The Hottest Dance Competitions You Didn't Know Existed

For those of us who aren't professional dancers, a great way to get the thrill of competing is to play the new online game, "Dancing With the Stars: Keep Dancing." By choreographing our own routines, styling our own avatars, and performing for the judges, it's like we're really on the competitive dancing circuit. And who knows, maybe if we get good enough at the game, it won't be long before we're ready to take our talents into the real world! Check out the dance competitions we'd like to enter in the most, and don't forget to play the online game, Dancing With The Stars: Keep Dancing to pick up some pointers before you decide you're ready to battle anyone.

1. Hip Hop Dance International Championship

Hip Hop International was founded in Los Angeles in 2002, and focuses on Bboying (a.k.a. break dancing) popping and locking. The organization also produces various television shows, like "America's Best Dance Crew," and dancers may enter as a solo act or part of a group (but the groups are always where it's at).

2. The Blackpool Dance Festival

The Blackpool Dance Festival is the world's first and most famous ballroom competition. It was founded in 1920, and is notoriously held at the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England. It focuses on Ballroom and Latin American dancing, which includes 10 dances: the waltz, the tango, the viennese waltz, the slow foxtrot, the quickstep, the samba, the cha cha cha, the rumba, the paso doble and the jive.

3. Juste Debout Worldwide Street Dance Festival

Juste Debout ("just upright" in English) is a street dance competition that was founded in France in 2002 that focuses on hip hop new style, house, popping and locking. The best events to watch are usually the two on two battles, where each dancer has to perform twice to music they have never heard before.

4. World Irish Dancing Championships

The World Irish Dancing Championships is the most prestigious competition for stepdancers. There are various styles that fit into the genre, and they can be categorized by whether they require a "hard shoe" or a "soft shoe" to perform. Competitive dancers are usually expected to dance two or three steps at a time.

5. UDO World Street Dance Championships

The United Dance Organization was founded in the UK in 2002, and it now consists of more than 30,000 dancers around the world. People of all ages, abilities and backgrounds are encouraged to enter into their competitions, and the organization is credited with running the leading competitive Street Dance events in Europe and the UK.

6. Braun Battle Of The Year

Battle of the Year (or "BOTY") was founded in Germany in 1990, and is a break dancing competition that is only open to crews. Now it usually takes place in France, and is also referred to as the "World Cup of B-Boying." It is the focus of Benson Lee's 2007 documentary film, "Planet B-Boy."

7. United States Dance Championships

The first USDC was held in 1971 in Washington DC, when the American Ballroom Company was authorized by the National Dance Council of America to judge all styles and divisions for amateur dancers and professionals. And as you can see around :40, enemies are easily made.

8. IDO World Tap Dance Championships

The International Dance Organization (or "IDO") was founded in 1981 in Florence, Italy. Today, it represents more than 250,000 dancers across six continents, and it holds competitions all over the world. But performers must submit a video application to become a member of the organization before they can enter any of them.

9. World Dancesport Championships

The World Dancesport Federation is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the international governing body of dancesport. The federation formed in 1957 in Germany, and holds competitions all over the world in the styles of Latin, Standard and Ten Dance. Only the performers with perfect technique and the ability to balance artistry with athleticism are declared winners (which was particularly hard for Germany in 2010. Skip to around 4:00 to see why).

Inspired By The "Dancing With the Stars: Keep Dancing" Online Game