Check-in. Check in at the admin desk no later than 60 minutes before your block starts. A team representative collects the participant pack, which contains wristbands for all the dancers. The wristband is your pass: no wristband, no entry to the event area.

There are no stage rehearsals unless announced otherwise. A warm-up area is provided. Changing rooms are shared; the Organiser is not responsible for belongings left there. Nobody takes photos or videos in the changing rooms, including parents.

Props. Only props declared in advance are allowed. Setting up and clearing away: 60 seconds in total, done by the team itself; the team takes all its props away after its performance. Banned on stage: liquids, glass, fire, smoke, confetti, glitter, powder, sharp objects, weapons and replica weapons, animals.

Costumes. In junior categories, costumes, music and choreography must be appropriate for the dancers’ age, with no sexualisation.

8. Judging

Each judge scores the routine on five criteria worth up to 20 points each: performance, technique, choreography, creativity, presentation — a maximum of 100 points per judge.

Final score: with five or more judges, the highest and the lowest scores are dropped and the rest are averaged; with fewer than five, all scores are averaged. Penalties are deducted from the average.

No more than 3 points per type of penalty per routine. Penalties are given by the technical judge.

Equal scores for places 1–3: the technique total is compared first, then performance, then choreography; if still equal, the judges vote. A judge connected to a team (its coach, choreographer or a dancer’s relative) does not score that team; their score is replaced by the average of the other judges.

Results and protests. Places are announced on stage; full results are published after the event. Judges’ scores cannot be challenged. Only a fact can be challenged (a counting error, another team’s age, going over the time limit, a wrongly given penalty): the representative submits a written protest at the admin desk within 30 minutes after the category results are announced. The head judge’s decision is final.

9. Qualifying for the World of Dance Summit (Las Vegas)

Any team of 5 or more dancers that competed can go to the Summit, whatever place it took. The score decides the round in which it starts: teams from Team Division and Jr. Team Division with 90 points or more go straight to the semi-final (Championship Round); below 90, the World of Dance office decides the round.

Solo Division, 1 vs 1 All Styles and Crew vs Crew All Styles do not lead to the Summit.

The Summit is run by World of Dance under its own rules and timeline. Summit registration, entry fees, travel and accommodation are at the participants’ expense. On request, we issue a confirmation of participation and result.

10. Children at the event (England)

Every dancer under 18 takes part with the written consent of a parent or guardian. The team representative collects and keeps these consents and shows them to the Organiser on request.

Children performing in England are protected by child performance law. The Organiser holds a Body of Persons Approval from the local council where the event takes place. For this, the representative provides in the account, for every dancer aged 16 and under on the day of the event: first and last name, date of birth, school (or “home schooled” / “not yet at school”), home council and whether there is any health issue we should know about. Applications without these details cannot be paid or confirmed.

Children are supervised at all times by their team’s coaches and adult chaperones, a parent or a teacher from their school. Children under 5 may stay at the venue until 22:00, older children until 23:00; the schedule is built with these limits in mind.

Event staff do not enter a children’s team’s changing room without its representative or a chaperone. Alcohol is not allowed backstage. If something happens (an injury, a lost child, a conflict), go to the event manager at the admin desk.

11. Conduct, health and disqualification

We expect everyone to respect dancers, judges, staff and spectators. Violence, threats, discrimination and damage to property are not tolerated. The venue rules apply to everyone.

Dancing is physical exercise: each dancer (for a child, the parent) decides for themselves whether they are fit to perform. A first-aider is on duty at the venue. We recommend insurance valid in the UK.

Grounds for disqualification: false information about age or line-up; a dancer on stage who is not listed in the application; banned or dangerous props; violence, threats, discrimination; alcohol or drugs backstage or on stage; damage to property; refusal to follow staff safety instructions. The decision is made by the head judge together with the event manager.

12. Photos, video and broadcast

The event is photographed and filmed and may be streamed online. Performances may appear in the broadcast, in the event’s photos and videos, and on our channels and World of Dance channels. By going on stage, dancers agree to this; for minors, the parent gives consent.

The rights to the choreography stay with its authors and the team. Close-ups of a specific person in paid advertising are used only with that person’s consent (for a minor, a parent’s).

To have a photo or video of a specific person removed, write to london@worldofdance.com. Spectators may film on a phone for personal use, without flash; professional equipment requires accreditation.

13. Changes, postponement and cancellation

The Organiser may change the schedule, the judging panel and the venue within the same city; such changes are announced on this website and emailed to representatives.

If the event is postponed, the application remains valid for the new date. If the event is cancelled, any entry fees paid are refunded.

14. Contact and version

For any question about the competition: london@worldofdance.com. At the venue: the event manager at the admin desk.

These regulations may be clarified until registration closes. The version that applies is the one published on the day the application was submitted, unless the new version is more favourable to the team.