Wheelchair Grand Prix

Strictly Wheelchair Dancing to welcome competitors from all over Europe to UK's largest international wheelchair dance competition in Manchester

Manchester, England: Wheelchair dancers from across the Europe are set to gather in Manchester in 3 weeks’ time for the 4th annual Manchester Grand Prix International Wheelchair Dance Championship.

The event, which has been organised by Manchester-based Strictly Wheelchair Dancing in association with Ray Bulpitt Dancentre, is being held on Sunday, June 29 at The Forum, Wythenshawe. The Grand Prix was first held in 2011 and is the largest international Wheelchair Dance Sport competition currently held in Britain.

Entries and officials from over 10 European countries will be welcomed to the city, following a surge in international interest. Many competitors will also travel from clubs based right across the UK for the Manchester Grand Prix.  

 Officials have been confirmed as: Corrie Van Hugten (Netherlands), Pippa Roberts (Malta), Leonid Tarasov (Russia), Iwona Ciok (Poland), Peter Elliott (Great Britain), Christa Udell (Great Britain), Andrej Micunek (Slovakia) and Ray Bulpitt (South Africa).

 Visitors/Spectators tickets are available on the door priced at £10.00 for adults and £5.00 for children/Senior Citizens.  Spectators are free to come and go throughout the day.

Wheelchair Dancesport 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 with two wheelchair users competing together. In 1998, Wheelchair Dancesport became an IPC Championship Sport, but is not part of the Paralympic programme today. It is governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and co-ordinated by the IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport Technical Committee, which incorporates the rules of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF). In 2014, Wheelchair Dance Sport is widely practiced by athletes in over 29 countries at top level and many more at grass roots levels.

 The event is sponsored by Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, Easi-Drive and Fish - Specialist Disabled Insurers. 

We are already looking ahead to the 2015 Wheelchair Dance Championship and are seeking partners and sponsors for this ever-growing sport and international event. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor or partner is asked to contact the competition organisers.

Published: 12-Jun-2014: (2475)