On behalf of the International Council of Directors of the BDFI, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the BDFI website. This message is to inform you of some of the events and further details regarding the BDFI.

The cost for the membership is £15 commencing March 1st. See our Members section on the website to register or renew.

We have now in place an upgraded website providing answers to any questions regarding the BDFI. The various pages are easy to scroll through and give information on renewal, the members of the International Council of Directors, congresses, our rules and what the BDFI stands for.

The BDFI give thanks to our “Logo scheme sponsors” who are DSI, IDS and CHRISANNE CLOVER.” Details of the discounts members can receive from these three companies can be found on the website.

One major highlight is the BDFI/UK congress. This is staged during the UK Championships in January in Bournemouth at the Bournemouth International Centre. It is an annual event and occurs on the Monday afternoon preceding the United Kingdom Dance Championships. The congress is organised by the BDFI with the kind permission of Cre8tive Productions who are the organisers of the UK Championship. The format varies between Ballroom and Latin lectures and “An Audience With.” The entrance fee is free and if you wish to reserve a seat, please send an email to me toward the end of the year (). This will ensure your attendance at this wonderful spectacle. Privileged seating is given to BDFI members. A full report has been penned for many years by Jack Reavely. This appears on the BDFI website, and you can read many previous years’ reports there as well. The BDFI committee thank Jack most sincerely.

Throughout the World there are several competitions and congresses organised by BDFI National Directors, making us a truly international Federation. Delegates from the BDFI have previously attended meetings of the WDC and more recently the WDO to give our members a voice on the world stage and have an input on decisions that affect various aspects of our Profession.

The BDFI have also awarded a scholarship to the winners of the two Blackpool Rising Star events for amateurs for many years. The Ballroom scholarship is the “Benny Tolmeyer” and the Latin is the “Bill and Bobbie Irvine MBE.” The winners receive their scholarship money from former Chinese Taipei National Director Mr Alan Yeh who wishes the names of these famous former Icons of the Dance World to be remembered. In 2023, 2024 and hopefully 2025, this scholarship was awarded during the UK Championships.

The BDFI sponsor the International Professional Rising Star events in October and gives extra prize money for BDFI members. Also, at the BDF Star Championships in January, extra prize money is given to BDFI members who gain a place in any of the four Amateur and Professional finals. The proviso is that on both occasions both members of the partnerships have been BDFI members for at least two months prior to the event.

Wishing your continuous participation in BDFI matters great success,

Hazel Fletcher
Membership Director BDFI